2010 Schedule

Two Twelve-Hour Classes: Orange County, California

• Dates: Feb. 9 & 10 thru May 4 & 5
• Time:  1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• Location:  Rm. 154, Santiago Canyon College, Orange Education Center, 1465 N. Batavia (Between Taft and Katella), Orange, CA  92867
• School Phone:  714-628-5900
• Tuition:  Free!

One-Day Seminars

• Feb. 5-7, 2010–Story Circle Network Fifth National Women’s Memoir Conference, Austin, TX, “Show, Don’t Tell: How to Turn Your Ho-Hum Memoir into a Humdinger!” Go here for more information.
  

A little about what I teach…

My classes have a dual focus: First to motivate students to write their life story, and, second, to show them how to make it interesting. It’s one thing to write down memories as they spring from your head; it’s quite another to shape those memories into a fascinating story, one that lets readers into your life, and shows them what it was like to walk in your shoes. I focus on SHOWING, not just TELLING. If people learn this skill, they’ll tell an interesting story.

Learning to write is like learning to play the piano: The more people practice, the better they get. It’s rewarding to watch my students grow as writers over time.  I also love when they discover that their lives have been interesting and meaningful, something they may not have realized had they not taken the time to record their stories.  It’s so satisfying to play a small part in that process.

To learn more about my classes and my teaching techniques, visit my website at www.MemoirMentor.com. You’ll find most of my curriculum in the book I co-authored with my husband and published in 2007, Breathe Life into Your Life Story:  How to Write a Story People Will WANT to Read, available through the publisher, Signature Books, and Amazon.com.

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Honors and Endorsements:

In 2008 Santiago Canyon College honored me with the Faculty Excellence Award. If you’d like to read what some nice people have said  about  my classes and seminars, click here.