Lapses, Flashes, and Fragments: How to Write Through Challenging Memories

with Laura Cathcart Robbins

August 6, 2025
Length: 6 weeks
Open to All
Text and Live Video

Biweekly Zoom sessions
Thursdays from 8-10 PM Eastern

$445.00 Original price
$380.00

Are you ready to develop your difficult life experiences into a compelling memoir that resonates with readers?

This course is for writers who want to explore life’s trying chapters, and learn to shape these transformative moments into story. Whether you’re just starting to write or have pages waiting to be refined, this course will guide you in finding how best to tell your story with power and authenticity.

Over the course of our time together, you’ll delve into challenging moments from your life experience—without re-traumatizing yourself!—and I’ll guide you through uncovering and highlighting the key moments for your story. Through weekly in-depth craft lessons, you’ll gain tangible writing techniques to elevate your prose. We’ll cover everything from building emotional resonance to structuring scenes that captivate, helping you navigate sensitive or traumatic content thoughtfully and effectively.

Throughout the course, we’ll also discuss sustainable habits and strategies to build and maintain a steady writing practice, which is crucial for tackling emotionally charged material. For inspiration and motivation, we’ll read excerpts from a range of memoirs, exploring how celebrated authors have transformed personal challenges into powerful literature.

By the end of the course, you’ll have an outline and a draft of one to two chapters, a deeper understanding of memoir writing, and the confidence to keep developing your story. Whether your goal is to write for personal growth, or to publish a memoir that touches others, you’ll gain the skills and support you need to bring your vision to life.

I’ll give you and your peers weekly feedback on your work, and you will also have optional biweekly one-to-one Zoom “coffee chats” with me.

NY Times Worthy Personal Essay

with Laura Cathcart Robbins

Online

Sep 9, Sep 16, Sep 30, Oct 7, Oct 14 (5 Tuesday Afternoons)5:30pm – 8:30pm Pacific
$475
Limited Spots

Getting an essay in the New York Times is the crown jewel of personal essays in terms of bragging rights and future book deals. In this 5 week NY Times worthy personal essay class, Laura Cathcart Robbins (Real Simple & Elle Best Book, Modern Love) will share her insight into securing this prestigious but elusive prize. Through fun, in class exercises, an informative craft talk, and in-class feedback, you will learn Laura’s secret techniques for approaching this essay, including the unspoken expectations of the format, a compelling romantic hook and a crystal clear theme. By the end of the class you will have everything you need to craft your own New York Times Essay, and send it off to the Big Apple!