How to Write Your Lifestory or Memoir: Exploring Truth, Memory, and Craft
ABOUT THE WEBINAR
Writing a memoir or a lifestory can be an overwhelming task. You wonder where to begin, how to structure it, how much truth to tell, and how to manage conflicting family opinions. Not only do writers need to sort through the emotional aspects of writing a memoir based on their own experiences, but it's important to write a story with dramatic interest. Even if you simply want to share your story with family, the reader needs to be drawn into your story. You create the world of your past through using fictional tools such as the correct point of view, scenes, vivid descriptions, and by creating a narrative arc. Attention will be focused teaching craft elements needed to create a publishable and well-written work that you can be proud of.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- How to create a hook and theme—in other words: how to make your story stand out from other memoirs that editors and agents review
- Ways to think about truth and memory, family, and legal issues that block your writing; how to find your theme and focus your story for your audience
- Create a timeline, write vignettes, and choose the most important part of your story—the turning points
- The reasons why you need scenes and a narrative arc
- Why you need to draw upon fictional techniques, such as sensual details, point of view, scenic structure, and vivid descriptions to craft a great story
- How to research the parts of your story that you're not sure about
Linda Joy Myers is the president of the National Association of Memoir Writers, and an expert in memoir, lifestory, and the topic of writing as a transformational journey. She has written three books,The Power of Memoir, Don't Call Me Mother, and Becoming Whole: Writing your Healing Story, a ForeWord book of the year finalist. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at www.namw.org.
The Writers Store does not offer any refunds for the webinar. All sales are final.