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“Writing memoir is like being a miner, shining a light into the nooks and crannies of our lives,” says instructor Katharine Harer. “We think we know what we'll find, but we're often surprised by the depth and complexity we uncover.”
In this half-day workshop, you’ll practice some of the fundamentals of memoir writing: re-creation of a specific place using sensory details, the addition of moments of reflection and acknowledgement, and the creation of short scenes. Katharine will bring in examples of memoir pieces that you’ll read and talk about, examining how and why each piece works, and you’ll write some “starter pieces,” responding to two or three different prompts designed to elicit the memoir mode.
Katharine says, “As you work with these tools and techniques, you’ll learn how to illuminate your experiences, helping you find your way into your singular life.”
Katharine Harer loves teaching creative writing. She has worked with hundreds, maybe thousands, of students in her over thirty-year career as a community college writing teacher at Skyline College and as a private workshop instructor. Katharine has published seven collections of poetry, the most recent, Deconfliction, in 2020, and a full-length volume of poems, Jazz & Other Hot Subjects, in 2016. Her poetry and nonfiction have been published widely in literary journals, newspapers, magazines, and anthologies. Her travel essay Delle Donne appeared in Best Women’s Travel Writing 2016 and a personal essay, Blue Flags & Painted Crosses, is forthcoming from Sonora Review in Tucson.
- Saturday, February 08, 2:00pm-5:00pm
I found Katharine's teaching style empathetic and helpful. She was always about improving, no matter what level we were at.
I think Katharine is a great teacher. She gives everyone respectful, individual attention. She lets everyone have their own opinion and encourages us to listen to each other with the same empathy.