Use the Secret Power
of Scary Times
to Write Your Life Story
in 6 Weeks
Class materials available June 7, 2020
Workshop begins June 10, 2020
Waitlist gets access to Early Bird Special first!
Be the first to learn when enrollment reopens
If you’ve longed to write your life story but didn’t know where to start, or have put if off for many years, this unique and dynamic class is for you.
“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.”– Paulo Coelho
Join us to write, not worry, your way through the crisis.
What will I receive inside this course?
Designed for those who want to capture their life stories to leave behind for their families or do a life review for themselves.
Each week you write from the heart on carefully selected themes, such as turning points, family, health, and your chosen work or career.
Reading your story aloud in a small group of six like-minded classmates, you will be encouraged, supported, and empowered to treasure and appreciate your life. You will quickly bond with your class too.
Based on Guided Autobiography, the class is a semi-structured process developed by Professor Emeritus James E. “Jim” Birren, the founding dean of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and an aging-research pioneer considered by many to be the father of modern gerontology.
This is not a typical creative writing class. No prior writing experience is required because we focus on sharing your memories in a safe environment and getting to the heart of what matters most to you in your past and present.
Dr. Flora Brown is a Certified Guided Autobiography Facilitator and Trainer and part of the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. She is dedicated to enriching the lives of adults through writing, sharing and preserving life stories and life experiences.
Drawing from 40 years of teaching junior high through university levels, as well as writing 13 books, she brings her love of stories and belief in their power to all that she shares with you.
We meet online once a week for six weeks. Each class is two hours. During the first hour we engage in stimulating exercises to spark creativity and self-learning; in the second hour you read aloud the two-page story (about 1,000 words) you wrote at home on the chosen theme.
Post your questions 24/7 in the private discussion group, where the teacher and fellow classmates may respond.
This course is not designed to help you publish your memoir for retail sales. You will be sharing your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to leave for your family and loved ones now and for generations to come.
Five main course outcomes
- Increased self-acceptance, awareness, and resilience
- A legacy to leave with your family now and for generations to come
- Better understanding and pride in the choices you made in the past and now
- Relief when letting go of past hurts
- More self-confidence when you realize how much you’ve grown
Alumni
I greatly appreciate your teaching style: interesting, fun and comfortable. It has been very beneficial for me to get started on this project that has been postponed for one reason or another. I will always remember you and the wonderful ladies who attended this workshop. We learned and cherished our life stories from one another.
I’ve really enjoyed this workshop experience. You’ve made it interesting and comfortable to be a participant. Although I love to read and I enjoy writing, I have little discipline in doing either so having a specific subject to address and a need to be concise was an excellent learning experience...
Thank you, Dr. Brown, for sharing your time and knowledge with us so patiently and with such good humor.
I’ve appreciated it very much.
Thank you for the workshop. I appreciated your kind, compassionate approach. Coupled with your sense of humor, you created a very relaxed atmosphere.