You have an amazing story to tell. Yes, you!!
But writing about your own experiences is hard and can be frustrating, whether you’re trying for the first time or you are an experienced writer. Maybe you’ve tried sitting at your desk and toughing it out and that’s just not working for you.
You might have a lack of ideas or don’t know where to begin. You might find it difficult to realize where you are holding back emotions or depth of experience when you write. You might not know how to make your story relevant to editors so you get published.
We address all these challenges in Memoir: Writing Your Compelling True Story.
- Brainstorming ideas
- Creating a narrative arc
- Expressing emotions
- Linking your story to a broader cultural context
We talk about how to support your mind and body coordination to release the stories you need to tell, while considering what’s comfortable and safe to share. I offer specific, concrete, relevant, inspiring feedback and trauma-informed strategies for writing and publishing success.
I’ve seen writers in the class share vulnerable parts of their experience—stories they clearly wanted to tell but something had been holding them back. We talk about fear, imposter syndrome, and also provide support for not sharing private aspects of yourself (that’s important too!).
We support marginalized voices. Feel free to bring as much or as little of your identity as is comfortable to class. I facilitate a supportive, respectful space for queer and trans people, disabled people, neurodivergent people, parents, Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, and people of different faiths.
Testimonials from writers who previously took this class:
Asmita says her favorite parts were “discussing emotions and how to write about them,” and “connecting with amazing humans!”
Sxd says, “I was glad to learn from other people about what worked for them in their writing and appreciated feedback from the instructor on how to make my pieces more effective. I enjoyed the small class size, the interactive nature of the group and the overall feedback by the teacher.”
Robin says,
As an established writer with a steady following I know that I'm already creating content that's liked. This class took my own expectations of my work to a higher level. It really helped me gain new perspectives on how to add emotion and portray feelings in a way that's relatable for my audience.
Being in a live meeting space with other creators was also very valuable. I felt seen in those common struggles a lot of us faced together.
Rey's guidance, both in the written/video class content, in the "classroom" discussions with us, and in their feedback on my assignments was thoughtful, sensitive to the varied needs of the group, and pushed me to work harder to write a better essay. I can't express enough gratitude for them in this class!
Details:
Cost: $129
Four weeks starting September 12
Each weekly module includes: Video lessons (with full transcripts available), reading materials, and my encouraging, supportive feedback on your writing assignments
You are invited to join our weekly discussion group which is included!
Scholarship cost: $40 (honor system need-based, limited to 3 spots, please contact me directly to arrange a scholarship, rey at reykatz dot com)
How to register:
Spots are limited to 15 participants. Please send $129 to enroll, with your email address as the payment note. I will be in touch within 1-2 days with your receipt and further information.
Venmo: @reykatz (last 4 digits of phone: 9662)
If you are interested in more information about the class, but not ready to enroll, please fill out this quick, no-pressure form.
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