MEM 25 — Find Your Story's Shape: Memoir and Personal Essay Workshop
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Jayson Greene
Date(s): Jan 5—Mar 9
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Tuesdays
Class Meeting Time: 5:00—7:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $1040
Refund Deadline: Jan 7
Unit(s): 2
Enrollment Limit: 18
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
How does a memoirist turn lived material, which is often messy, repetitive, or unresolved, into a shapely essay or book? This question can stop a memoirist in their tracks. A "life story" is a slippery and elusive thing that requires invention and intentional structuring. Just as there are varied examples of the personal stories that compel a memoir, there are multiple ways to structure one.
During this course, we will study passages from formally diverse memoirists such as Eileen Myles, Carmen Maria Machado, Heidi Julavits, and others. Through close readings and exercises, you’ll discover that every memoir is a container, and the shape of that container may change the story you're trying to tell. Building off that new understanding, you'll workshop an essay or chapter (up to 3,500 words). You’ll leave with new pages, a clearer understanding of available forms, and the tools to choose the best one for your project.