Transform Your Life Into Art: Master Memoir, Micro-Memoir & Story Structure, August 2026, Rockport, ME
For writers ready to tell their life story—whether through memoir, one-woman shows, or personal writing.
August 3-7, August 10-14, 2026 • Maine Media Workshops & College, Rockport, ME
Levels: All
Workshop Fee: $1495
Workshop Duration: 1-week (Monday-Friday)
Workshop Location: On-campus
Class Size: 8
Spend a generative, creative week in Maine crafting the meaningful, crucial story beats of your life with Jennifer Schelter. This workshop welcomes writers at all levels who want to learn how to write memoir AND tell a compelling, concise story as a reliable narrator.
Whether you’re working on a book-length memoir, developing a one-woman show, writing personal essays, or simply want to capture your life stories on the page, this workshop will give you the craft skills, structure, and confidence to grow your writing.
Discover the Power of Micro-Memoir
Learn to write micro-memoir—a short-form genre that captures a complete story in a flash: a single scene, a litany, a pivotal moment. Micro-memoir offers you a one-page frame in which to create tension, truth, and a whole world. These compact pieces become the building blocks for longer works—perfect for stringing together into a full-length memoir or weaving into a one-woman show.
Two Workshops in One
Guided by Jennifer Schelter, you’ll appreciate both the intimate craft of micro-memoir AND the architecture of compelling storytelling. This special pairing gives you double the value: learn to write closely observed moments while also discovering how to structure those moments into a larger narrative that captivates a reader or an audience—whether on the page, reading, or performing for an audience.
Learn more, Maine Media Workshop & College
Description
What You Gain
- 15 crucial story beats that raise the stakes and create a compelling, surprising narrative
- 15 writing prompts designed to unlock the pivotal moments of your life story
- Story structure techniques from the Save The Cattemplate—proven tools used by successful writers and performers
- Tools to identify and voice the most captivating changes in your life as the protagonist
- 15 new drafts of your story—the building blocks of your larger work
- 1 polished micro-memoir piece ready to share or publish
- A complete template for structuring your memoir or show
- A sustainable daily writing practice and renewed love affair with your writing
- A warm, creative community that supports your work
Your Guide
Jennifer Schelter teaches workshops and retreats in memoir writing, meditation, and yoga. Her approach sparks authentic creative expression, cinematic, and kinesthetic storytelling specificity in each writer.
Instructor Jennifer Schelter teaches workshops and retreats in memoir writing, meditation, yoga, poetry, and intentional journaling to nurture joy and authenticity.Your Writing Time
Each morning, we’ll explore a craft topic and a specific story beat. We’ll read work from acclaimed micro-memoirists and memoirists published in The Sun, Brevity Magazine, and beyond, immersing ourselves in the literary world of personal narrative.
Writing prompts offered each morning will lead you to write, write, write—and enjoy afternoons with ample opportunity to read your work aloud and receive nurturing one-on-one feedback in a supportive community.
Explore
- How to show yourself on the page (or stage) as a compelling protagonist
- Micro-memoir craft tools and exemplary authors
- A no-fail storytelling template
- How to capture the tension and highest stakes of your story
- The power of humor in personal storytelling
Join Us
The intention of this workshop is simple: to thrive as writers, generate new material, grow your storytelling skills, and practice your craft in a generous, friendly community.
Come write. Your story matters. We’re waiting to hear it.
To Register, Maine Media Workshop & College
