Building a Great Memoir
So many potent moments are waiting to be uncovered: dipping your body into a shimmering lake as a child, gazing out the window after the death of a loved one, remembering a best friend, wanting to say some words you’ve never said. Learn about the basic elements of memoir: sensory detail, scene vs. summary, dialogue, time shifts and narrative arc. Read great memoirists and a reader to help you. Do in-class exercises and work with peers. Hand in pages for instructor feedback. Leave the class with new writing friends and a body of writing.
Faculty Bio
Louise Nayer is the author of six books including two memoirs: Burned: A Memoir and Narrow Escapes. An educator for over 40 years, she is a member of the San Francisco Writers Grotto.
This is an In-Person Workshop
- Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 300 (3rd floor), at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
- Classes are neither livestreamed nor recorded
- Limited to 18 members
- You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Tuesday, Jan. 20 and ends on Tuesday, Feb 24
- Classes meet for 6 weeks, two hours per session (10-noon)
- All course materials will be available in Member Dashboards through March 29
Member Praise for Louise Nayer
Every weekly lesson was an "aha" moment for me. Louise Nayer's teaching and feedback were inspirational and valuable!
Ms. Nayer created an environment conducive to member comfort in sharing reactions to narratives of others and personal pieces as well. More importantly, she was remarkable in requesting student work and responding to it rapidly. She was incredibly generous with her attention to student work.