Memoir is a genre rooted in time. Central questions at the core of composing memoir include: How does the past inform the present? How does the act of reflection impact how we move through the world? Over the course of five sessions, we will deconstruct the ways that time can shape memoir composition, including how we establish setting and establish relationships between central characters in our stories. Throughout the course, participants will have the option to move through multiple stages of development and revision on a single piece or curate a series of memoir "snapshots" based on the exercises conducted in class.
Attendees must plan to attend all five sessions. Classes occur on the following Tuesdays: March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, and July 9.
Text: Sven Birkets, The Art of Time in Memoir
Bio: Jessie Male is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Writing Institute at The University of Pittsburgh, where she teaches writing workshops and curates a speaker series. She has an MFA in Memoir from Hunter College and a PhD in English from The Ohio State University. Her personal essays have appeared in Lateral: Journal of Cultural Studies, Guernica, Greatist, Vol.1 Brooklyn, and other publications. She is currently working on a memoir about her mother's experience with polio, and what it means to be the daughter of a polio survivor. More information can be found at JessieMale.com.
