January 2012
Writing a Healing/Spiritual Memoir
Offered through the National Association of Memoir Writers
The Power of Memoir 8 week Writing Workshop through the Therapeutic Writing Institute
October, 2011
Through Story Circle Network…
Weaving Shadow and Light in Your Memoir
Three week class that examines the deeper layers of memoir writing.
September 2011 
Memoir Writing Workshops Berkeley
Fall Memoir Writing Workshop 2011 9 Sessions
$395.00 Credit card and payments plans are accepted.
September 24- December 10 9 sessions
This workshop has been ongoing since 1999. We meet in Linda’s office on Solano Avenue every Saturday morning, bearing fruit, snacks, and pages of writing while the teapot boils. Most writers stayed up late to finish their work, and everyone brings a copy for each person to read while the person selected reads the work aloud.
Reading aloud helps everyone hear the voice of the narrator while the listeners absorb the piece and write comments for the writer to read later. Linda Joy leads a discussion, beginning with “What did you like about this piece, what worked for you?” A psychotherapist, Linda Joy understands how important it is for writers to hear the positive comments about their writing first, to feel supported in their quest to write a memoir.
Writers need to learn new techniques and ideas to create a successful memoir – dialogue, scenes, sensual details, or what happened when. Feedback helps the writer keep writing, creating more chapters that move like beads on a string to the end of the memoir.
The workshop welcomes experienced and beginning writers with a passion to write a memoir. Everyone who writes a memoir has ventured on a brave journey that is fun, exciting, and challenging. The group offers support and witnessing for the challenging events that are always part of writing a memoir at the same time as the skills, tools, and techniques that make the writer know that progress is being made toward having a book or set of stories for publication at the end.
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and want a supportive and instructive memoir writing group, contact Linda Joy directly. Group members come from Marin County, Los Altos, San Francisco, Alameda, and Oakland, and is easily reached by residents of Berkeley, Albany, and Costra Costa county.
Linda Joy is the author of The Power of Memoir–How to Write Your Healing Story and the award winning memoir Don’t Call Me Mother. Her method of teaching memoir writing in person and online through the National Association of Memoir Writers–www.namw.org–has helped many people to begin, complete and publish their memoir.
Contact: lindajoy@namw.org
_______________________________________________________________________________
Online Workshops
Tuesdays September 20, 2011-November 15 9 Sessions
$395.00
In this workshop week by week, writers tackle scenes, plot points, dialogue, and memories,
both happy and sad to write their stories. We explore techniques such as
dialogue, arc of the narrative, description, and point of view. Adding new
skills helps you write stories that clarify who you have been, who you are, and
what you are becoming on your journey.
Writing a healing memoir takes the writer into depths of soul, a journey into layers of
truth. The course offers support for your journey and explicit skills you need
to write your memoir.
The teleclass meets Tuesdays at 3 PM, PDT. The workshop includes feedback by every
member of the class and Linda Joy about what works in your story and how you
might improve it, keeping in mind that it’s a brave act to write a memoir and
share it with us.
Workshop Outline
- Description and sensual details
- The timeline and your turning points
- Childhood recollections—Writing character descriptions
- Unsent letters; writing behind the critic. Breaking through language
- Setting and Landscape: Place is a character
- Deepening layers of truth; Voice in memoir
- How to Begin Structuring Your Memoir
- Dramatic Structure—Part II
- Truth, lie and courage
If you would like to join this workshop, contact Linda at lindajoy@namw.org
* * * *
Past Events
Redwood Writers–a branch of the California Writers Club
August Monthly meeting: Memoir Awards and Presentation
Writing Your Truths in Creative Nonfiction and Memoir
~ ~ ~ ~
Truth or Lie: Writing on the Cusp of Memoir and Fiction Workshop
California Writers Club Berkeley Branch
May 8, 2011
10 AM-1 PM
Most writers draw from personal experience when they write stories, whether they are casting the story as memoir or fiction. Many autobiographical novels are slightly altered memoir, and memoirs must use fictional techniques to create a story that draws people in. Since Oprah and James Frey, writers are concerned with defining their genre even as they begin spinning early drafts of their stories. They worry about hurting the family, whether their memories are “right,” and also express concern about what to include—should they mention secrets, lies, and the dark stories that they’ve been taught should not be told, or be silent. What stories whisper in your ear, what stories do you want to write even if no one reads them?
We will talk about how to find your important stories and memories, and help you look at the issues you have—your inner critic, family, worries about the unreliability of memory, and how to include the secret stories without losing your family.
In this hands-on workshop, we will draw upon writing exercises, such as turning point and timeline exercise, and discuss the important fictional tools that will help you create a world in your memoir. There will be time to write and share some of your memoir vignettes.
December 2010
Thursday December 2, 2010
December IACCW Member Teleseminar: How to Write a Powerful Memoir with Linda Joy Myers
Thursday December 2, 2010
December NAMW Public Memoir Writing Roundtable Tele-conversation:Knowing When You are Ready to Write and Tips to Help You Stay Motivated to Move Forward with Mary DeMuth & Linda Joy Myers
NAMW Monthly Public Memoir Roundtable/Tele-conversation–FREE for EVERYONE!– CLICK HERE TO Learn More or REGISTER Now
Beginning Friday December 3rd
How to Write Your Memoir and Still Go Home for the Holidays: Focusing on Plot While Telling Your Truths and Defeating Your Critics
with Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D., MFT & NAMW President
3 Session Telephone-based Workshop with meeting dates on December 3rd, December 10th & December 17th. Discount Available for NAMW Members!–CLICK HERE to Register or to LEARN MORE NOW!
Friday December 10, 2010
December NAMW Member-only Teleseminar: Getting Noticed–Tips on Polishing & Submitting a Winning Writing Contest Entry with B. Lynn Goodwin, Experienced Contest Judge, Author and Editor of Writer Advice. Event facilitated by Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D., MFT
NAMW Monthly Member-only Teleseminar / Conference Call–become a member to participate for free!
