Memoir & Fiction Workshops

Polish your raw, gorgeous nuggets into finished work

What’s stopping you from telling your story?

Is it time?
So-called “self-discipline”?
Fear that what you have to say doesn’t matter?
A tendency to put everyone else’s needs before your own?

You’re not alone. So many writers struggle with this—even those with lots of publications and accolades under their belts.

We all need deadlines, structure, and support to get things done. And though it’s possible for some highly motivated individuals to create these structures within themselves, most of us need guidance and a creative community to help us achieve our goals.

That’s where my Memoir & Fiction Workshops come in! These workshops provide the opportunity to develop your craft via writing exercises and discussion and to receive constructive in-depth feedback on your work from me and from a warm circle of creative peers.

START WRITING

Your voice is unique. Your story matters.

When we write from the heart, naming what is true and alive within us with clarity and precision, our words spark recognition in others.

In an increasingly isolated society, our stories bring us together, building empathy and reminding us of our common humanity.

What are these workshops like, and who are they for?

If you’re drawn to writing memoir, personal essays, or fiction—either short-form or book-length—the Memoir & Fiction Workshops are for you.

Have you got a rough or semi-polished draft sitting around? Or just a disorganized collection of notes, either on paper or in your head? Do you need deadlines to spur you to complete things? Would you benefit from structured writing exercises and constructive, actionable feedback from an experienced facilitator and a group of supportive peers?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, these workshops are for you.

We meet online in small groups in real time—a maximum of eight people in the regular workshop and six in the intensive group. At the beginning of each eight- or ten-week session, you have a chance to set goals and to discuss which parts of the writing process you find particularly challenging or intriguing.

These might include craft elements such as:

dialogue
pacing
or narrative arc.

They could also include broader topics such as:

writing about friends and family
creating a writing routine
or submitting work for publication.
(Scroll down for a deeper dive!)

Going forward, we spend the first part of each class on writing exercises and discussion targeting elements of craft and process, guided by the group’s interests. The latter part of each class is devoted to lively, respectful, illuminating discussion of participants’ work.

Each writer has a chance to submit work to the group once a month in the regular Wednesday Memoir & Fiction Workshop and once every two weeks in the Tuesday intensive group. (The intensive group is entirely devoted to discussing participant’s work and does not include the writing exercises.)

In addition to verbal feedback, I provide detailed written notes to help you shape, sharpen and polish your work until every word shines.

FIND A WORKSHOP

Elements of the Writer’s Craft and Process

Classes are tailored to the needs and desires of the participants.
Here are a few examples of topics we’ve explored.

Structure

Structure is the bones of your piece: the order and manner in which ideas and events are presented. Does your story start at the beginning and go chronologically straight through to the end? Jump back and forth in time? Or maybe it’s not a traditional narrative at all. Maybe it circles a theme, asking questions and exploring possible answers? The possibilities are endless, and they’re loads of fun to explore.

Narrative Voice

Who’s telling the story and how are they telling it? Is it a first person (“I”) narrative, in which a character—perhaps a version of yourself—speaks from their unique perspective? Is it a third-person narrator reporting in a neutral tone? An all-knowing being dipping in and out of several characters’ hearts and minds? Is the narrator reliable or prone to distortion? The voice of the teller impacts every aspect of the tale.

Dialogue

How one person speaks to another tells you a lot. Where the speaker comes from, their class and educational background, their mood, how they feel about the person they’re speaking to, the power dynamics between them, and so much more.

Interspersing dialogue with action also adds rhythmic variation. Meaningful dialogue is a powerful tool for bringing your story to three-dimensional life.

Zooming In and Out

You can’t describe everything. Which details you choose to focus on are among the most important choices a writer makes.

The reader sees only what you show them. If you zoom in on a single day out of a year, you’re telling them that’s a significant day. If you say your mother had tired eyes and always wore black, that’s the mother they see. Making sure every image supports your core vision helps your story hit home.

Writing About Friends and Family

How do we write about those we know and perhaps love without alienating them forever? What are our moral and legal responsibilities? Should we betray our own mothers for the sake of art, as William Faulkner suggested, or avoid putting out anything that might cause offense?

I’ve got perspectives and suggestions, but no easy answers. This topic arises often in my workshops and always leads to rich, provocative discussion.

Your Inner Drum

When receiving feedback on your writing, it’s important to remember that you are the number one authority on your work.

Imagine a drum within you. When a comment strikes it, it may resonate with a resounding yes, as if echoing your inner knowing. Or it may simply bounce off the surface with only a dull plink. You may not have an immediate response to feedback. You may need to sit with it for a while. But through practice, you’ll learn to identify that inner drum.

Developing a Writing Routine

If you struggle with this, you’re not alone!

