2023 Memoir Writing Workshops
Santa Barbara, CA
March 31--April 3
10 am--1 pm
We meet in my quiet Santa Barbara home to workshop your narrative nonfiction writing.
Students provide drafts of their narrative nonfiction writing via email before class--writing that usually focuses on food, travel, childhood memories, opinion, or a blend of such.
I offer instruction both formally and informally as we work, as it is needed, suggesting particular techniques to make writing more compelling to a reader. I'll send short reading assignments of published essays to read ahead of class as examples of these techniques.
Becoming part of a writing community is a critical part of this experience as we develop trust, reliance and confidence in the group. These weekly sessions work well for emerging as well as experienced writers to get heard and to learn from others.
KIND WORDS & ENDORSEMENTS
Lisa A Gilbert, Bigfork, Montana
I found Kathryn’s Memoir Writing Weekend Workshop in Santa Barbara to provide more techniques for the craft of non-fiction writing than I’ve received from other teachers at longer workshops. Kathryn’s wealth of knowledge, experienced teaching ability, kind heart, and witty sense of humor made for the perfect workshop ingredients.
Gretchen Givens, Martinez, CA
This memoir writing workshop was one of the best I have ever taken. Kathryn is congenial, highly qualified, and came loaded with handouts and useful information. For years, I have wanted to write a memoir, but didn’t know how to begin or put it into form. Kathryn’s training on structure has helped to organize my thoughts so I can begin. In addition to being instructive, the informal workshop was lots of fun.
Lana Jones, Laguna Beach, CA
Thank you, Kathryn, for all your expertise and inspiration. The writer’s group some of us formed from your workshop has been a wonderful experience. I am on my way to writing something of my own. Our workshop has been a wonderful boost for me on my journey.
Kathleen Mohn, Oakland, CA
Kathryn’s weekend writing workshop got me restarted on my writing project, which is to write essays about each of my five grandchildren as they grow up. I had been wallowing in laziness and not taking imitative, but now I’m eager to try out the structure and sentence techniques Kathryn showed our group that we applied to our in-class writing. Kathryn knows writing inside and out and appears to love passing on her knowledge. All of us finished the two days feeling enthusiastic and ready to move forward with our writing.
Paul Dalmas, Kensington, CA
Kathryn is an exceptional writing teacher. I have taken several of her college classes and her local workshops in California. Through her advice and encouragement I have had my work published in Newsweek, the San Francisco Chronicle and California Magazine
Nancy Tengler, Phoenix, AZ
From my initial determination to become a writer, Kathryn inspired, nudged and guided my writing, encouraging me to pursue an MFA. Now that I have finished my degree and am struggling with a large, unwieldy manuscript, I find her suggestions and focused guidance even more valuable to my development as a writer. Plus, she is a great deal of fun.
