Vivian Gornick says, “Truth in a memoir is achieved not through a recital of actual events; it is achieved when the reader comes to believe that the writer is working hard to engage with the experience at hand.” How do we organize the events of a life to tell a story? How does the story become a work of art? We will work hard to identify each writer’s core theme and shape a narrative governed by that theme.

You may already have an idea, sections, or a whole manuscript. Wherever you are in the difficult process of writing memoir, this workshop will provide you with some organizing principles to help you move forward.