What's Your Big Idea? Theme in Memoir, with Cathy Luna
The best memoirs tap into something universal in the human experience, teaching us something important about a larger theme (loss, courage, freedom, coming of age, etc.). But how, as writers, do we unearth the themes or big ideas at the heart of our own stories? And how do we structure and craft our memoirs so that these larger meanings shine? In this four-week workshop, we will learn essential craft elements and techniques to help illuminate the big ideas within our own true stories. Through specific craft exercises, examining published excerpts, generating new work and receiving supportive feedback, writers will develop a strong sense of their memoir’s big themes, as well as learning powerful tools to uncover their stories’ deeper meanings.
Date TBD ($175)
Cathy Luna, PhD has published excerpts from Missing Lessons, her memoir-in-progress, in Lunch Ticket, CONSEQUENCE, and The River Teeth Journal. A former faculty member at UMass Amherst, Cathy has taught writing for more than thirty years. Since 2010, she has been a writing consultant and writing coach for Five College faculty writers.
