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Memoir Writing Level 1 (Online) is unfortunately unavailable

Thankfully we have 7 other Memoir Writing Classes for you to choose from. Check our top choices below or see all classes for more options.

Memoir Writing Level 1 (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Uncover the fascinating stories of everyday life in this immersive workshop that teaches you how to craft your personal experiences into compelling memoirs. Develop the finesse of fiction writing as you learn techniques to captivate readers and market your work. 

(746) All levels 18 and older
$464

10 sessions

Attend
+4640 pts
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Intro to Memoir with Laura Cathcart Robbins

Writing Pad

Unlock your storytelling potential in this engaging memoir class. Guided by a successful memoirist, you'll explore your personal narratives and learn the foundations of creative nonfiction. Develop your unique voice, write compelling scenes, and receive feedback to refine your work, setting you on the path to crafting a moving and polished memoir.

(62) Beginner 16 and older
$425

5 sessions

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+4250 pts
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Memoir 2 with Erika Schickel

Writing Pad

Push your memoir to completion with expert guidance in this advanced workshop. Designed for experienced writers, you'll receive targeted feedback on your manuscript and strategies to elevate your narrative. By the end of the course, you'll have made significant progress and be closer to finishing a memoir ready for publication.

(62) All levels 16 and older
$495

5 sessions

Attend
+4950 pts
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Memoir 1: Memorable Memoir Workshop with Erika Schickel

Writing Pad

Transform your life’s stories into captivating narratives with Erika Schickel. In this engaging online workshop, you'll learn to craft compelling memoirs with authenticity and vivid detail. Benefit from personalized feedback and discover the secrets to turning your memories into a powerful and emotional journey. Ideal for both new and experienced writers looking to make their mark.

(62) All levels 16 and older
$475

5 sessions

Attend
+4750 pts
Gift it!

Online Memoir Workshop

The Writers Studio

Discover the power of storytelling and learn to distill your life experiences into a memoir that captivates readers. Join this immersive online workshop to explore narrative techniques and find your unique voice, while receiving personalized feedback from a seasoned memoirist. Unleash your creativity and embark on a transformative writing journey.

(7) All levels 18 and older
$389

6 sessions

Attend
+3890 pts
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See all Memoir Writing classes Online

Memoir Writing Level 1 (Online)

Uncover the fascinating stories of everyday life in this immersive workshop that teaches you how to craft your personal experiences into compelling memoirs. Develop the finesse of fiction writing as you learn techniques to captivate readers and market your work. 

  • Beginner
  • 18 and older
  • $464
  • Earn 10% Rewards
  • Price Lock
  • Online Classroom
  • 30 hours over 10 sessions

Start Dates (0)

  • $464/person
  • 30 hours over 10 sessions
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Class Description

Description

What you'll learn in this memoir writing class:

Memoir Writing I is a 10-week workshop, which includes lectures, exercises, and the critiquing of student projects. It’s for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on the fundamentals. Farther down, you can view a syllabus for this course.

Every life holds many tales. Whether your life is wildly unconventional or relatively normal, there’s bound to be something fascinating about it. That’s why the contemporary memoir—everyday people telling their stories—has become such a popular phenomenon. A memoir covers an aspect of a life, whether it’s a short piece about, say, a bicycle ride with a friend, or a book about, say, your entire childhood.

To make readers care, your memoir must be told with the finesse of fiction. Here you will learn techniques for focusing your life stories, as well as well as writing craft and how to market your work.

Whether you seek to write essay-length pieces or a book, we’ll show you how to best tell the stories from your life.

This course gives you a firm grounding in the basics of memoir craft and gets you writing a short memoir (or two) or a book. 

Course components:

  • Lectures
  • Writing exercises
  • Workshopping of student projects (each student presenting work two times)

Memoir I is for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on the fundamentals.

