How to Write Your Life

With Francine Brevetti
Thursdays, Sept. 16th – Oct. 28th
6:00 – 7:30 PM PDT
via Zoom

Suggested love donation: $25 a class / $100 for the series.

No one turned away for lack of funds!

Why would you want to write your life story?

• To leave a legacy for your children. (Remember all those questions you wanted to ask your ancestors, but they are deceased.
  Don’t let the same happen to your kids.)
• To review your life for self-acceptance and healing
• To set yourself apart from the family or culture of your youth
• To share your story with people you care about
• Or? Up to you.

In each class, I suggest a topic to write and invite you to share your work aloud if you wish. I suggest a topic to write during the following week. You may write on any subject that inspires you, however.

Throughout this five-week course, I encourage you to ask me for suggestions, inspiration, or encouragement. Homework is only suggested,
not a requirement.

Materials needed: participants must provide writing paper/writing instrument or computer.

Week 1. We discuss the difference between a memoir and an autobiography. I explain the difference between writing chronologically or writing episodes, that is selected periods of your lives.

To write in class:

• Why do you want to write your life story?
• What do you want to experience having done so?
• Whom do you want to read it, if anyone?

Through handouts, you will see structures for writing chronologically or for writing selected events for your lives. We discuss the fear of writing and writing blocks.

I suggest a topic to write during the week.

Week 2: We discuss any writing you have continued to do during the week if you have.

We will do an exercise to revive memories.

To write in class: your position in your family (firstborn, youngest, etc.) and how you felt about that. Reflect on your parents and your siblings. This is a large subject, and you might want to continue writing about it for the next week or beyond.

Week 3: I demonstrate the technique of mind mapping and encourage you to draw one in class. I explain how it is useful for generating ideas. To write in class: what is the most surprising or joyful experience you have ever had ? Or the most challenging?

We share your comments and I encourage you to write about this subject during the week .

Week 4: To write in class: your careers, your successes, or even failures if you feel so moved. How do you feel about these experiences? Do you want to share these thoughts in class? Or you may write about your religious/spiritual orientation or lack of it.

Week 5: To write in class: your romantic lives or marriages. Or to write about your children. Do you want to write about your health history and challenges?

Publishing: if you want to publish your memoirs or distribute them to your intimates, we discuss the implications and the avenues for doing that.

Was this course helpful? How would you change it?