A Memoir Workshop
Level: All Levels
Andre Dubus III, acclaimed author of the 2011 memoir Townie, once said, “You don’t have to tell the family story. You have to tell your story of being in that family.” How, then, do memoir writers claim their voices to authentically tell their stories without getting sidetracked by the influence—either blatant or perceived—of family members who also stake claim in the experience?
In this workshop, attendees will explore the challenges of writing family memoir and exposing experiences and memories that intersect with the lives of others close to them. Participants will discuss topics including:
- unlocking family secrets
- trusting personal memories when others want to contradict them
- writing honestly when it risks alienating others
- writing with compassion and empathy for others and themselves
- navigating family relationships on and off the page
- the importance of securing support for their work from people outside of the family
These topics will be discussed in conjunction with insights from the words of other memoirists who have already done the hard work of telling their stories of being in their families.
Attendees will participate in writing prompts and exercises that will help them to begin shining their personal lens on the greater family experience. Each attendee will also have the opportunity to share a piece of writing from a personal essay or memoir-in-progress that enters family territory in some way and receive constructive feedback from other participants.
+ SUBMIT After registering, participants are asked to submit a manuscript (an excerpt from a personal essay or memoir-in-progress that focuses specifically on a shared family experience) of no more than 1,000 words by no later than 9:00 a.m. on Friday, July 1. Please email the manuscript to programs@mainewriters.org with the subject line: “BROOKS WORKSHOP MSS.”
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will be a hybrid class, occurring online via Zoom and in-person at USM. For those taking it online, students do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before their class if they are first-time users. On Thursday July 7 from 5:30pm to 6:00pm, MWPA staff will offer a tech help session on Zoom. Students are encouraged to attend the tech help session, which usually takes only 5-10 minutes, if they have any tech concerns, use Zoom infrequently, or simply would like to test their connection, and those who do not are responsible for ensuring that they are able to use Zoom on their own.
The week of the workshop, students will be emailed a link that they may click to enter the test session and the class. If you are interested in-person, you will receive the email to let you know the location on USM’s Portland campus. Please email a photo of your vaccination card to programs@mainewriters.org.
+ REQUIRED EQUIPMENT A reliable, fast internet connection (broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), speakers & a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in), and a webcam (built-in or USB plug-in).
If you would like to quickly and easily test your internet connection and your computer’s compatibility with Zoom, click HERE. Full details on supported Operating Systems, internet browsers, and more can be found HERE. To download and familiarize yourself with Zoom, click HERE.
Melanie Brooks is the author of Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma (Beacon Press, 2017). She teaches professional writing at Northeastern University and narrative medicine in the MFA program at Bay Path University in Massachusetts and creative writing at Nashua Community College in New Hampshire. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast writing program. She has had numerous interviews and essays on topics ranging from loss and grief to parenting and aging published in Psychology Today, the HuffPost, Yankee Magazine, the Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and other notable publications. Her forthcoming memoir, A Hard Silence (September 2023), explores the lasting impact of living with the 10-year secret of her father’s HIV before his death in 1995. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, two children (when they are home from college), and two Labs.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Meghan Sterling at programs@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one full scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Email Meghan at programs@mainewriters.org to see if the scholarship is still available. Application Due by July 1 at 9:00 a.m.
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MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION