In our lives, we are both always experts and novices. Personal essay and book-length memoirs allow writers to explore compelling, central moments, experiences, and material from their lives to communicate meaning, universal themes, and takeaways to readers, transforming experience into narrative art. What are the ethics of writing about others? We will explore conventions of the form, such as self-disclosure and deep examination, creating tension, character arc, using scenes and dialogue, distilling the “one big thing” your piece is about, and the blurry boundaries of fact and imagination in creative nonfiction—the only writing form defined by what it is not. Discussion questions may include: how do you maximize self-inquiry while avoiding "navel gazing"? What elements make stories engaging to readers? How do you craft a persona on the page?

By the end of the session, you will possess an understanding of personal essay and memoir writing fundamentals: honesty, self-reflection, tension, balancing scenes and exposition, distilling your memoir or essay's "about-ness" (i.e., theme), and what to include versus what to omit. Toward the end of our time together, we will discuss the process of submitting your essays for publication so readers can experience them.