Seriously though - you REALLY want to write a memoir? Do this course to find out -starts Feb in London N8

Have you got a story that needs to be told? A big event from your life? 

Do you want to explore how to plan it, write it, print it and sell it? 

Do you want to know how to become an author, with a book for sale?

This is a Life writing/memoir course. It starts at 6:30 pm on Thursdays (first session on Thurs Feb 11^th 2016). There’ll be 7 one and a half hour sessions,  and the cost for the entire course is £70 (concessions price available on request). Please enroll for the entire course (if you have to miss 1-2 sessions, I will arrange catch-ups by phone or Skype).

IF YOU MISSED SESSION 1 - there's a catch up on Wed 17th Feb. at 11:30 a.m in Blend Cafe, Green Lanes, N8 0RG -  a short walk from Turnpike Lane tube and is next to Beresford Rd bus stop.  If you can't make this catch up, email/message me and we'll make a plan. 

SESSION 2 is on Thurs eve 18th Feb @ 6:30 pm is also at  Blend cafe,  Green Lanes N8 0RG. 
Nearest tube Turnpike Lane. We'll be at the back in the quiet area. You can pay on the day for one taster or the course. (£10/£70/Concessions - ask)

Each week I’ll cover a different aspect of memoir writing – topics will be:

1.       What’s your story about?  I’ll give you an exercise to write your story in 500 words.  Then we’ll look at how to plan it. Chapter by chapter.  We’ll examine how to create a framework.

2.       This week you’ll bring your plot framework and we’ll look at who are the main characters.  What part of the story do we need to keep, what part to discard in the interest of the story. Is it in the near or distant past?  Is it a tear jerker or an adventure or a comedy? Is memoir writing therapy (you will be asked that frequently, so let’s deconstruct that).

4.       Character and description

               How do you describe your main characters – what they look like and what are their      
               main characteristics – bringing them to life. We’ll do some exercises and get feedback.

5.       Timeline.  Where is your story placed in time?  eg.  who was prime minister, what world events were happening, when did someone die, give birth, have that terrible accident etc?

6.       It’s not just libel.  If there are living characters in your story, what will they think?  How will they receive your story and what will they feel about it being published? How will you deal with these challenges … and then there’s copyright.

7.       Getting published.  Becoming an Indie(self-published author).  Will you get someone you know to edit, self edit or pay someone? Publishing options. 

Do you really want to face the challenges of

writing a memoir? Seriously?  You’ll find out by the end

of this course, you really will.

I’m a poet and an author – I have 3 books for sale – one is a memoir, which took me 5-10 years to write. I learnt a lot.

I used to teach undergraduates at London Metropolitan University and at Birkbeck University of London. I have an MA in Professional Writing.

Anna Meryt

Here’s my blog/website:  www.ameryt.com

Highgate Poets: www.highgatepoets.com

Email: ameryt@hotmail.com (Make sure you Put Memoir course in Subject line)

Mob: 07852229655

I lived in Cape Town for a few years in the 70s and have published a memoir about that time (Sept 2015 ) called A Hippopotamus at the Table -  available on Amazon and at The Big Green Bookshop,  London N22 6BG