Course
Memoir Writing - Crafting Your Legacy CEXTN46-202680
Sep 15, 2026 - Oct 13, 2026
Instructor: Melanie Graysmith
Full course description
Memoir Writing- Crafting Your Legacy
Tuesdays, 9/15-10/13/2026, 6:00-8:00pm.
Location: ONLINE
Instructor: Melanie Graysmith
Learn what memoir is and about its transformational power. You come with a lifetime of stories, many of them memoir-worthy. Memoir stories show the significance of incremental change. This course will introduce memoir and its characteristics. Learn to identify your best life stories for memoir and recognize that you are the main character in your story. Memoir stories contain the truth; focus on emotional honesty. Using a range of writing styles, themes, story ideas, elements from creative writing and more you will discover what it takes to write about your personal experiences. Takeaway: Memories are all we have, write them down. No previous writing experience is required. This workshop is held on Zoom and includes optional Engagement Lab time scheduled by the instructor.
Each student will need a folder in sections to hold/organize class handouts for easy reference, plus a section to hold their written memoir stories. Students write in MS Word, Pages, or Google Docs, or handwriting, whichever they prefer.
Instructor Bio:
Melanie Graysmith is a writer, artist, and educator with a passion for creativity and learning. She holds an MA in adult education with an emphasis on ESL, BA degrees in illustration and Japanese, plus a Cambridge CELTA. A longtime adult education instructor, she has taught ESL, grammar, and writing workshops. She is also a freelance writer and a scriptwriter, and a member of the SF Bay Area independent film community. For six years Melanie facilitated memoir writing to older adults who didn't think their stories were interesting or they could write. She introduced memoir writing to new and seasoned writers to recognize their stories' universal appeal and develop writing skills. With Melanie's guidance they developed a love of storytelling as their writing skills increased.