B24: Writing Your Life Story - 6 units
Kevin Quirk             
Wed. 9:30–11:00 a.m. - Oct. 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19, Dec. 3, 10               
Meadows Presbyterian Church - Limit: 28

Kevin Quirk is the author of Hello, Aibek, a memoir of his adoption of an infant boy in Kazakhstan, and Not Now, Honey, I’m Watching the Game. A ghostwriter and editor with Memoirs for Life, he teaches classes on Writing Your Life through UVa’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies.  He has an M.A. in Writing from the University of New Hampshire and is a member of the Association of Personal Historians.

We all have a story to tell.  When we capture our story in a memoir, or personal history, we offer a special gift for our family, friends, and anyone else we choose to share it with. Along the way, we find that bringing our memories to life can open a door to laughter and tears, joy and healing, unexpected discoveries, and a whole lot of fun! Writing about our life allows us to experience what Anais Nin described as “tasting life twice: in the moment, and in retrospection.”

In this class, you will learn how to select and preserve the stories and details that make all our lives both ordinary and magnificent. Simple and enjoyable writing exercises will help you get started on a life-story book of any length, form, and style. No writing experience is necessary, only the desire to tell your story.

Suggested Reading: How to Write Your Own Life Story: The Classic Guide for the Nonprofessional Writer by Lois Daniel (Chicago Review Press, Fourth Edition)