Memoir Writing
WCWP-40200
Many of us have had fascinating lives, whether lived inwardly or outwardly, during childhood long ago or in the past decade. But when it comes to writing a memoir, where do we begin? The day of our birth? The day we left home? The beginning or end of a marriage? Memoir is most successful when it is not the "story of a life" but a focused part of that life: a dozen summers spent working on a grandfather's farm; a long relationship with a dying relative; the first year of law school. In this course, students will explore methods for planning and focusing on what their memoirs should be. Use of a plotting tool to create structure will be covered. In this course, students will complete the first 20-30 pages of a book-length memoir.
Course Information
Course sessions
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Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 10/3/25
- 1st no meeting date: 11/11/2025
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Schedule:
Instructor:
Crystal Carothers
Crystal Carothers, M.Ed., teaches various writing courses for UC San Diego Extension's Copyediting Certificate and Creative Writing Certificate, as well as ESL at the English Language Institute. She is a California-born educator who has taught English as a second language around the world. Crystal graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the San Francisco State University in 2006. Following the completion of her Bachelor's degree, she earned her TEFL teaching certificate in Madrid, Spain. After years of living and teaching abroad, she moved back to San Diego to continue her education with a Master’s of Education in TESOL from Alliant International University. Currently, Crystal teaches various writing and English courses at both UC San Diego Extension and at Mira Costa College.