“I gather together the dreams, fantasies, experiences that preoccupied me as a girl, that stay with me and appear and reappear in different shapes and forms in all my work. Without telling everything that happened, they document all that remains most vivid.”

— Bell Hooks

Photo by Marcus Aurelius

What is the difference between memoir and autobiography? Where do I start if I want to write mine? This one-day workshop is designed for writers interested in starting a memoir, or who have already begun and are encountering common roadblocks. Instructor Krista Foss leads you through exercises and discussions that consider the thorny issues of navigating trauma and joy, owning your story, liberating your voice, and developing a writing practice that leads to a finished manuscript.

So join us to shape personal experiences into powerful prose and craft your unique journey into a story that resonates and inspires.

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WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM		Arrival
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM		Introductions and Definitions: Why memoir isn’t biography
		Memoir as personal archaeology Facing our fears Excavating 10 defining moments
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM		The importance of scene in memoir
		The importance of scene in memoir Readings discussion: what are the thorny issues? Exercise: ten things somebody said to me
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM		Thematic control: curating the scenes of your life
		Author as character Making connections with books, art, and song
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM		The elements of the memoir scene
		Writing exercise: choose a scene/choose an element (action/dialogue)
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM		Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM		Ethical considerations in memoir: who gets hurt/who gets believed
		Readings discussion
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM		Completing the scene writing session: making it vivid, making it authentic
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM		Reading and Sharing
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM		Wrap up and departure
		Praxis and next steps for memoir writers

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ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Photo by Krista Ockenden

KRISTA FOSS is a novelist, essayist and short story writer. Her short fiction has appeared in several literary journals including Granta and has twice been a finalist for the Journey Prize. Her essay writing has been featured in Best Canadian Essays and has been nominated for a National Magazine Award. She has two novels published by McClelland & Stewart: Smoke River (2014), which won the Hamilton Literary Award, and Half Life (2021). Krista is an experienced workshop teacher and a busy writing coach and editor. When she’s not lake swimming or in the woods, she’s working on a third novel and new short fiction from her home in Westport, Ontario.  

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COST & REGISTRATION

$95 + HST includes instruction and a gourmet lunch.

This workshop is limited to 18 guests. 6 SPOTS REMAINING.

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If registering for more than one person, please enter the number required as the “Quantity” and you will be charged accordingly.

HST is included in the checkout price.