Write Your Memoir Course

£ 595.00

The Write Your
Memoir Course

The Write Your
Memoir Course

Reach Out to the World with Your Personal Life Story

Explore the writing techniques required to transform your life story into a compelling, unputdownable memoir

Everyone has a story to tell. The Write Your Memoir Course is for anyone who wants to tell it.

On this course, you’ll craft your memoir while learning the nuts and bolts of putting together a story. Explore yourself and your history. You’ll achieve personal expression and creative growth, and leave something tangible for your family, friends and community. 

Let a published writer, a specialist in the art of memoir, guide you through the process.

The Write Your Memoir Course Gives You...

No Automated Marking

We use traditional methods of assessing work, as editors at publishing houses would. No generic feedback!

A Flexible Schedule

Work wherever and whenever you want. You can easily fit our courses around work and other commitments.

Relevant, Usable Content

Easy-to-digest course notes that capture a lifetime of writing experience, ready for you to apply to your own writing.

Ongoing Assessment

Your writing is assessed continuously as your course progresses.

Expert, Individual Feedback

Get prompt, honest, detailed feedback on every assignment from an award-winning writer. We focus on your unique writing strengths.

No Peer Reviews!

You will only be assessed by your tutor, a leader in their field. No more guessing and wondering how to write; you'll be guided line by line.

Master the Craft of Storytelling and Write Your Memoir

Make a solid start on writing your life story

This course helps you to get to grips with the building blocks of memoir writing. You’ll learn how to present your life as a story, with a ‘big bang’ beginning, riveting middle and satisfying ending.

In this course you will learn how to:

  • set up a writing schedule
  • find your writing voice
  • refine your writing style and avoid clichés
  • structure your story
  • do in-depth research
  • bring all the memoir writing elements together to create a polished narrative

 

For the duration of the seven modules, you will receive personalised feedback. It is this one-to-one mentoring that helps the most in developing your writing style and ability. 

Although a memoir is factual, it incorporates fictional devices like character, plot, theme and setting. Learn how to employ these elements in your memoir as you work through this course.

Complete a variety of writing assignments. In the process, you’ll begin to see your life story from a different creative angle and be able to make a solid start of 10 000 words towards your manuscript.

Master the Craft of Storytelling and Write Your Memoir

Make a solid start on writing your life story

This course helps you to get to grips with the building blocks of memoir writing. You’ll learn how to present your life as a story, with a ‘big bang’ beginning, riveting middle and satisfying ending.

In this course you will learn how to:

  • set up a writing schedule
  • find your writing voice
  • refine your writing style and avoid clichés
  • structure your story
  • do in-depth research
  • bring all the memoir writing elements together to create a polished narrative

 

For the duration of the seven modules, you will receive personalised feedback. It is this one-to-one mentoring that helps the most in developing your writing style and ability. 

Although a memoir is factual, it incorporates fictional devices like character, plot, theme and setting. Learn how to employ these elements in your memoir as you work through this course.

Complete a variety of writing assignments. In the process, you’ll begin to see your life story from a different creative angle and be able to make a solid start of 10 000 words towards your manuscript.

'Alex was the ideal tutor. She did not delay in her marking of the assignments, and her feedback was insightful. The course pushed me, wonderfully, to learn, to improve my writing and to believe I can write.'

Dr Jane Carrick, Write Your Memoir Course

Course Overview

COURSE FEE

£ 595

Price includes VAT

NUMBER OF ASSIGNMENTS

7

The assignments vary in length.

NUMBER OF MODULES

7

These modules include around 200 pages of course notes.

COURSE DURATION

12

Work at your own pace – up to a maximum of 12 months.

START DATE: ANYTIME

Working with an individual tutor means you can start the course at any time.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Basic writing skills are essential.
  • Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required.
  • No previous tertiary qualification required.

Our Graduate Students' Successes

We are proud of our graduates who have achieved success. Here are a few among dozens of our creative writing success stories.

Tutors for this Course

Alex Smith

Alex Smith is the award-winning author of four novels and a memoir.

Algeria’s Way, Drinking from the Dragon’s Well, Four Drunk Beauties and Devilskein & Dearlove were published by Random House (Umuzi), and Agency Blue was published by Tafelberg.

Her work has received widespread acclaim. Drinking from the Dragon’s Well was longlisted for the Sunday Times Alan Paton Award and Devilskein & Dearlove was nominated for the 2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal in the UK. Agency Blue won a Sanlam Youth Literature Award, while Four Drunk Beauties won the Nielsen Booksellers’ Choice Award.

Alex tutors the Novel Writing Course, the Advanced Novel Writing Course, the Advanced Short Story Writing Course and the Grammar Skills Course, where she shares her knowledge and expertise with students of all skill levels.

Alex smith creative writing tutor at the writers college

Course Curriculum

Module 1

An Introduction to Memoir
  • What is a memoir?
  • Why do people write memoirs?
  • How to overcome some common fears about writing a memoir
  • What you can expect from this course?
  • Exercise: Construct a schedule; consider your expectations for the course; warm-up writing exercises

 

Module 2

The Basics of Writing a Memoir
  • Different types of memoir
  • Understanding theme and point of view
  • Finding your voice
  • Reading memoirs
  • Exercise: Your memoir proposal; discuss voice, theme and point of view in a memoir of your choice

 

Module 3

Creating Characters in Your Memoir
  • The narrator versus the protagonist
  • Getting to know your protagonist
  • The central character – you
  • Memory triggers
  • Other characters
  • Assembling a cast of vivid, believable major and minor characters
  • Exercise: Using memory triggers; create a brief scene in which two of your characters interact
  • Text instalment: 700 words

