Overview

Is it your dream to write a full-length about yourself/your exes/parents and entertain readers at the same time?

You don’t have to be a celebrity comedian of a certain age to write a funny memoir. You don’t have to be born with a sense of humor or have had anything funny happen to you. A memoirist must make a meal out of her experience, however minor, however unfunny–that’s the job, and that’s the job we’ll learn to do in four weeks.

Specifically, we’ll cover how to draft a memoir; begin and end it effectively; structure it; clarify what it’s about and what sets it apart; make readers care; balance the personal with the universal; write comedically about the characters in your life (including yourself) without going too far; and use narrative, stylistic, and comedic tools to write 200+ pages with confidence.

We’ll refer to a few perfect memoirs as examples.

Each class will be part lecture, part discussion, and part brainstorming and writing exercises. Each week students will receive informative handouts and inspirational assignments. In our final class, each student will workshop 1,500 words and receive peer feedback and instructor line edits and compliments.

Come with memoirs in mind or in-progress, or come to be inspired.