Kathleen McClung: Memoir Writing (& Poetry too)

Dear Writing Salon,

I’m finally writing down what I’ve been thinking for months.

I just want to say what a terrific teacher Kathleen McClung is. I am still writing — not quickly, not in vast quantities, but very happily — and I continually realize anew how much I learned from Kathleen. Her clarity and her explicit instruction about the elements of memoir have all been so helpful to me. I really feel like I have come away with a grasp of what good memoir writing needs to include. Not that I can do it all the time, and not that I don’t need a constant voice in my head reminding me of what I’ve been taught! But Kathleen provided the structure and the scaffolding for me to be able to build from there.

Whenever I start a new piece, I look at my notes from her class, and I use them as a framework for the structure of my new piece.

I also have learned over time how valuable her guidance was in terms of how to give and receive feedback. Again, the structure that she provided is so valuable, so accessible, and so beneficial.

I’m so enjoying the presence of creative writing in my life these days, and each time I think about how much I’m enjoying it, I’m reminded of the quality instruction that has helped me to enjoy the writing. And I’m grateful. So I’m oh-so-belatedly saying thank you to Kathleen. She’s a great teacher!

Sue G.