Make 2026 the Year You Tell Your Story.
Most memoirists carry their story for years before they commit to it.
Some have tried to start—and stopped.
Others have journals, fragments, or partial drafts. Many simply feel the persistent pull of a story that won't leave them alone.
Writers wishing to craft a memoir often ask questions like these:
- Where do I begin?
- Which parts of my life story should I focus on?
- How do I stay committed long enough to finish?
- How do I write honestly about people in my life?
- How do I decide what belongs in the story—and what doesn't?
- How do I turn memories into scenes that feel alive on the page?
And, most fundamentally:
Is my story worth telling at all?
When we look closely at these questions, we see that memoirists are rarely struggling with a lack of material.
They're struggling with something deeper: How to find, and tell, the heart of your story.
You're Not Alone
If you're feeling overwhelmed about writing your memoir, you're not alone. All memoirists struggle with:
The question of permission. Writing a memoir starts with giving yourself permission: recognizing that your story does matter and deserves to be told. Memoir also asks us to examine the truth of our own experiences—sometimes experiences that involve other people we love. It's natural to wonder what’s appropriate to share, and how to do so responsibly both to others and to the truth of your own story.
The craft challenges of memoir. Memoir is not simply recounting what happened. It requires shaping events into a narrative that balances scene and reflection, memory and meaning. Most importantly, it means discovering the heart of the story you wish to tell. Without guidance, writers often default to chronology, or become unsure how to structure their stories.
The emotional weight of the story itself. Memoirs often begin with something that continues to resonate—a moment, relationship, or experience that still asks for understanding. Writing about such material can be both deeply meaningful and deeply challenging. Left unsupported, these challenges cause many memoirists to stop before they ever complete a draft.
These challenges don't need to stop or overhwelm you. With structure, guidance, and caring support, you can navigate these challenges, and write the memoir you've been dreaming of.
That's why we're launching the Memoir Writing Intensive.
What You'll Get in the Memoir Writing Intensive
To write your memoir, you don't need a perfect memory, an extraordinary life, or endless free time.
What you do need is structure, guidance, and caring support as you shape your story.
The Memoir Writing Intensive is a comprehensive nine-month program designed to support you throughout the memoir writing process—and guide you to a completed draft manuscript within a year.
Here's what you'll receive in the Intensive:
You'll receive detailed instructor feedback on every submission you share with your coach.
Participants aim to write 4,000 words every two weeks, building toward the foundation of a full memoir draft over nine months.
You'll also meet monthly in one-to-one video sessions with an experienced memoir instructor who will help you navigate both the craft and emotional dimensions of your project.
Throughout the Intensive, you'll participate in weekly craft lectures focused specifically on memoir writing.
Topics include shaping narrative from life experience, balancing scene and reflection, structuring a memoir, developing thematic coherence, and discovering the deeper questions that animate your story.
You'll also attend live workshops exploring key aspects of memoir writing—from finding the heart of your story to navigating the “messy middle” of a book-length project.
Some memoirists write primarily for personal understanding or to share with family. Others hope to pursue publication.
The Intensive supports both paths.
You'll attend live sessions with publishing professionals, memoirists, and industry experts to learn how memoirs find their readers—and how to position your work if you decide to pursue publication.
Writing a memoir requires both discipline and courage.
The Intensive provides regular milestones and writing goals that help you maintain momentum. When challenges arise—as they inevitably do—you'll have access to instructors and mentors who can help you move forward.
Many writers discover that the simple act of having regular deadlines and thoughtful feedback transforms their relationship to writing.
Memoir writing can be solitary work.
In the Intensive, you'll join a group of writers who are undertaking the same journey: exploring their lives, shaping stories, and supporting one another along the way.
Many participants describe the community as one of the most meaningful parts of the program—a space where writers feel both encouraged and understood.
Your Story Matters. Write It.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission recommended.
Meet Your Instructors
Nora Corrigan
Nora Corrigan is a writer and writing instructor from Massachusetts. She has an MSc with distinction from the London School of Economics and an MFA from the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan, where she won a Hopwood Award. She was a Postgraduate Fellow in the Helen Zell Writers’ Program, a 2019-2020 Fellow at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA, and received a writing grant from the Elizabeth George Foundation. She is represented by the literary agency Curtis Brown. She has taught hundreds of memoirists over the past ten years, including at Writers.com, the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Grubstreet, many of whom have gone on to publish. She has lived in Ireland, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, and the U.K., and she now lives in Spain with her husband and two children.
