Upcoming Writing Workshops

NEXT UPCOMING CLASSES

Exciting News! Scroll down to see about our upcoming online women’s memoir writing class: Start Small Finish Big: From Memoir Vignette to Publication, Part 1

 

All our Summer 2008 workshops are full.

Our next Northern California Women’s Memoir Writing Workshop will be September 27. 10 AM - 4:30 PM. Workshop is held in a beautiful setting to call forth your inner muse. During the workshop, you’ll define the theme, message, scope, focus, and style of your memoir through a combination of instruction, discussion and writing exercises.

Fee: $125 includes instruction, workbook, gourmet lunch with wine, and a beautiful handmade Thai Silk Writer’s Journal.

Follow-on half-day reading and writing workshops are scheduled based on the needs of the group.

For more information on our Silicon Valley location or to register, email: Matilda@WomensMemoirs.com.

“Very motivating…exceeded my expectations.” J.E.

“I enjoyed the workshop immensely. I feel confident now that I can write my memoir. Your clearly defined planned and execution steps will guide me in the coming months.” -Jackie F.

“Fantastic — nice blend of content, practice, and interaction. You helped us create a great feeling of support for one another in the class.” -Dolores E.

“An excellent class — very helpful information, presented well. -Shirley J.

 

Interested in our workshops but don’t live nearby?

Women frequently tell us that they’d like to come to our workshops, but they live in distant cities and other states. We’ve been working on a number of ideas to overcome this problem (after all, a problem is just an opportunity). We’re pleased to announce that our first online course has just been accepted by the Story Circle Network. The first Conference Call begins October 2. You’ll meet your other classmates and talk about the course. The first video lesson will be posted October 3 and your first assignment is due October 7. The last Conference Call is November 13. Come join us. We’ll have lots of fun. You’ll find yourself writing better memoir vignettes than you could have imagined and you’ll learn how to use the Internet to build a reading audience. Here’s a brief description of the course:

Start Small Finish Big: From Memoir Vignette to Publication, Part 1

Part One of this two-part course is designed to help you write your memoir by “starting small.” our class will cut that “book monster” down to size. Through a series of instructional videos, creative exercises, and writing assignments that use your own family photos, treasured mementos and even recipes as triggers to memory, you’ll find your unique voice, and develop your personal style of expression.

Then we’ll help you “Finish Big.” Although actual publication of one or more of your stories will come at the end of Part Two (to be offered in Winter 2009), you’ll start getting ready now. The author who doesn’t start planning for publication until her book is finished has lost valuable time. We’ll show you how to use the Internet to begin creating your own readership. Following our simple steps, you’ll create a base of family, friends, and fans who’ll be interested in buying your memoir when it comes out.

Writing for your family rather than for publication? That’s great too. These same Internet skills will let you share your life stories on a continuing basis with those close to you.

CHECK BACK HERE SOON. WE’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE COURSE IS LISTED ON THE STORY CIRCLE NETWORK WEBSITE (www.StoryCircle.org). Until then, be sure to contact us, if you’d like more information.

Tuition/Fees: Story Circle Network (SCN) members: $250. Non-SCN members: $275. Media fee: $50 (includes instructional videos on class website, posting to class blog.)

You’ll find lemon balm in our garden of memories. Lemon balm is for comfort and regeneration. Writing a memoir is not always a comforting task. We are looking at our lives to make sense of them, making an effort to understand how we got to where we are today, trying to pass on our lessons learned so that we and others might benefit. Lemon balm’s significance in the Memory Garden is to remind us of the long-term benefit and sense of comfort or regeneration we get from our writing.