Faculty: Luis Alberto Urrea

A colleague I admire calls the non-fiction genre “Verity.” This being a memoir course, I still like this term – but with a more personal focus. Writing memoir should indeed be the truth. But it is your opportunity to tell *your* personal truth, your verity of a story.

The form you choose to tell your memoir is up to you – it could be an essay, it could be a poem. It could be a short story. It could be a novel. I would argue nearly everything I have written is a form of memoir. The point is making a record of a story only you can tell.

Your writing is not only what is upon the page, but what lurks beneath. The shadow realm that makes your readers dream. Your story can be humble, closely observed. It doesn’t have to be a world war. It can be about your grandmother’s hands. Your story, after all, is huge to you or you wouldn’t want to write it. What you are writing is a gift to the reader and it calls for you to be brave and look into the light – and the shadow.

So bring your best light. Bring your best shadow. Bring your generous spirit.

Don’t be shy. Do not fear, we won’t let you fall.

 

Submission guidelines:

In a single file, submit up to 25 pages of the opening of a memoir-in-progress plus a 1-page synopsis (as the final page).  Synopsis should include the following: one brief paragraph summarizing the memoir and status of the project (i.e., unfinished first draft, completed first draft, completed draft which has undergone multiple revisions, etc.). If you are submitting a portion which appears later in the work (for example, pages 26-50), include in your synopsis a summary of the pages prior to your submission (e.g. pages 1-24).
 

PLEASE NOTE: we are reading to assess the strength and readiness of the manuscript for workshop. What you submit here will be what you workshop during the conference.

  Required format for writing samples:
 

1. Accepting Word documents only (.doc or .docx only)
2. Page numbers must be consecutive throughout.
3. Font must be 12-pt Times New Roman or Arial.
4. Margins must be 1 inch.
5. All manuscripts must be double-spaced including the one-page synopsis and contain a header or footer with page numbers and author's name.
6. No extra spacing between paragraphs except that which indicates transitions.
7. If you submit more than 26 pages (25 of manuscript + 1-page synopsis), only the first 25pp will be read and considered.
8. Do not include title pages or dedications.
9. Please submit manuscript and synopsis as a single file.