About "Outline Your Memoir: Eight Weeks to Structure"
This is the class I wish I’d had before I’d written my first book. In this course, you’ll gain all the information you need to write a compelling memoir. The goal is to end up with a completed outline by the end of our eight weeks together.
In order to outline your book, you first need to understand memoir-writing structure. Structure is synonymous with plot. However, memoir-writing structure is rarely intuitive. It’s a lot more like biology — it’s something you have to learn. There are rules to writing a memoir and without understanding them, it’s nearly impossible to write a good book.
I created this class because I wanted to share the information on structure I never found anywhere else, the information I learned over ten years of teaching memoir writing.
Mistakes you will learn to avoid:
Not only will you avoid these traps that almost all first-time memoir writers fall into — by the end of the class, you should feel very much in control of your plot and have a strong sense of your prose style. In short, you will understand the rules that are absolutely essential to crafting a successful memoir. You will also have a full outline of your book so that you feel confident completing your memoir on your own.
In order to outline your book, you first need to understand memoir-writing structure. Structure is synonymous with plot. However, memoir-writing structure is rarely intuitive. It’s a lot more like biology — it’s something you have to learn. There are rules to writing a memoir and without understanding them, it’s nearly impossible to write a good book.
I created this class because I wanted to share the information on structure I never found anywhere else, the information I learned over ten years of teaching memoir writing.
Mistakes you will learn to avoid:
- Readers don’t get excited about your memoir because it’s not really about anything.
- Your book doesn't create a sense of suspense.
- Your reader gets lost in time.
- Your reader gets the “Why is the author telling me this?” sensation.
- You fall into the “This happened, then this” trap.
- Your writing doesn’t affect your reader emotionally.
Not only will you avoid these traps that almost all first-time memoir writers fall into — by the end of the class, you should feel very much in control of your plot and have a strong sense of your prose style. In short, you will understand the rules that are absolutely essential to crafting a successful memoir. You will also have a full outline of your book so that you feel confident completing your memoir on your own.
Class structure
Each week you get a video lecture packed with information. Most videos are around 25 minutes long.
You also get a homework assignment designed to teach you a particular concept. All assignments help you advance in the actual writing of your book. There are no warmup exercises in this class! You submit your assignment to me two days prior to our class meeting time.
During our weekly meetup, we discuss assignments one by one. Each person gets between 10 and 15 minutes of personalized feedback from me each week.
You also get a homework assignment designed to teach you a particular concept. All assignments help you advance in the actual writing of your book. There are no warmup exercises in this class! You submit your assignment to me two days prior to our class meeting time.
During our weekly meetup, we discuss assignments one by one. Each person gets between 10 and 15 minutes of personalized feedback from me each week.
Writers who have taken Wendy's classes have subsequently gotten representation from top literary agencies including Foundry, Solow Literary, Dystel & Goderich, International Creative Management (ICM), Levine Greenberg Rostan, Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency and Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
Class content
Week One: Understanding Scenes
Scenes are the building blocks for your book. They are also where your reader lives through events with you. So how do you write a scene that transports your reader? And where should you start your scenes? I'll answer these questions in week one.
Week Two: Scenes Equal Events
“Make sure your scene contains an event!” This is one of my favorite bits of advice. We’ll also talk more about the kind of prose that works to really engage your reader, i.e., prose that puts us inside the narrator’s head. Don’t limit your writing to what your narrator saw and heard — you also want to describe your narrator’s thoughts.
Week Three: Dialogue
Most people who think they have problems writing dialogue actually have a lack of narration in their scenes. This class covers common traps when it comes to dialogue writing and how to fix them.
Week Four: Your Memoir in Three Acts
Your book is set up as a quest, but that quest needs to shift course in some way. In this class, we’ll begin working on the global structure of your book and divide your memoir into three acts.
Week Five: Chronology
In week five, we'll use your “present-day” timeline to set up a sense of a quest in your book and expand the timeframe of your book with flashbacks. A good portion of time is spent on flashbacks, showing how to transition in and out of them in your book.
Week Six: Using a Narrative Want to Find Causality
In week six, we’ll talk about the use of a narrative want to connect your scenes. When all of your events are related to a narrative want, you've found causality, the strongest way of creating structure within your chapter.
Week Seven: Chapter Premises
If you’re struggling to find causality, a chapter premise can work to piece your scenes together. In this class, we’ll take a different approach to constructing your chapter, one that connects your events by relating them all to a common idea.
Week Eight: Transitions vs. Scenes
What do transitions look like? How long should they be? How do they help construct your stories? All of these questions will be answered in week eight.
Scenes are the building blocks for your book. They are also where your reader lives through events with you. So how do you write a scene that transports your reader? And where should you start your scenes? I'll answer these questions in week one.
Week Two: Scenes Equal Events
“Make sure your scene contains an event!” This is one of my favorite bits of advice. We’ll also talk more about the kind of prose that works to really engage your reader, i.e., prose that puts us inside the narrator’s head. Don’t limit your writing to what your narrator saw and heard — you also want to describe your narrator’s thoughts.
Week Three: Dialogue
Most people who think they have problems writing dialogue actually have a lack of narration in their scenes. This class covers common traps when it comes to dialogue writing and how to fix them.
Week Four: Your Memoir in Three Acts
Your book is set up as a quest, but that quest needs to shift course in some way. In this class, we’ll begin working on the global structure of your book and divide your memoir into three acts.
Week Five: Chronology
In week five, we'll use your “present-day” timeline to set up a sense of a quest in your book and expand the timeframe of your book with flashbacks. A good portion of time is spent on flashbacks, showing how to transition in and out of them in your book.
Week Six: Using a Narrative Want to Find Causality
In week six, we’ll talk about the use of a narrative want to connect your scenes. When all of your events are related to a narrative want, you've found causality, the strongest way of creating structure within your chapter.
Week Seven: Chapter Premises
If you’re struggling to find causality, a chapter premise can work to piece your scenes together. In this class, we’ll take a different approach to constructing your chapter, one that connects your events by relating them all to a common idea.
Week Eight: Transitions vs. Scenes
What do transitions look like? How long should they be? How do they help construct your stories? All of these questions will be answered in week eight.
What former students say"Wendy is the best instructor I've had, bar none. She continually pushes you and never lets you settle for good enough. She is knowledgeable, patient, helpful, and has an excellent sense of humor! I would take a class again with her any time." -Sandra Carpenter
"Wendy is phenomenal! I've taken dozens of writing courses and completed an MFA in creative writing. Never have I received such useful instruction. I'm happy that I'll be starting her advanced course next week." -Mary Rowland "Wendy exceeded my expectations. I was stunned by how much practical information I learned and by how much I grew as a writer. The class was, in a word, invaluable!" -Carly Van Thomme "Wendy encourages her students to dig deeper – and the results show. I highly recommend her. She is insightful, conscientious, and supportive. I couldn't ask for more." -Michele Meek "I was fortunate to work with Wendy during the early stages of my memoir when I was struggling when I lacked the confidence to continue. She helped me immeasurably by guiding me through the writing process with insight and kindness. Thanks to Wendy, I went on to complete my memoir and find a publisher." -Jill Stegman To sign up
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