Each week a new topic is explored through lecture and writing exercise. The topics covered in this course include:

  • Introduction to Memoir – The contemporary memoir defined. Short and long memoirs. Finding the “who cares?” in your story. Focusing on an aspect of your life. Types of memoirs—coming of age, adversity, relationship, career, travel.
  • Mining Your Memory – How “true” must it be? Researching your past. The balance of being “actor” and “observer.” Not using memoir as therapy. Facing the truth.
  • Character – Thinking of real people as characters. Making characters dimensional through desire and contrasts. Creating character profiles. Showing vs. Telling. Methods for showing characters.
  • Plot – Finding a major dramatic question. Shaping a beginning, middle, and end. The difference between short and long plots. Pros and cons of outlining.
  • Description – Using the senses. Specificity. Techniques for creativity. Finding the right words. Merging description with point of view.
  • Dialogue – The importance of scene. Turning real life conversations into dialogue. Quotation marks and tags. Stage directions. Summarized dialogue. Characterization through dialogue. Subtext.
  • Point of View/Voice – Point of view defined. First person and other memoir alternatives. Voice defined. Exploration of the various types of voice. Tips for finding your voice.
  • Setting/Pacing – Creating setting through time, place, and weather. Description of setting. Mood and emotion of setting. How to manipulate time through pacing. Flashbacks.
  • Theme – Theme defined. Types of theme. Weaving theme into a story.
  • Revision – Exploration of the various stages of revision.
  • The Business – Proper format for manuscripts. How to target publishing houses, literary magazines, and agents. How to send your work out. Query letters.

Note: Content may vary slightly among individual classes.

Remote Learning

This course is available for "remote" learning and will be available to anyone with access to an internet device with a microphone (this includes most models of computers, tablets). Classes will take place with a "Live" instructor at the date/times listed below.

Upon registration, the instructor will send along additional information about how to log-on and participate in the class.

Refund Policy

All Classes (except One-day and Zoom Intensives and Write-Ins):

  • For a refund or credit, contact us three business days or more before your class starts. You can either choose to hold a full credit with us good for one year on other Gotham classes OR you can opt for a refund less a $25 administrative fee and your $25 registration fee ($50 total).
  • If you need to withdraw after your class has started (or two business days before it starts), you won’t receive a refund, but you’re welcome to a Gotham credit less the price of Week 1 and your $25 registration fee, but we need to hear from you three business days or more before Week 2 meets for that to happen. After that point, no credits are available.

One-day and Zoom Intensives:

  • You may reschedule a One-day or Zoom Intensive one time, if you notify us two business days before the class begins. After that first reschedule, there is a $25 rescheduling fee.
  • If you notify us three business days or more before your class begins, rescheduling is free. If you notify us less than three business days before your class begins, there is a $25 rescheduling fee. If you don’t notify us until after your class begins, we cannot reschedule you.
  • You may get a refund (minus a $50 fee) if you notify us three business days or more before your class begins.

Write-Ins:

  • If you withdraw 1 business day or more before it begins, you’re welcome to a full credit good for one year toward another Write-In. No refunds are available.
  • If you simply don’t show up and don’t notify us in advance, you forfeit your money.

A few more things:

  • Credits are valid for one year and cannot be changed into refunds down the road.
  • Simply not attending class or notifying the instructor does not mean you've officially withdrawn.
  • Some exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis for medical emergencies with a doctor's note.
  • Refunds take up to six weeks to process.

Please understand, we can't issue a refund after classes have started, even if you miss your first class. Similarly, we can't offer you a credit one day before your second class or after that. We understand that other obligations get in the way of attending class, but these policies allow us to get other interested writers into class early enough to have a good experience, and this allows us to offer our classes at a reasonable price.

Important Notes:

  • Students are allowed to join a class in the second week.
  • Only those who pay the tuition in full can be guaranteed a place in class.
  • Class dates and times may be subject to change. A substitute may be assigned or make-up classes added to the end of the term.
  • Auditing and the recording of classes are not allowed.
  • For all classes, students receive a record of payment and registration.
  • Gotham reserves the right to remove any student at our discretion.
  • Gotham does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, or marital status.
  • Our courses are not intended to provide instruction that will result in the student's acquisition of occupational skills.

In any event where a customer wants to cancel their enrollment and is eligible for a full refund, a 5% processing fee will be deducted from the refund amount.

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Questions & Answers (1)

Get quick answers from CourseHorse and past students.

Question from Anonymous
Are students advised on how to store writings, like using a software, say Scribener? I hate learning a whole new program. Any suggestions made in this course?
Answer from Stuart P. Verified Educator
Hi, You are more than welcome to ask about this in class and the teacher and fellow students would have plenty of suggestions for you.
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Gotham Writers Workshop

Gotham Writers Workshop is a creative home in New
York City and Online where writers develop their craft and come together in the
spirit of discovery and fellowship. We’ve been teaching creative writing to
students since 1993.




We believe that everyone has a story to tell.
Indeed, many stories. Keep your...

Read more about Gotham Writers Workshop

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Gotham Writers Workshop

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