Writing Memoir: A 1 day Mini Writing Retreat

For beginning writers and established writers alike. We begin with creating our own commonplace book. A simple composition notebook becomes a tool to pull out memories and flesh out writing ideas. Next, you’ll learn how to get started, then we write. You’ll learn some magic revision techniques that make your narrative essay pop.  I’ll ease you into sharing bits or whole pieces. You will be empowered when you see that all stories, including yours, are valuable to create community. We end with a joyful open mic to celebrate. The goal is for you to leave with a finished memoir essay that you could sent out for publication if you wish. 

Materials List:

• Composition Notebook - Comp notebooks are the ultimate choice for several reasons. 

  • #1. Not a soft side notebook- they won’t hold up with what we are going to do. It HAS to have cardboard. 

  • #2. They are cheap. You shouldn’t pay more than a couple of bucks, maybe even fifty cents at Target. (The Dollar Tree ones suck; don’t go there.) It matters that they are cheap. There is an important philosophy at play here. You want to know it is a cheap notebook. You can play here. If you go buy one of those fancy-dancy $20 notebooks, you’ll feel your content has to be “special” which ruins everything. 

• Ephemera of all kinds- Challenge yourself to reuse rather than buy things for this project: old magazines (check libraries and thrift stores), old newspapers, wrapping paper, fabric, stickers, stamps, labels, postcards, anything paper. 

• Colorful pens, markers

• Glue stick

• Modge-podge if you want to seal the cover