About Memoir Courses

Unlike novels, short stories and poems, the memoir requires writers to stick to the truth, the actual sequence of events as they happened, the hard facts and figures of their lives. But memoir writers, just like the authors of those more freewheeling genres, still need a strong narrator and compelling narrative technique.

In our memoir courses, teachers guide students through close readings from varied but equally powerful memoirs–by memoirists ranging from Claude Brown to Annie Dillard–to determine how authors take the raw material of their lives and apply the techniques of fiction and poetry to tell powerful stories. Teachers provide useful weekly critiques of each student’s work, a degree of attention nearly unheard of elsewhere. This process supports students in finding a distinct voice to compellingly tell their stories.

I was new to memoir writing…. My teacher’s thoughtful, detailed critiques helped guide my approach to craft and story-telling. Her exercises deepened my understanding of how to execute engaged, compelling story-telling. So grateful to her and how she teases out of students our very best writing efforts….So glad to have taken this class, I took another. Same wonderful feedback. Wonderful writers in class as well.
MICHELE C.
Writers Studio student

Available Memoir Courses