Back to Home > Courses and Seminars > The mb One-Day Workshop: Writing (and Publishing) Your Memoir

The mb One-Day Workshop: Writing (and Publishing) Your Memoir

Course is closed.

WHEN
Saturday, Mar. 18, 2006
10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

WHO
Any writer who wants to publish his or her memoirs

WHERE
Writer's Grotto
South Park
San Francisco, Calif.

PRICE
$150 ($125 for )
more info

Course Details

Everyone has a life story to tell, and more and more people are putting them into print. What's the secret to a successful memoir? How do you transform your life story into something publishable? We'll talk about how to make a personal story universal, and how that experience is a window onto a larger world. We discuss how to report on your own life, how to keep notes, use quotes, and tackle a book-length project. We'll also talk about the sticky issues of writing about people you know and things you'd be embarrassed to have your mother read about you in print.

Class schedule:

10:00-12:30 p.m.
Lecture/Q&A
Laura will talk about the varieties of memoir, and the process of writing a book. She will describe her experience taking two travel articles and turning them into a best-selling memoir, translated into 5 languages. She'll teach you to pare out personal details that don't advance the story, and discuss how to create your own voice, persona, and character.

12:30-1:30
Lunch
There are some great local places for you to go with your classmates, or bring your own lunch.

1:30-3:30
Group discussion/lecture, Q&A
The second half of the day will focus more on the nuts and bolts of getting a memoir published. We will discuss book structure, book proposals, and the process of writing. We will brainstorm students' ideas for memoirs and focus on individual dilemmas in the process of writing a memoir.

Instructor Bio

Laura Fraser's Courses

No courses available at this time.

Laura Fraser
Laura Fraser has been a freelance writer for 20 years. Her travel memoir, An Italian Affair, was a national best-seller. She has written feature articles for O, the Oprah Magazine, Gourmet, Bon Appetit, More, Health, Mother Jones, Vogue, Organic Style, and many other magazines. She has taught at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Aspen Summer Words, and is member of the San Francisco Writers' Grotto.

Testimonials


Laura is an articulate and funny teacher; her crisp and organized approach to writing is an inspiration. -- Sarah Fallon, Story Editor, Wired magazine

"Introduction to Writing Profiles was my first mediabistro class. The class was a mix of veteran writers and novices like myself. Laura was calm, but far from boring. She packed more useful information and encouragement into the seminar than seemed possible. I also appreciated her personal touches: She shared with the class some things she struggles with when she writes, and some funny stories about doing difficult interviews. I left feeling completely confident (even excited) to start two profiles I had been dreading before the class. I think I got every penny's worth of my $65 and I can't wait to take more mediabistro classes!" -- Alex Bury, Major Gifts Officer, PETA Foundation

AvantGuild* Discounts on mediabistro.com courses are just one of the wonderful benefits of being in AvantGuild, our premium membership program. For just $59 a year, you'll receive instant access to our How to Pitch articles and other premium articles, transcripts from selected seminars and panels, and discounts on virtually everything we do (including eClasses and the Freelance Marketplace)! Click here to join now.