The desire to write a memoir is real and deep. You have much to say about life, love, grief, the universe. Your memories and moments create the memoir.
Writing your memories is essential. For brain health. For imagination. For art. For creativity. For legacy. For honoring your life, just as it’s been, because you can. Because now is the moment.
The stories are like balls of yarn that you weave together. There’s a golden thread or theme that strings them together.
Most of us aren’t professional writers, but we carry stories worth telling. Whether you want to understand yourself better, preserve family history, or share hard-won wisdom with others, your life holds moments of beauty, struggle, transformation, and meaning that deserve to be shaped into lasting legacy.
In this course, I’ll show you exactly the process I used to write my book, Pockets of Grace: Lessons from Darkness, Lessons from Light—the same techniques that helped me transform scattered memories into a cohesive, powerful memoir.
Course Intentions - In this course, you will:
• Identify the stories that matter most and understand why you’re called to tell them now
• Learn the “road trip metaphor” approach to memoir structure—choosing one journey rather than trying to tell your whole life
• Develop vivid, dimensional characters from the real people in your life
• Master the art of “show, don’t tell” through powerful scene-writing
• Discover and articulate the deeper themes and meaning in your experiences
• Learn practical techniques for weaving individual stories into a cohesive narrative
• Address common fears and resistance that stop writers from sharing their truth
• Create a sustainable path forward for completing your memoir
Guiding Philosophy
We are all writers. In the words of Pat Schneider, founder of Amherst Writers & Artists, whenever we talk with each other, we are “writing stories on the air.” If you think, you write—even if it’s not yet on the page.
Our stories shape who we are, and we all carry wisdom. When we tap into our stories and get clear on them, they can inform how we choose to live. Memoir writing is a creative method to express your innermost being beyond time and age.
As author Joan Didion wrote, “Remember what it was to be me; that is always the point.” This course honors that intention.
What to Expect
• Weekly structured lessons that balance craft instruction with hands-on practice
• Specific exercises and assignments to develop your memoir
• Direct instruction from someone who has completed the memoir-writing journey
• A supportive environment that addresses both the craft and the courage required for memoir writing
• Focus on creating a cohesive narrative, not just collecting disconnected stories
This workshop is led by Heidi Gessner, author of Pockets of Grace: Lessons from Darkness, Lessons from Light, and former palliative care chaplain at UNC Hospitals. Heidi created and co-led Writing for Resilience, a weekly reflective writing group for patients, caregivers, and staff, where she witnessed lives change, dreams take shape, and healing begin through writing.
Scholarships are available. All supplies included. Adults ages 18 and up.