 

Module 4

How to Plot Your Memoir
  • Plot versus story
  • The key elements of plot
  • Classic and alternative plot structures
  • Subplots
  • Exercise: Outline the plot of your memoir
  • Text instalment: 1,500 words

 

Module 5

Creating the Setting for Your Memoir
  • The environment: Details = atmosphere
  • Setting as character
  • Compiling research: Library, Internet, speaking to people, private records and travel
  • Text instalment: 2,000 words

 

Module 6

Putting Scenes Together
  • Scenes, chapters and paragraphs
  • Transitions, beginnings and endings
  • Exercise: Practise writing transitions
  • Text instalment: 2,000 words

 

Module 7

Honing Your Writing Style
  • The elements of style
  • Whether good style can be learnt
  • Show don’t tell
  • Avoiding purple prose
  • Rhythmic writing
  • Things that are flat-out wrong (most of the time)
  • Exercise: Examine your own writing style
  • Final text instalment: Collating 10,000 words

 

This course offers an advanced course option

What Our Students Say

Alison HallWrite Your Memoir Course
Read More

Challenging, interesting and rewarding. Helpful, positive but realistically critical. I found The Writers College inspiring. I liked the practical articles I have had access to while studying and have appreciated the positive, encouraging tone of the writers and tutors.
Annie VorsterAdvanced Memoir Course
Read More

From the very first day, Alex walked beside me. Her feedback was respectful, technically helpful and insightful, at times it was as though she knew me better than I knew myself. Writing a memoir is emotional and daunting, Alex remained patient and positive even when my shoulders drooped.
Unsolicited FeedbackThe Write Your Memoir Course
Read More

I just wanted to mention how fantastic the course material is! I have done other courses in the past and they are positively Mickey Mouse in comparison with yours. I am benefiting so much from it – and from your feedback.
Tracey Woodward The Write Your Memoir Course
Read More

Great course. Helped me get started on a personal project I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
Lucy Ndou The Write Your Memoir Course
Read More

It was an excellent virtual experience. My tutor was warm and knowledgeable about writing.
Dr Jane CarrickThe Write Your Memoir Course
Read More

Alex was the ideal tutor. She did not delay in her marking of the assignments, and her feedback was insightful. The course pushed me, wonderfully, to learn, to improve my writing and to believe I can write.
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Get These Additional Benefits

Lifetime Course Access

Benefit from free lifetime access to future course updates and access to our writing resources.

Work at Your Own Pace

Our courses work around you. You can pace your course around your busy life.

500+ Bonus Articles on Our Blog

A superb, constantly updated resource with articles on writing and interviews with writers.

Work Opportunities

Top students are invited to join our writers and editors for hire service.

Be the First to Know About Writing Competitions

We'll help you keep up to date with the latest competition announcements

Join a Community of Writers

You will have access to our friendly Facebook community, daily writing tips and writing inspiration.

Risk-Free 100% Money-Back Guarantee

We are so confident that you will love your course that if you’re not 100% satisfied with the quality of our training, simply ask for a refund within 30 days.

Complete the Application Form to Enrol on the Write Your Memoir Course

You will receive an approval email and invoice within one working day.

Should your form not submit, please let admin know at admin@ukwriterscollege.co.uk

Questions?
We've Got Answers

You will receive a course manual consisting of seven modules in PDF format.

Each module will contain: 

  • Relevant theory pertaining to the field

  • Practical writing tips

  • Practical assignments that build up the word count of your manuscript 

Once a writing assignment has been completed and emailed to your tutor, you will receive an assessment and feedback, and the module will be considered complete.

Absolutely. You have direct communication with your tutor for the duration of the course. The more questions you ask, the more you will get out of the course.

You will get lifetime access to the course. You will also benefit from future updates and improvements to the course.

For the majority of our courses, only your tutor will see your work. It will remain completely private unless you get it published. The journalism courses might see your work published in the public domain, but you do have the final say as to whether or not this happens.

Students will receive a Writers College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions:

  • Students must have completed all writing assignments
  • The course must have been completed within 12 months of registration
  • Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course
  • Basic writing skills are essential.
  • Basic computer skills, as well as email and Internet access are required.
  • No previous tertiary qualification is required.

Because you will work with an individual tutor, you can start your course as soon as your application has been approved. There are no specific start dates as would be the case with a traditional college.

An application is usually approved within one working day. Once we receive proof of payment, your can start your course.

You could be starting your course today!

This is difficult to predict as some people are simply faster writers than others. However, for each 1,000 words of your memoir, anticipate spending about an hour writing and at least the same amount of time revising. The exercises should not take more than two hours each to complete. Finally, you should expect to spend some time at the end of the course giving your manuscript a final polish.

This gives a rough estimate of 45 hours over the course of seven modules, or around seven to eight hours a month.

Once your application has been approved, you will receive notification of approval and an invoice via email. As soon as we receive proof of payment, the first module as well as your tutor’s email address and your login details will be sent to you. Your tutor will also be in touch to welcome you.

Any work created on our courses is owned by you. We will never make a claim to anything you produce. We follow the rule that copyright subsists with the creator (you).

'Great course. Helped me get started on a personal project I’ve wanted to do for a long time.'

Tracey Woodward, Write Your Memoir Course

Got More Questions?

We would love to help you choose the best course for you. Tell us what style of writing you want to develop and we'll give you some options.

Our Refund Policy

If within seven days of starting your course you are not happy on your course, we can either transfer you to a different course or provide a full refund.

If you request a refund after seven days and before 30 days we will charge a 5% administrative fee, as well as any bank fees and tutor fees already incurred.

We do not offer a refund after 30 days on the course.