The Art of the Scene: Bringing Your Memoir to Life

About the workshop:

Scenes are the building blocks of 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 dialog 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 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Monday, January 27, through Friday, January 31 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 readings:

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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All signed up and unable to go? Please let us know! Seating is limited and there may be people on our waitlist who would like to to take your place. Please send an email to [email protected] ASAP and hopefully we'll see you next time.

Click to go to the Bookstore1Sarasota website:

Host or Publisher Georgia Court