Memory to Memoir: An Online Writing Workshop
with
Paula Stallings Yost
of LifeSketches

"There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior, there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy." —Mark Twain

Having interviewed and written the stories of more than 400 people in the past nine years, Paula totally agrees with Mr. Twain. Though it may seem an intimidating task, preserving your life's stories on paper or online is not only fun, but it probably will be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do. The beauty of memoir is that it allows us to tackle a family or personal history one favorite story at a time rather than producing a dry, chronological report beginning with the not-so-fascinating: "I was born." A memoir may cover just a moment in time or a particular phase of your life such as childhood, marriage, career, parenthood, and more. The possibilities are endless.

Each student will compose four short stories that will be edited by the instructor and returned with helpful suggestions for improvement or expansion. Students also will learn tips for transitioning and organizing the stories into a creative nonfiction narrative. Writing guidelines, story ideas, and a bibliography of suggested reading materials will be provided as well.

Good writers benefit from objective critiques by good editors. Writing fundamentals (including grammar, syntax, vocabulary, narrative flow, punctuation, spelling, proper manuscript format, etc.) are an important part of writing success. Therefore, careful attention will be paid to these fundamentals and will be addressed in the instructor's critiques.

Note from Paula:
This online class is very informal and easily adjustable to students' varied schedules. Beginning on June 2, I will send a lesson plan with writing tips and an assignment each week to each student. Then the student will have a week in which to accomplish that assignment before the next lesson comes along. There is no formal class "session." You may choose to read and absorb the information at your convenience (even at two o'clock in the morning if you wish) and then submit a story you write specifically geared to that week's lesson or a story in your "previously written" stash. Once I receive your assignment, I will edit same and provide a constructive critique, usually within 48 hours. Based on this schedule, the last lesson will be sent on June 23. You should be finished with the class by June 30, a week later. Students will be given the opportunity to share their work with each other or not, as they choose. Otherwise, all your correspondence will be directly with me in the interest of preserving your privacy.

Who: Everybody has a story. Preserve yours now and create a legacy for generations to come. All writers, whether new to the craft or more experienced, are welcome and will benefit from this experience. Although you do not need to be a computer genius by any means, you must be able to complete your assignments within a Word program, have access to an e-mail system, and be able to send and receive Word documents as e-mail attachments.

Where: This is an online class, affording students the rare opportunity of one-on-one communication and critique with an experienced writer/editor about their work. An introduction will be emailed to you upon receipt of your enrollment fee. A lesson plan, as well as further instructions, will be emailed to you on the first day of class.

When: June 2-30

Cost: $200 for dues-paying members of Story Circle; $225 for non-members.

Registration: Class size is limited to 15 (minimum enrollment is 8). So please register now using our online enrollment form (below) and don't miss out on this opportunity. You can pay online or via check. When we receive your payment, we will send you a confirmation (via email, if you include your email address). The deadline for enrollment in this course will be May 23, 2008.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: We will refund your registration fee, less a $25 cancellation charge, if you request it up to 15 days before the workshop begins. After that date, we will refund your fee only if we are able to fill your space from our waiting list. Once the class has begun, no refunds will be given. We reserve the right to cancel the workshop; if so, we will refund your full registration fee.

Instructor:

An experienced journalist, personal historian, and past vice president of the Association of Personal Historians, Paula Stallings Yost believes passionately in the power of story. In 1999, she jettisoned a public relations/journalism career and life in the suburbs to found LifeSketches—a biography service in the piney woods of East Texas helping others preserve the real stories of people from all walks of life. Paula also served as a co-editor and contributing author for the SCN anthology, What Wildness is This: Women Write About the Southwest, and is co-editor of Story Circle Book Reviews. For more information, an interview published in the Story Circle Journal may be found here. Praise for Paula and the Workshop: "Some of my submissions were re-writes of things I'd written before but now was able, with Paula's help, to add extensively to the idea... She helped with many suggestions on how I could organize my stories in a more comprehensive manner with better flow." "Paula's course (instructions, comments, editing, assistance, etc.) was the best I've had in twenty years of writing classes, conferences, workshops, etc. And last year, I graduated from McMaster University's Writing Certificate Program with A's in every class, but I have learned much more from this course." "I now have a better grasp of the quality of my writing and the process. I also have a plan of action and a timeline. I can do this! And I am excited about it." "fantastic - i couldn't wait to get her comments - she was so on target - it was such a help - i want to put her in my back pocket like a little ipod and listen to her suggestions whenever i write." "Please offer more courses and more courses like this! Or possibly even a stage 2 of the one just offered. I am more likely to join a course associated with SCN than some of the others such as Writers' Digest, since I trust SCN to find good teachers, to offer a more personal touch and to preserve privacy. Thank you!"