Course

What life stories sustain and shape and (perhaps) haunt you? How can you turn them into effective memoir? In this class, we’ll explore scene and summary, narrative distance, imagery, narrative arc, and the handling of time, using writing prompts and short readings to mine the material only you can tell. Class participants will be invited to hand in pages for feedback from the instructor and will have the option to share their writing in a supportive, inclusive environment. Instructor will give written feedback on up to 300 words every two weeks, sent as a Word document.

Faculty Bio

Lindsey Crittenden has taught memoir writing at UC Berkeley Extension and at The Writers Grotto. She is the author of The Water Will Hold You and numerous short memoir pieces in Best American Spiritual Writing, the New York TImes, and elsewhere.

This is an In-Person-Only Course

• Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 300, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
• Limited to 18 members
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and ends on Wednesday, Feb. 24
• Classes meet for 6 weeks, 2 hours per session (10 a.m.–noon)
• All course materials will remain available to view and enjoy in Member Dashboards through Mar. 28