Memoir Writing Workshop with New York Times Bestselling Author Julie Metz
Schedule
Mon, 26 Jan, 2026 at 05:30 pm to Fri, 30 Jan, 2026 at 07:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
Bookstore1Sarasota | Sarasota, FL
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Bring your story to life! In this five-session workshop, learn to craft unforgettable scenes in your memoir that will captivate readers.About this Event
Will this be the year you get started on (or finish) your memoir? Get a jump-start and learn from New York Times bestselling author Julie Metz as she shares the secrets to crafting unforgettable scenes that capture your unique voice and captivate readers!
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:
Scenes are the building blocks of a story. In this workshop, we will discuss the essential elements of story structure. Using short texts as examples, we will focus on constructing dynamic scenes that will reveal your unique voice, grab a reader, and keep them engaged. We will look at how to write a strong opening, build sensory observation skills, incorporate dialogue through active listening, and avoid common pitfalls. Each class will include a writing exercise prompt and opportunities to engage with fellow attendees.
The workshop will meet from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, January 26, through Friday, January 30, in the Loft at Bookstore1Sarasota. Registration is required. The workshop cost is $150 and includes all five sessions.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:
Julie Metz is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoirs Perfection and Eva and Eve. She has written for publications including The New York Times, Salon, Dame, Tablet, Catapult, Glamour, Oldster, Next Tribe, Moms Don’t Have Time to Write, and Coastal Living. Her essay “Instruction” appeared in the anthology The Moment, edited by Larry Smith, creator of “Six Word Memoirs.” Julie posts essays on life and writing on the weekly Substack: Consider the Spider.
Julie has been a guest on podcasts including Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books with host Zibby Owens; QWERTY with host Marion Roach; Dear Sugar Radio (https://www.wbur.org/dearsugar/2016/03/18/dear-sugar-episode-forty-seven), co-hosted by Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond; Women of the Hour, hosted by director/actress/author Lena Dunham; BBC Radio’s show The Why Factor (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cswrkx) on the subject of Truth; and You Turns (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-road-to-somewhere-29771890/?pname=www.youturnspodcast.com&sc=dnsredirect), co-hosted by Jill Herzig and Lisa Oz.
Julie is a fellow of The Yaddo Corporation, The MacDowell Colony, and The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. She is also the winner of a Literary Death Match, the international competitive reading series founded by Adrian Zuniga (she brought a sword).
Julie lives with her family and cats in the Hudson River Valley.
RECOMMENDED READING:
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY by David Sedaris: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/go/9780316392433
FOX AND I by Catherine Raven: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/go/9781954118119
ORCHID THIEF by Susan Orlean: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/go/9780449003718
HARE WITH AMBER EYES: A HIDDEN INHERITANCE by Edmund de Waal: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/go/9781250811271
LIT by Mary Karr: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/ingram?isbn=9780060596996
PERFECTION: A MEMOIR OF BETRAYAL AND RENEWAL by Julie Metz: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/go/9781401341350
EVA AND EVE: A SEARCH FOR MY MOTHER'S LOST CHILDHOOD AND WHAT A WAR LEFT BEHIND by Julie Metz: https://shop.sarasotabooks.com/go/9781982127992
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Where is it happening?
Bookstore1Sarasota, 117 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
Tickets
USD 160.50
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