To write memoir is to lay bare the self on the page. It is to take the material of your life and use it to tell a story. It is a deeply personal endeavor, and yet the writing process asks us to think about craft issues in much the same way as we do when writing a novel. The best memoirs have a compelling voice, strong characterization and a narrative arc. This session will explore the process of writing memoir, both the emotional underpinnings and the craft issues. How do you both protect and expose your self in your work? How do you structure your real-life story so that there is narrative flow? How do you create a sense of tension? How do you develop your voice on the page? How do you decide what to leave in and what to take out? This session will explore what the process of writing memoir asks of us, and look at how we can use our personal stories to create compelling memoir that resonates with readers.
Tova Mirvis is the author of the memoir The Book of Separation, which was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in September 2017. She is also the author of three novels, Visible City, The Outside World, and The Ladies Auxiliary, which was a national bestseller. Her essays have appeared... Read More →
