Unwritten Characters in Memoir
ONLINE at the Taos Writers Conference
Friday, July, 25, 2025
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Mountain Time
In memoir, we write about significant people we have known, those at the forefront of our lives who, for better or worse, have influenced who we have become. But what about the characters we haven’t written about? As children, we’re drawn to exchanges under the radar – interactions with plants, trees, animals, spirits and imaginary friends. As time moves on, we form connections with houses, landscapes, cities, lost loved ones and ghosts. Who are these characters? How do they speak? What are the circumstances of connection?
In this all-day Intensive, we will explore characters we haven’t written about and encounters that are often overlooked. Class format includes advance preparation, readings, writing exercises, discussion and supportive feedback.
Writers of all genres and levels of experience are welcome. Class size is limited.
Fee: $175 through 6/8/25; $199 late registration
Registration & Info at Taos Writers Conference
Or call SOMOS at 575.758.0081
Writing The Hybrid Memoir
ONLINE with Book Passage
Four Saturdays: September 6-27, 2025
10:00 am – 1:00 pm Pacific Time
“Memoir isn’t for reminiscence; it’s for exploration.” —Patricia Hampl
The hybrid memoir exists at the intersection of fiction, memoir, poetry and essay. It springs forth from the curious self and inspires imagination, experimentation and investigation. What is the landscape that made you? What does a photograph reveal about your family history? What events shaped the lives of your ancestors?
This workshop combines research, inquiry, and writing exercises to expand the scope of traditional memoir. Fragments of text are juxtaposed with non-literary elements – histories, interviews, lists, letters, photographs, etc. – to create a hybrid form of writing. By combining found material with original work, memoir writers are inspired to uncover themes and explore new perspectives. Life experience becomes a lens to view our relationship to culture, history and the natural world.
This is a generative workshop. Writers of all genres and levels of experience are welcome. Class size is limited.
Fee: $385
Registration & Info at Book Passage
Or call 415.927.0960
I joined Connie’s Memoir Workshop to give myself a jump start and received much more. Her enthusiasm for my book concept, her skill with craft, and her creative approach to memoir were inspiring, supportive, and always instructive. I have rarely met a more gifted teacher.
—Nancy Hazen
Therapist, Writer
Connie’s workshops are where I began to write, before I knew I wanted to write, or whether I could write. That’s where writing got under my skin.
—Valerie Ann Leff
Author, Better Homes and Husbands
It was a challenge to write in the second person, to plunge into a dream sequence and to write a braided essay. Listening to others read their stories and participating in discussions inspired me to write about bees, ancestors and fresh tomatoes in copper colanders. Every daily observation suddenly became food for story.
—Donna Bruzzese
Therapist, Writer
The act of critiquing isn’t just some act of generosity. It is how most writers learn to write.
—Steve Almond