Join Tony for an online class from the Loft Literary Center.

Write what you know, they say. But it turns out that's harder than it looks! Memoir writing is a unique way to embed your own story in what you write. In this class, we will explore memoir, but we'll also look at first-person narrative in journalism, essays, and even "auto-fiction" as methods to tell your story in writing. The goal of the class will be to discern how best to tell your story—in what genre, style, and voice.

Texts read will include The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr and The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick. We will also consult the work of Jeff Sharlet, Jon Krakauer, Anne Lamott, Ben Lerner, David Carr, and Ta-Nehisi Coates. We will work under the premise that any good memoir, like a novel, needs a plot that builds to a climax and reaches some kind of resolution. The class will consist of teaching and discussion, and students will be provided with links to additional reading and video resources to support further learning and development following the class.