Do the people in your life keep telling you to write a book? Do you want to share your story, or your parent’s or grandparent’s, but don’t know if it should be fiction or nonfiction? Many people want to leave behind a record of their lives, whether that’s a memoir, a story about their ancestors, or a fictional tale rooted in truth. But a compelling life doesn’t magically become a compelling book.

This class will review the common pitfalls of autobiographical writing. How do you know what to include? How do you know what to cut? Why isn’t it enough to tell an interesting story? And what happens once I finish the thing?

This is not quite a class for memoir writers—although it will discuss memoir best practices.  And this isn’t quite a novel writing workshop—although it will look at examples of successful autobiographical novels.

This is a class for writers learning how to shape their own knowledge and experiences into a well-written book. Participants will explore their writing goals, undertake generative writing exercises, and make a plan for their future work.

TAKE THIS CLASS IF

You’ve heard the phrase “Write what you know” and feel constrained by it.
You’re not sure about the line between memoir and autobiographical fiction.
You want to learn how to use your own personal story as the launch pad for fiction.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTOR

“Richard’s class was very informative and detail oriented.”
“Clearly presented with great examples. Accessible for questions.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Richard Z. Santos is the author of the forthcoming novel Trust Me. He has an MFA from Texas State University. His fiction, essays, and poetry have appeared in multiple publications including The Morning News, The Texas Observer, The San Antonio Express News, The Rumpus, and many more. He is a regular reviewer and features writer for Kirkus Reviews. Authors he has interviewed include David Mitchell, Sandra Cisneros, James McBride, Daniel Alarcon, Kevin Powers, and others. He moderates panels for the Writer’s League and the Texas Book Festival. He has judged a category, or two, for the WLT Manuscript Contest multiple times. In a previous career, Richard worked for some of the nation’s top political consulting firms, national campaigns, and labor unions.