$299.00
Our #MeToo Essay Contest was such a huge success that we decided to create a safe space where survivors can develop and share their sensitive work with others.
This life-altering 6-week workshop is for writers of all levels and is open to all women, men, and non-binary individuals.
Description
Anonymous Writing Workshop for Survivors of Sexual Assault or Gender-based Violence.
This is an ongoing safe space of 6-week intervals where you will learn to write about any aspects of your own sexual assault or abuse experience. Through the use of a workshop structure, our goal is to create a family of support for each writer of difficult sexual assault subject matter. This process is facilitated by the use of pseudonyms for all participants. Your identity will remain unknown to all course participants. This is not therapy, whenever possible we will be empathetic and professional, and at no time will you or your prior actions be judged.
This workshop is entirely facilitated online. Although there are weekly reading and writing assignments, and you will be expected to contribute feedback to your peers, this workshop has no “live” component. You will use the weekly lessons and prompts to write and submit your work for feedback. You may submit parts of an ongoing memoir or essay project. This class is open to women, men, and all non-binary persons.
“I would definitely recommend this course to others! This class helped me to speak my truth. I have wanted to write about my trauma but always avoided it because it was too painful to face. The “All in the same boat” concept helped me to feel safe to share my truth.
The writing exercises pushed me to write about things I have avoided. I have gained greater insight about myself and family members. I also liked all the lessons/reading material on styles of writing. I feel that I found more of my voice. I am not a writer by trade so I feel that the feedback from the instructor as well as my peers helped me to feel more confident in my writing abilities. I still struggle with doubt but the feedback helped me to realize what I had to say really matters!
An unexpected benefit was how I gained strength from reading my peers testimonies. I was so inspired by the courage that all of my “brave warrior” comrades possess. The group support and empowerment continually blossomed. I have never felt more understood. This class has helped me more than years of therapy.
Thank you so much Mary for this class! It has been a privilege to work with you and be a part of this incredible group of women.”
– Regina
“Well first, I recommended this course to a friend weeks ago, so my answer would be yes to (recommending it to others). I feel that I have definitely found more of my voice. Prior to this course, I was very careful with what I said and often told someone else’s version of the truth. Now, I feel stronger and less intimidated to tell MY truth.
The lessons definitely helped me think differently when I write and also open myself up more. I have really appreciated the feedback. Especially since it’s coming from other survivors who can tell me if what I’m writing is relatable to other survivors…this course has given me the push to finally at least try to make something out of my writing and for that I am eternally grateful! Thank you Mary!”
– Grace
“I have been a writer my entire life and have taught others how to use language to empower themselves. But for some reason, I was unable to do this for myself. This course allowed me a safe place to share the traumatic events of my life and helped me use words to contain and control what I had no control over as a child. It put me in the position of power. Being given the opportunity to approach this with anonymity, helped alleviate my fear, and I took Mary’s advice and let myself “bleed on the page.” It was cathartic. The content of the course helped me to stop blaming myself and realize I was not alone and I was supported. In addition, the relevant, encouraging, and constructive writing feedback allowed me to gain the confidence to develop my voice and pursue my writing further. Mary did an excellent job of providing support, engaging materials, and writing feedback.”
-RJM
Empower yourself to write through trauma and tell your survivor story, or further develop the story you have already written.
In this intimate six-week workshop, open to beginners and experienced writers, you will tackle various aspects of the subject you’ve always wanted to–but were afraid to write about, or perhaps you simply did not find the right workshop until now. Through examples of well-written trauma in memoir, you will find the courage, techniques, and support to write through the trauma and tell your story, build community, and create social change.
A survivor-leader herself, Mary McBeth, writer, editor, and founder of Memoir Magazine, will be your coach and guide through this process. Trauma-sensitive at all times, this memoir writing workshop is totally unique in a number of ways:
- Using pseudonyms, all participants will remain anonymous to each other, removing the most common inhibitor to honest writing and to telling your deepest truth;
- a writing workshop that addresses the often-overlooked emotional aspects of memoir writing, as well as the elements of craft;
- a workshop where everyone is supportive and open to hearing your story without judgement, committed to helping you develop your voice and finding the best ways to get your story out of your head and in front of readers.
- Each class focuses on feedback as the main source of developing your work. There will be lectures and suggested reading, and every week, participants submit 1,000 words of writing for detailed feedback by the group and/or the instructor.
- This is a powerfully transformative process showing you how your story affects others and in the process helping you find and accept your own truth.
Join me and I’ll show you how to:
Overcome negativity that silences you. Become comfortable with writing & sharing painful facts and emotional truths
Find your voice as a writer
Become comfortable with writing & sharing painful facts and emotional truths
Master the memoir writing craft with personalized weekly lessons—no matter where you are in your writing journey
Stop second-guessing yourself and develop a rock-solid belief in your own writing.
Develop a permanent productive writing habit– even if you struggle with procrastination or lack of time.
Open to Writers of All Levels.
Course Dates: March 18 – April 29, 2019
Cost: $299.00
Mary McBeth is a writer, editor, and Sexual Assault Awareness advocate. The founding editor of Memoir Magazine, and the creator of The #MeToo Essay Award, her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Argot Magazine, The Nervous Breakdown, *82 Review, Awakened Voices, and various others. To date, she has lived and worked in more than 220 cities, in 23 countries. She spent 12 years in Italy as a fashion model, the subject of her current memoir-in-process, entitled, Perfect.
Once the payment process is completed, you will receive an automatic confirmation of your order. Your workshop instructor will then e-mail you to introduce themselves within 10 business days about the workshop starting information and instructions for accessing the learning platform.
Making Your Payment: We accept payments by credit card and via PayPal.
Refund Policy: There is a cancellation fee of 15% included in each registration. Memoir Magazine will not issue a refund if a cancellation occurs within 48 hours of the class start time.
Memoir Magazine University cannot provide refunds, transfer payments, or offer makeup sessions for classes a student might miss, for any reason. But the class remains on the website for the student to access at any time during the course and up to 6 months after the course is complete.
