MEMOIR WRITING

Dianne Stewart, author and teacher of creative writing

‘Fiction isn’t memoir and memoir isn’t fiction’ – Arthur Phillips.

These practical writing workshops are aimed at defining memoir writing and showing how, as a creative non-fiction genre, it differs from fiction writing. In the workshops participants will explore shorter forms of memoir writing as well as investigate longer forms. Each workshop will combine writing exercises with a consideration of the technical aspects of memoir writing.  

SESSION TITLES

1. Distinctions between writing fiction and creative non-fiction

2. Shorter forms associated with memoir writing

3. The broad canvas of longer forms of writing memoir, for example family histories 

4. Structuring a memoir

5. Markets for memoir writing

Recommended reading

Macdonald, H. 2014. H is for Hawk. London: Johnathan Cape.

Msimang, S. 2017. Always Another Country: a memoir of exile and home. Cape Town: Johnathan Ball Publishers.

Rakoff, J. 2014. My Salinger Year. London: Bloomsbury.