Colin Corrigan
Colin Corrigan is a writer and a writing instructor from County Kildare in Ireland. He received his MA in Creative Writing at University College Dublin and an MFA at the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan, where he won a Delbanco Thesis Prize, and where he was a Zell Fellow. Colin has taught creative writing, literature and academic writing classes at the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts Boston, Northeastern University, and Dean College. For GrubStreet and Writers.com, he has taught a host of generative and advanced creative writing classes across all prose forms. He also works as a writing coach and manuscript consultant.
Expert-Led Workshops
Join these and other exclusive live workshops throughout the Intensive:
Building a Memoir Writing Practice
with Blaise Kearsley (Storyteller & Memoir Coach)
Mindset Support for Memoir Writing
with Elle LaMarca (Writing Mindset Coach)
Trauma-Informed and Emotionally Safe Memoir Writing
with Margo Steines (Memoirist & Writing Coach)
Storytelling Principles in Memoir Writing
with Brad Wetzler (Memoirist, Nonfiction Writer, and Coach)
Voice and Authenticity in Memoir
with Chin-Sun Lee (Writer, Developmental Coach, and Editor)
Hybrid and Alternative Forms of Memoir
with Sarah Rose Nordgren (Nonfiction Writer & Educator)
Tackling the Second Draft and Beyond: Editing Techniques, Beta Readers, and Emotional Support
with Charlotte Maya (Memoirist, Nonfiction Writer, and Book Coach)
Getting Your Memoir Published
with Laura Cathcart Robbins (Memoirist & Educator)
If you want to stop… |
Then take this chance to… |
|---|---|
| Feeling unsure whether your story matters | Work with experienced instructors who can help you identify the heart of your memoir |
| Struggling to turn life experiences into a coherent narrative | Learn memoir craft techniques that shape memory into story |
| Starting and stopping memoir drafts without finishing | Gain accountability and structure to sustain progress |
| Feeling isolated in the writing process | Join a community of memoirists invested in each other's work |
| Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of writing a full memoir | Break the process into manageable milestones with expert guidance |
Tell the Story Only You Can Tell.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission recommended.
The Memoir Writing Intensive is for you if:
- You're working on a memoir at any stage—including at the idea stage—and need expert guidance on your work.
- You want personal, individual feedback on your writing—not just general advice.
- You're seeking structure, support, and accountability to maintain steady progress.
- You want to better understand both the craft and emotional dimensions of memoir writing.
- You're prepared to dedicate regular time each week to your writing project.
- You want to finish a full draft of your memoir—and gain clarity about what comes next.
The Memoir Writing Intensive is not for you if:
- You're not prepared to write regularly (target: 5-10 hours of writing per week).
- You're looking only for casual writing inspiration rather than structured guidance.
- You're not open to thoughtful feedback and revision.
- You're not ready to commit to a nine-month writing process.
What Past Intensive Participants Have to Say:
“I feel a profound change in my attitude to the work of writing. Just being part of this group created a shift in my thinking, allowing myself permission to be committed to the stories I want to tell, that I know are there. Each person in the group had so much to contribute and I learned from those who were in the course as well as those who led it. But the true magic in what this Intensive does is that it never stops focusing on the real work of writing, which is sitting down and putting words on a page with as much attention and love as you can muster.” —Kerry Anderson
“I loved this community. I'm going to publish a book thanks to it; what more could one ask for? Overall, this experience has been one of the best for me as a writer. Thank you!” —Resham Karfa
“I enjoyed the ability to hone in and just write, dive deeper into my world. Finding a community of folks struggling along helped me keep going and not give up to eventually find my story. I wrote a lot more during the Intensive than I had written in 2 years prior. I feel like I finally found the core, the essence of my story.” —Viviana Acosta
Write the Memoir You've Been Dreaming Of.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission recommended.
FAQ:
Click Below to Secure Your Spot.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Early submission recommended.
Apply Now to the Memoir Writing Intensive
Submit your application for a spot in the 2026 Intensive!
Memoir Writing Intensive dates:
July 1, 2026-March 31, 2027.
Total cost for nine-month intensive: $5,495.
Financing options available. Minimum $500 payment to secure spot.
To get started, please complete the following application. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The application window ends at 11:59 PM Eastern time on May 15, 2026.
Note: The form requires a Google account. If you would rather we email you the form questions directly, or if you have any other questions for us, please contact us at writers@writers.com.