Note from the Director: This workshop was offered in 2018. Learn more about this year’s workshops.

 

Writing from the Inside Out: Advanced Memoir Workshop

Writing workshop in New Jersey
January 12-15, 2018
Led by Benilde Little

The most successful personal stories share the writer’s vulnerability and allow readers to see pieces of themselves on the page. Crafting your memoir with this openness is challenging when writing close to the gut. In this advanced workshop, you will uncover stronger ways to tell your story.

You will:

• Start each session with writing exercises to limber your creative muscles
• Study compelling excerpts from contemporary memoirists
• Share your writing and receive constructive feedback
• Learn to re-envision your work from the inside out

Join us for this supportive workshop and cultivate your story’s power.

To get the most from this workshop, you should:

• Bring 7-12 pages (no more than 4,200 words) of a work-in-progress
• Be ready to submit a brief, paragraph-length synopsis of your memoir by Dec. 20. If you register after this date, no problem–just submit your synopsis within a week of registering.

*Limited to just 10 participants.* 

 

“I came into the getaway not knowing what to expect and left counting down the days until I could come back. It was easy to take risks and attempt something new with such a wonderful community of writers who all expressed such support and encouragement. It was something that I did not realize I was missing in my life until I experienced it. Thank you!”
~ Trista, Toms River, NJ

 

Biography

Benilde Little is the bestselling author of Welcome to My Breakdown, a memoir praised by publications ranging from New Jersey Monthly to PEOPLE Magazine. She has also published multiple novels including Good Hair, which earned a spot on the extended bestseller list of the New York Times. Her writing has appeared in numerous anthologies including The Meaning of Michelle, Honey Hush and About Face. She was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award and the Hurston Wright award. A former reporter for The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Star Ledger and PEOPLE Magazine and a senior editor at Essence, Little has been featured in The Washington Post, NPR and more. She has taught creative writing at Ramapo College and The City College of New York. She currently teaches for The Writers Circle and lives in Montclair with her husband and their two children, Baldwin and Ford. Visit her blog.