Say What You Mean Before You Die

This class comes out of my own experience.

After spending a year working on my memoirs, I faced the fact that I would never finish them. I just don’t have enough time. I am 66 and my life is busy.

But I do want to leave for my kids and grandkids some of what I’ve learned in this lifetime, some essence of my experience and how I’ve come to understand it. And I want it to be a good read – not something glib or hastily thrown together. Quality, not quanity.

So rather than working on the project of accounting for my entire life, I’ve settled on writing mini memoirs. That makes the work less overwhelming and more fun. Each mini memoir focuses on a single story in my life.

What you’ll come away with

By the end of the class you will have two mini memoirs – concise pieces of writing to leave for your children and grandchildren. Or to share with them right now. Or with your friends, colleagues, fellow travelers through life.

Your mini-memoirs will be in your unique voice and will be well crafted. They will be a window into the life you’ve lived – and into your soul.

Working on these two pieces will also give you a hint about the next step in your writing journey.

Class format

The class meets weekly on Zoom and is limited to 4 students. Every session, you will get a 30-minute block to present work and get coaching from me. You’ll also share the creative journey with your fellow students. People often tell me they learn a lot from what I say to their fellow students.

Commitment and pre-class consultation

You should view this class as a serious commitment, one that requires dedication and a minimum of 3 hours of writing time each week.

In the week before Jan 30, you and I will have a 15-minute 1:1 consultation to discuss the piece you'll be working on and to set your writing schedule.

The nuts and bolts:

10 weekly sessions via Zoom

Thursday mornings, Jan 30 - April 10, 2025

(There will be one week where we do not meet, TBD)

8am to 10am PT

Limited to 4 students

Tuition

$950 before Dec 31

$1000 before Jan 15

$1100 thereafter

For refund policy, see the FAQ

A note on the image:

For me, writing comes alive in dialogue with a trusted reader.

Host or Publisher Charlie Varon