Connie Josefs (she/her) – Writer, Teacher, Memoir Coach
I help writers turn life experience into compelling narrative.
I’ve been a writer, teacher and memoir coach for more than 30 years and have taught memoir and creative non-fiction at the University of New Mexico, Santa Monica College, SouthWest Writers, Book Passage and the Taos Writers Conference. I provide coaching and developmental editing for memoir writers and teach workshops in memoir and memoir-based fiction.
Background (briefly)
I began my career as a comedy writer and development consultant in the entertainment industry. As a story analyst for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, I read and evaluated screenplays and literary material for film and television production.
In 1993, I founded The Writing Circle, where writers came together to write, exchange feedback and share their experience of the writing process. I taught the first workshops in a small studio in Los Angeles and continued to teach classes in LA for more than ten years. Writing Circle writers have won awards, attended MFA programs, and published books, essays and stories.
Memoir and Memoir-Based Fiction
I work one-on-one with writers to develop and publish memoirs and personal essays. I taught memoir at Emeritus College, a program of Santa Monica College, where I was founding editor of the literary journal, E-33: Writings from Emeritus. After moving to New Mexico, I developed a program in memoir and memoir-based fiction for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of New Mexico and curated The Time of Their Lives, a series of public readings for writers over 50.
I hold an MFA in fiction from Antioch University, LA. My essays and fiction have appeared in The Taos Journal of Poetry, New Millennium Writings, Chokecherries, The Crimson Crane and The Whole Life Times.
I live in Northern New Mexico and work with writers remotely and in person.