I enjoyed every minute…I have found my writer’s voice.
We all have a story to tell and memories can nag at us to be given voice, but capturing and taming them into a coherent story can be as difficult as netting air.
My Story is an introduction to the genre of Memoir, which is writing from lived experience. It’s about identifying a story that you want to tell, finding the voice with which to tell it, and developing some of the tools that will help you to turn a personal account into a page turning story.
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
Maya Angelou
Personal narratives can be informative, funny, cathartic, tragic, healing and revealing.
Through telling them we can learn as much about ourselves as about the human condition, and in sharing them on the page, we have the opportunity to take readers on a profound and deeply personal journey of their own.
What Can I Expect?
Over 6-weeks, in a group of no more than 10 fellow writers, you’ll be guided through the process of committing your experiences to paper. We’ll cover important topics to consider when approaching your story and you’ll be given handouts that expand upon what we cover in the class.
I really enjoyed surprising myself. bring encouraged by the great group of supportive peer life writers. A great introduction, demystifying the process, comfortable and fun, learning with so much more confidence to keep writing.
Each week there will be writing exercises in class and a short homework, so you can put into practice what you’ve learnt, and there will be an opportunity to share your work in a supportive and constructive environment.
This course was a really useful introduction to the different considerations and nuances involved in life writing. The environment felt safe and protected and I appreciated the small group element. There was no pressure to ‘perform’ and the notes we were given to take away, as as well as the homework tasks, were excellent. Overall it was most enjoyable.
By the end of this course you will have gained a deeper understanding of writing from life and have developed greater confidence in telling your story.
Struggling to make my memoirs interesting and readable, I attended Fi Mason’s My Story. She presents in a very gentle and motivating way. The session was fun with a lot of smiling and I enjoyed it immensely. Fi got the content just right. She didn’t miss anything and gave really good feedback if I started to go off course.
An Update Regarding Covid-19
Although lockdowns feel like they might just be a thing of the past, we are still living through an extraordinary moment in history. I’m reminded of something my Mum used to say if I’d been going through a particularly taxing time – ‘Well, love, it’s all good material for a book’. I’m certain that this period will birth many new life-writers, as people feel compelled to document their experiences of lockdown – from the weird to the tragic to the funny.
So, for the foresable future, My Story will be an online course, using Zoom.
For the un-tech-savvy, don’t worry!
It’s really easy and I’ll talk you through the whole thing.
It was very enjoyable and everybody was given time and space to contribute in a friendly and relaxed manner. I especially enjoyed the prompting of memories with physical objects. This activity seemed to work well with all participants, and for some in an unanticipated manner, enriching their recollections. The session opened my mind to the variety of ways in which ‘my story’ might be approached.
Would you like to know more? Then send me a message.