When it comes to writing quality memoir, honesty is indispensable to earning the trust and interest of readers. Unless you strip away artifice and expose the truth of who you are, you cannot tell a convincing story that touches the heart and truly matters.

Many would-be memoirists are taught to emphasize technique over depth, style over courage, focusing more on structure than on transformation. Worthwhile memoir changes not only the reader but the writer who created it, and this cannot happen without taking risks. When you drop the mask and show your heart, you give your readers permission to do the same thing. That is the magic of memoir.

In this six-week online course, you will explore the truthful interior of memoir. You’ll learn to drop your mask to tell your story authentically, in a language uniquely your own, in order to take the reader on a powerful journey.

LESSON OVERVIEW

Week One: Telling the Truth
What are the obstacles to honesty and integrity in memoir, and how are they affecting your writing process? In this first lesson, we examine the deceptively daunting challenge of being transparent and fearless on the page.

Week Two: Secrets and Lies
Before such candor is possible, it is necessary to uncover the “falsehoods of self” that weaken storytelling and block personal insight. In this lesson, you will learn to identify blind spots in self-awareness, as well as the secrets you keep (from yourself and others) that interfere with full disclosure.

Week Three: Protecting Others
The urge to protect others from upset or exposure is a major cause of self-censorship among memoir writers. In this lesson, you’ll examine how concerns over privacy, loyalty, and exploitation prevent you from fully “owning” your story and writing with a clear conscience.

Week Four: Beyond Shame
Shame is a primary cause of resistance for memoir writers. In this lesson, you will look closely at your shame stories, how they shape your memoir, and how to dispel them.

Week Five: Your Pilgrim Soul
When you move past shame, you touch the spiritual dimension of experience, without which your memoir will be shallow. In this lesson, you consider the spiritual dimension of your story and your life as a journey of awakening.

Week Six: The Myth of Closure
Awareness teaches you that experience is not linear, and that life stories are rich and complex. In this lesson, you learn to mirror this principle in your storytelling, avoiding oversimplification and clear-cut endings, for maximum credibility.

HOW THE ONLINE CLASS WORKS

In the week prior to the start of the class, you will receive an invitation to join the Google Group for the class where all assignments, individual work and Mark’s weekly comments will be posted. Using Google Groups allows the class to read, comment and support each other’s work in a positive and nurturing environment.

Each Monday, for the duration of the class, a new lesson will be posted to the Google Group. Students post their work to the Group by the following Sunday evening. Assignments should be no more than 1,000 words.

On Monday and Tuesday, Mark responds to your submission in writing. His comments are focused on insight, authenticity of voice, and emotional honesty not writing technique, prose style, or grammar.  His responses offer additional prompts for deeper exploration of the subject. Students who wish not to share with the group can send their work privately to Mark.

Two group Zoom sessions will be held to provide an opportunity for students to ask questions and talk together about their work. These are the only live sessions throughout the six weeks.

Zoom Session 1: Sunday, July 9 at 12 p.m. Eastern
Zoom Session 2: Sunday, July 30 at 12 p.m. Eastern

Challenge the voice within that tells you what can and cannot be said. This voice is a nemesis in memoir writing. Writing Naked will guide you toward courage to tell a story that comes alive on the page.

In addition to the engaging lessons and Mark’s insightful feedback, two live teleconferences with Mark offer the opportunity to discuss the work, ask questions, and learn the craft of memoir writing from a seasoned pro. If you’re writing a memoir, Writing Naked will provide you with the vision, confidence, and wisdom to put truth to paper to craft an honest and compelling story.

Register Early and Save $50!

Online Class Tuition: $395
Early Registration Tuition Through June 12, 2023

After June 12, 2023
Full Online Class Tuition: $445 USD