A Quilt of Words . . . From Memory Scraps to Memoir Sunday Joannah Merriman 9:00 - 4:30 Student Level: All levels are welcome
Type of Workshop: Process
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“I’d love to write a bit about my life, but . . .
. . . I just don’t know where to begin . . .
. . . but I don’t really remember much . . .
. . . there is so much I’d rather forget . . .
. . . but I don’t know whether anyone would want to read it . . .
. . . what would the rest of my family say?”
Does any of this sound familiar? Do you ever wish you might one day stumble upon a trunk in your mother’s attic, containing the journals of your great-grandmother? Or letters your great-great-grandfather wrote during the Civil War? Personal histories and memoirs fascinate us as readers, and so much of our ancestors’ past is lost. The days of multi-generational life story-telling are a thing of the past, for the most part. We very rarely take the time to write anything down and we don’t think we’ve lived a very unique life, too boring, mundane. Sometimes we are reluctant to spill what we think are the “family secrets”, which everyone discusses at holiday dinners anyway. But our memories, written down and handed down, are often the most valuable treasures we have to leave to our children and grandchildren, friends and strangers.
In this class, we will throw off the notion that we need to begin at the beginning. We will “make a middle” and through short, simple writing prompts, each participant will rediscover snippets of memories that open the door to telling some of our life stories, one vignette at a time. Don’t be shy! Don’t be afraid! Just show up at the page, memory scraps in hand! You will leave this class with a substantial notebook full of glimpses into your past, and your family will thank you.
Materials Fee of $15 payable to Instructor at class time includes:
A lovely journal to hold your word-quilts
A booklet of memoir writing prompts and exercises to excavate, expand and enhance some of your storiesSupply List:
Favorite pen(s) – ones that don’t skip or glop when you write . . . in colors if you’d like
Perhaps a half dozen family/friend photos to get your juices flowingQuestions? Email Joannah at jetlost@lamar.colostate.edu
Website: www.lifeprintsjournal.com