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Ways In: Starting Your Memoir

December 6, 2025, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (one session)

$65

The first pages of a memoir do a lot of heavy lifting. Not only must they captivate the reader, they should, ideally, set up the book’s central theme, dynamic, and tone. In this 3-hour course, we’ll learn how, where, and with what to begin our memoirs. We’ll discover that our first chapter is more than just the sturdy foundation to a life recorded, it’s a guide for you, the writer—both a map and its key.

Students will leave the course with a clear entry point into their memoirs; they will identify their memoir’s prevailing theme and story, which will guide the content and organization of the rest of the book.

Access Program
We want our writing classes and seminars to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class and seminar tuitions at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.

Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.

Liaison position
Every in-person class and seminar at Literary Arts has one liaison position. Liaisons perform specific duties for each class meeting. If you are a liaison for a class or seminar, the full amount of your tuition is covered by Literary Arts.

Apply here for the liaison position.

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Karleigh Frisbie Brogan

Karleigh Frisbie Brogan

Originally from Northern California, where the events of her debut memoir HOLDING mostly take place, Karleigh Frisbie Brogan’s work has appeared in The AtlanticThe Washington PostThe Huffington PostVol. 1 Brooklyn, and more. She is a 2024 Oregon Literary Fellow and a 2022 Rona Jaffe Scholar. She holds an MFA from Portland State University. She is also a grocer.

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