Writing to Repair: The Risky Personal Narrative

Pain, loss, messy relationships, heartbreak, childhood, iIllness, death, trauma, abuse, addiction, and other life-changing experiences: these are tough subjects to write about well, but the effort often yields powerful results. How do you write about painful, emotional and deeply personal experiences in a way that’s not too sentimental, self-indulgent, insular, or raw? How can giving narrative shape to these experiences through essay or memoir be a restorative practice? In this workshop you’ll explore writing the risky personal narrative through craft exercises, discussion of texts by writers like Jaquira Diaz, Cheryl Strayed and T Kira Māhealani Madden, and presenting your work for group feedback, all in a safe, supportive and respectful environment.

Open to writers of all levels, ages 18+. This is a multi-week class; please be sure you can attend all sessions.

This 3-week workshop meets on Thurs evenings from 6-8pm at LitArts RI on the following dates:

Thurs, Sept 14

Thurs, Sept 21

Thurs, Sept 28