This workshop is full. To be added to the waitlist, email Meghan at programs@mainewriters.org.
An IN-PERSON 5 Week Memoir and Nonfiction Workshop
Mondays: April 3, April 10, April 17, May 1, May 8
ALL LEVELS
Whether you are writing a true story that is your own or inherited from another person, we are faced with a series of open ended questions. What perspective should we tell a story from? What do we do when memory and historicity compete with one another? What is our responsibility to our personal truth versus the way that others experience a series of events? And what do we do with the inevitable emotional contractions that arise in the face of retelling stories of the past? Do we write what something feels like now or do we write how something was experienced back then? And furthermore, how do we explore “truth” when someone has passed away?
In this workshop, we will focus on the craft of writing and rewriting as well as explore the different ways to be a nonfiction narrative storyteller. There will be a heavy emphasis on writing from photographs, journals and primary source documents and using audio as a form of story collection. This course will engage individuals who are writing their stories as straightforward memoir or nonfiction narrative as well as instruct on ways to collect and retell true stories, including how to conduct interviews and various multimedia practices. You can be at any stage of the writing process from percolating ideas to being ready to publish.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur in-person at USM’s Portland Campus. The week before the workshop, participants will be emailed the exact location of the class.
Rachael Cerrotti is a documentary storyteller and the author of We Share The Same Sky: A Memoir of Memory and Migration. The book received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, was the winner of the 2022 Maine Literary Award in memoir and shortlisted for the 2022 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. The book follows her narrative podcast, also titled We Share The Same Sky, which among many accolades was listed as one of the best podcasts of 2019 by HuffPost and as a “Show We Love” by Apple Podcasts. We Share The Same Sky (the podcast and book) are now being taught in classrooms around the world and being adapted for a traveling museum exhibit. Rachael’s work combines photos, video, audio, primary source documents and of course the written word to tell true stories that explore the humanity of grief and the inheritance of memory. As the recent Inaugural Storyteller in Residence for USC Shoah Foundation, she produced and hosted The Memory Generation podcast. Learn more at www.rachaelcerrotti.com.
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 partial 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 a scholarship is still available. Application Due on March 15th 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