Memoir Journaling Techniques: Two-Part Series
Memoir Journaling Techniques: Two-Part Series
Thursday, May 21 | 6 - 8 pm et and Sunday, June 14 | 4 - 6 pm et
Please note: This workshop series is included with Inner Story Writing Circle membership and is also free for paid Substack subscribers.
More details below 🡇
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.
Please note: Each session offers its own distinct techniques and exercises that connect to the larger theme while also standing fully on their own, so you can attend either one individually or both together and have a meaningful experience either way. If you can’t attend live, the sessions will be recorded and the workshop materials will be provided.
Day One
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.
Day Two
In the second session, we learn another excavation tool, then you’ll be guided through exercises that help you identify themes, storylines, and narrative arcs. These tools focus on narrowing your scope, so instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything you could write, you have some direction.
By the end of this session, you will:
Identify core themes and questions emerging from your memories
Recognize connections between separate experiences
Develop potential storylines and narrative threads
Leave with a clearer sense of direction for your writing.
