Learn how to interrogate, curate, and shape the slippery landscape of memory into a compelling literary narrative.

Memoir is not simply a transcript of past events: it’s the act of making art out of life. Compelling memoirs use the active, creative process of working with memory to weave snapshots from lived experience into a work of narrative. But memory is rarely linear or objective; it’s fragmented, selective, emotional, and unreliable. The art of memoir lies in knowing how to sift through the archives of your mind, examine your recollections with curiosity, and turn the raw, unpolished material of memory into a cohesive story that resonates with others.

Writing Memoir guides you through the process of interrogating your past, navigating the gaps in your recall, and transforming personal memory into a work of narrative nonfiction. Using a mixture of textual analysis, discussion, and practical exercises, together we’ll learn how to use these building blocks to really make your writing come alive.

What You Will Learn

• Working with the nature of memory: Learn how to treat memory as malleable artistic material: how to navigate emotional truth vs. literal recall, and work with  memory’s inevitable gaps, fragments, and contradictions to strengthen your story.

• Finding your core theme: Move beyond "what happened" to discover the core theme, question, or emotional engine driving your memories forward.

• Structuring the unseen arc: Organize scattered recollections and years of lived experience into a clear narrative structure with compelling pacing and focus.

• The ethics of memory and real people: Navigate the delicate responsibility of writing about shared histories, family, and past relationships with nuance, courage, and artistic integrity.

• Vivid scene-building and sensory recall: Use sensory details to unlock buried memories and immerse readers in the felt reality of your past.

• Honing your narrative voice: Develop a distinct, authentic voice that bridges the gap between who you were then (the character in the memory) and who you are now (the narrator telling the story).

Who This Course Is For

• Writers grappling with a personal history who want to transform journals, recollections, or family stories into a polished manuscript.

• Essayists and non-fiction writers who want to deepen their relationship with narrative memory and personal voice.

• Anyone stuck in the "messy middle" of writing about their life who needs structure, tools, and perspective to tame their material.

What You Will Walk Away With:

A roadmap and outline that transforms your scattered memories, journals, and life events into a clear, cohesive narrative arc. And ideally a first chapter. 

Format: 

7-Week Structured Workshop (live online via Zoom): Weekly 90-min sessions with a group capped at 10 people with writing assignments to be completed at your own pace outside of class. There will be a 2 week break between Session 6 - 7 to allow for more focused writing. The final session will be 120-min so students can share their work.

Standard Tuition: Full access to 7 weekly live sessions, course portal with reading material, weekly assignments, peer forum, and Q&A. £550 

Early Bird: Discounted rate for the first 5 sign-ups or registration before a set deadline. £475

Extra Tuition  (Limited to 4 spots): Everything in Standard PLUS a detailed written critique of a 5,000–8,000 word manuscript submission + a 45-minute 1-on-1 mentoring call. £850