DARIN MICHAEL SHAW

Introducing the Storysmithing Memoir Circle

Everybody has stories.

Some are funny. Some are painful. Some are about people we loved, places we lived, mistakes we made, or moments we didn’t realize were important until years later. Some have been told around family dinner tables so many times that everyone knows the ending before we get there.

And some have never been told at all.

But there’s a difference between remembering something that happened and telling a story that brings someone else into that experience. That’s a skill. And like most skills, it can be learned, practiced, and improved.

That’s the idea behind the newest addition to my Storysmithing workshops: The Storysmithing Memoir Circle.

Learning from the Storytellers

I’ve spent a good part of my life reading writers who have a remarkable ability to turn ordinary experiences into extraordinary stories.

John Steinbeck could make a conversation with a stranger fascinating. Garrison Keillor could bring an entire community to life through the smallest details. C. S. Lewis could revisit a childhood memory and discover meaning he hadn’t recognized when he lived it. Henri Nouwen could begin with a painting and take his readers on a deeply personal journey of discovery.

Different writers. Different voices. Different approaches.

But each has something to teach us about telling our own stories.

That’s going to be part of the fun of the Memoir Circle. Each week, we’ll look at brief selections from accomplished writers, paying attention to what they do and why it works. Then we’ll try some of those techniques ourselves.

We’re not trying to write like Steinbeck or Lewis. We’re learning from them so we can become better at writing like ourselves.

Six Weeks. Six Conversations About Writing.

The Memoir Circle will be a small group of approximately five to seven writers meeting on Zoom once a week for six weeks. Each meeting will last 90 minutes.

We’ll explore six essential aspects of memoir writing:

1. Learning to Read Like a Writer — Discovering what makes good writing work and how to offer feedback that actually helps.
2. Finding the Story in Your Memories — Recognizing which memories have stories worth telling.
3. Let the Reader Be There — Bringing experiences to life through scenes, dialogue, and description.
4. Then Me. Now Me. — Exploring the difference between living an experience and looking back on it.
5. Telling the Truth About Ourselves and Others — Writing honestly about our lives and the people who share them.
6. Making Good Writing Better — Revising, strengthening our writing, and discovering where to go next.

There will be a little reading between meetings and a short writing assignment each week. Nothing overwhelming. I’m not assigning a book a week or expecting anyone to produce a chapter every Tuesday.

I know we’re all busy.

The idea is to learn something, try it, share what happened, and learn from one another along the way.

And we’ll have a guiding principle that serves us well in our Storysmithing Table workshops:

The writer owns the story. The reader owns the reading experience.

We’ll learn to listen to one another’s writing, talk about what works, ask thoughtful questions, and offer encouragement without trying to take over someone else’s story.

You Don’t Have to Be Writing a Book

Maybe you’ve been thinking about writing your life story. Maybe you’d like to preserve family memories for your children or grandchildren. Perhaps there’s one particular season of your life you want to capture, or a collection of experiences you’ve always thought would make good stories.

Or maybe you just enjoy writing about the things you’ve lived.

You don’t need a manuscript underway. You don’t need a publishing plan. You don’t even need to think of yourself as a writer.

You simply need some stories you’d like to tell and a willingness to learn how to tell them better.

A Small Circle. A Big Opportunity.

I’m deliberately keeping the Memoir Circle small. I want everyone to have an opportunity to participate, share their writing, and learn from the experiences of others.

The first Circle will meet weekly for six weeks, with 90-minute sessions on Zoom. The cost for the complete workshop is $199.

I’m currently gathering interested participants and working toward our first meeting. Once the group comes together, we’ll settle on a schedule that works as well as possible for everyone.

And who knows? Perhaps six weeks will be just the beginning. We may discover that we’d like to keep writing together long after our first Circle ends.

But for now, we’re starting with six weeks, a few good books, some writing exercises, and a small group of people who believe their stories are worth telling.

I think that’s a pretty good place to begin.

Interested in joining the first Storysmithing Memoir Circle? Reach out to me through the website, comment here, or send me a message. I’d love to tell you more.

Ready to register? Click here.

Your stories are worth telling. Let’s learn to tell them well.