This two-part toolkit series invites you to use journaling as a natural entry point into your personal story, both as a tool for self-discovery and as a foundation for meaningful creative work. We’ll distinguish between everyday journaling and a more intentional memoir practice that helps you uncover significant memories, recognize patterns and themes, and begin shaping the stories that want to be told. This workshop has consistently been a student favorite in my classes at The Writer’s Center, because it offers a clear, supportive way to begin writing about your life without feeling overwhelmed by the scope of it. This series will help you develop a bank of memories and anecdotes you can leverage to illustrate the themes and storylines that shape your life story.

In this first session, we focus on how to access and capture memories in a way that feels meaningful, generative, and creatively energizing. We’ll clarify the difference between a traditional journal and a memoir journal, highlighting the benefits of excavation and creative experimentation. Through guided prompts, you’ll begin identifying key moments, seasons, and turning points that have shaped your life. You’ll also experiment with different storytelling forms to find new and surprising entry points into your stories. By the end of this session, you will: Understand how to use journaling as a tool for memoir and idea generation | Generate a body of memory-based writing to work from | Identify meaningful life moments, patterns, and themes | Discover creative entry points that make it easier to get words on the page. Register to join us here.