Finding Your Memoir - Summer 2024

Description: This hands-on workshop is for writers who are interested in developing a book-length memoir or essay collection, and in sharing their life stories. In this intensive workshop, we will explore many of the key features of the memoir genre including: finding your theme or through-line, dealing with internal and external conflict, finding your structure, and balancing scene vs narrative--showing vs. telling. In class, we'll look at short excerpts that illustrate craft elements of developing memoir and complete writing exercises that build on these topics. By the end of the session, you should have a clearer sense of your theme, tools to assist you in developing your book's structure, and practical techniques to help you move forward with your project.

This class meets from 10:00am-4:30pm at Literary Cleveland's office at 13002 Larchmere Blvd. We will take a lunch break in the middle of the day so plan to pack a lunch or grab something nearby.

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.

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Details: Finding your Memoir meets Saturday, July 20 from 10:00AM-4:30 PM ET in person at Literary Cleveland's office: 13002 Larchmere Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44120.

Prerequisite: None

Genre: Nonfiction

Level: Emerging

Format: Workshop with generative writing outside of class and feedback during class.

Location: This class takes places online via zoom

Size: Limited to 12 participants (including scholarships).

Cancellations & Refunds: Cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the first class meeting to receive a full refund. Email info@litcleveland.org.

Registration Fee

$90 - Non-Member Registration

$60 - Registration with Member Discount

I'd also like to help out other writers with a donation to the Word for Word Scholarship Fund. (This fund provides low- and limited-income writers in NE Ohio with access to our classes)

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