This ten-week course is aimed at writers who are currently working on a draft of a book-length memoir or narrative essay collection. During class sessions, we will discuss key areas of developing a powerful book: finding one's theme or throughline; balancing showing vs. telling and situation vs. story; building powerful scenes; creating structure to keep your reader turning pages, and more. In addition, each student will have at least two opportunities to share 6-page excerpts of their work during in-class workshops.
Instructor: Judah Leblang is a storyteller, memoirist and writing teacher. His essays and commentaries have been broadcast throughout the US on more than 150 NPR and ABC-network radio stations, as well as several Canadian stations. He is a regular columnist for Bay Windows, Boston’s gay newspaper, and an instructor at Grub Street. The 2nd edition of his memoir, Finding My Place: One Man’s Journey from Cleveland to Boston and Beyond, was published in 2013. His new book Echoes of Jerry is about his Uncle Jerry, an orally-educated deaf man as well as Leblang's own struggles with his sexuality and trying to find his place in society, finally coming out in the mid-1980s. Clips of his performances and writing are at www.judahleblang.com.
Details: Building Your Memoir: Intermediate with Judah Leblang will meet Wednesdays March 2-May 4 from 6-9pm using Zoom video conferencing.