It starts with self-knowledge and a plan. How much time per week would you like to spend writing? What times do you feel most energized? Where is the flexibility in your schedule? What strategies can you use to hold yourself accountable?

Believe me, it’s possible. I’m here to help.

Pathways to Publication

Once a piece is ready, how do you get it out into the world? We’ll discuss how to research and locate publications that align with your style and subject matter, whether in print or online. We’ll also discuss traditional versus self-publishing.

We’ll talk about identifying your target audience, crafting an effective pitch; navigating submission guidelines; finding an agent; networking with other writers; and developing resilience and persistence as a writer.

SEE DATES AND TIMES

Your first draft is a scaffold.

Revising your work involves much more than changing a word here and a comma there. When looking at your own work and that of others, it’s important to ask larger questions, such as:

Have I gotten to the whole, complicated truth of what I’m trying to say with this piece?
Am I starting in the right place?
Am I ending in the right place?
Is every element of the piece supporting its core theme or narrative arc?
Have I created enough dramatic tension to maintain the reader’s interest?
Is the language I’m choosing to tell this story conveying the mood and atmosphere I want to convey?
What am I not seeing?

By asking these questions we deepen our awareness as both writers and readers. We grow more confident in refining our work and more effective at helping others refine theirs.

"Tanya's comments on my work have been incredibly valuable."

"Tanya’s a fantastic editor and reviewer. She also gave me great advice about the path to publication. If you have a piece of work that needs a keen eye, a published writer's input and honest feedback delivered with a generous heart, don't pass up the opportunity to join this workshop!”
- Cecilia Brady
"The most helpful writing instructor I've ever worked with."

"I deeply appreciate Tanya’s observations and suggestions and have put them to use. She took the time to make a paragraph by paragraph summary of one of my pieces to track the flow. Her comments, and those of the group, helped me decide how to proceed with my project.”
- Rick Kesler
"I appreciate the care with which our group shares their praise, questions, and quibbles."

“This workshop provides a space to create new work, revisit previous work, and learn! The writing prompts became a sacred and favorite time in my week…I treasure the insights that Tanya provided as our gentle and supportive leader. “
- Lori Rosolowsky

How we give feedback:

The Amherst Writers & Artists Method

It’s normal to feel intimidated when sharing your work with a group and opening yourself up to feedback. Our style of discussion honors the writer’s voice and intention and leaves you energized rather than discouraged.

To grow in craft is to increase the breadth of what I can do, but art is the depth, the passion, the desire, the courage to be myself and myself alone.
- Pat Schneider, founder, Amherst Artists and Writers

Principles of Amherst Writers & Artists Method:

Everyone has a strong, unique voice.
Writing as an art form belongs to all people, regardless of economic class or education level
Teaching of craft can be done without damage to a writer’s original voice or artistic self-esteem.

Practices:

Non-hierarchical spirit: Everyone’s voice is of equal value, including the instructor’s.

Confidentiality: We do not discuss anyone’s work outside the workshop space without permission.
Focus: Whether reading fiction or non-fiction, we comment only on what’s on the page and how it works as a piece of writing, not on the writer’s life choices.
Honoring the Writer’s Vision: As readers, we set aside preconceived notions and enter into the writer’s vision so that we can support the writer in succeeding on their own terms.
Balance: Critiques are balanced, acknowledging that affirmations of the writer’s voice and vision are as important as suggestions for change.
Craft: We take craft seriously and explore it through exercises that encourage experimentation and growth.

Process:

Submission Slots: You sign up in advance to submit work. You have a chance to submit every four weeks in the regular Memoir & Fiction Workshop and every two weeks in the intensive group.
Reading and Reflection: Work is submitted four to five days in advance to give us a chance to read and reflect.
Reading aloud: We begin with the writer reading a couple of paragraphs of their piece aloud.

We then engage in two rounds of discussion of each piece.

Round One: What’s strong?
- What’s working? Which of the writer’s choices are most effective and resonant? Which moments capture your attention and imagination? Which characters do you particularly relate to? What moves you? Surprises you? Makes you think? Makes you laugh?
Round Two: Questions and Quibbles
- Are there places where you were confused or lost the thread? Were there events, characters or moments you wanted to know more about? Was anything jarring or contradictory? Were there moments that felt extraneous or took you out of the piece in some way?

All feedback is offered respectfully, with the full acknowledgment that final decisions belong to the writer.

WINTER 2025 MEMOIR & FICTION WORKSHOPS

The Wednesday Memoir & Fiction Workshop is limited to eight people. The Tuesday intensive workshop is limited to six people and involves submitting work every two weeks. If you have not previously worked with me, please get in touch before registering for the intensive group.