Memoir Writing | Turning Memory into Meaning
A 3-hour creative writing workshop exploring how we transform lived experience into meaningful stories.
We all carry stories. Sometimes they arrive as vivid memories, fragments, moments we can’t forget, or experiences we’ve never quite found the words for.Memoir gives us a way to return to those experiences with curiosity and craft — not simply to remember what happened, but to explore what it means and how it has shaped us.
Building on our Tuesday Session on memoir writing, this daytime workshop takes the conversation deeper through practical writing exercises, creative somatic practices, discussion and guided reflection.
Together, we'll explore:
Memory as MaterialHow to access memories and identify the moments that contain the beginnings of a story.
From Memory to StoryHow to transform lived experience into scenes, characters, conflict and narrative rather than simply recounting what happened.
Finding MeaningHow reflection can reveal patterns, connections and insights within our experiences — and how these can become part of the story.
The Self as CharacterHow to write about yourself with curiosity, honesty and enough creative distance to allow the story to emerge.
Building the StoryHow to begin shaping individual memories into a narrative that can hold complexity, change and meaning without overwhelming the reader.
Writing & ReflectionGuided writing and somatic exercises designed to help you access material, experiment on the page and discover where your story wants to go.This workshop is for anyone who has ever thought “there's a story in this” but wasn't sure where to begin.
You don't need to have written a memoir before, and you don't need to know exactly what your story is yet. Come with your memories, your questions and your curiosity.
Workshop Details
3-hour daytime workshop
Date: 26 August 2026Time: 10:00am-13:00pmVenue: Elsewhere, Sea Point Cost: R330 per writer
Bring a notebook, a pen and some memories you'd like to explore.
Email enquiries or special requests to: tanika@hatuakali-storytelling.org
