People sometimes feel that memoir and life writing is somehow indulgent or presumptuous, but the opposite is more true: readers are grateful for writers willing to share their real lives with us.

Your own perspective is original and you already have the experience you need to tell the story. The interesting question is: what to do with the raw materials of your life? And which form of life writing would best fit your goals? How do you edit when you’re so close to your material? And what about the common fears and pitfalls of publishing life writing?

Memoir and life writing presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, and I’ve built a series of four workshops to address them in order.