Have you always wanted to write or complete a memoir? Are you passionate about family stories?

Memoirs have been one of the most popular forms of writing, whether for family and friends, or for the wider public. In this interactive workshop, Christine Sykes and Gwen Wilson will guide participants through the practicalities of researching and writing memoirs and the main elements of making a memoir into a riveting story. They will impart lessons from their and other’s writing and publishing.

This interactive workshop will cover:

What is Memoir? - Memories and Research
Writing Skills - Including Hands-On Exercises
Structure and Editing
Publication and Distribution

This is a hands-on practical workshop with creative writing exercises and plenty of time for discussion and getting your questions answered!

Who should attend?
This workshop is designed for people who are already writing or ready to write.

What should I bring?
Writing materials. If you wish, bring along an object which is important to you or has memories to use as a writing stimulus.

The workshop includes a catered lunch from 1-1.30pm as well as self-serve tea and coffee throughout the day.

Christine Sykes has three published books. Being raised in Cabramatta provided the basis for her memoir, Gough and Me: My Journey from Cabramatta to China and Beyond, which won the Society of Women Writers non-fiction award. Her latest, The Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast, was inspired by her aunt’s experience taking up tap dancing in retirement. It is a heart-warming story of secrets and friendship. The Changing Room, based on her experiences at the non-profit Dress for Success, won the Society of Women Writers fiction award. Christine was a community worker and senior public servant. She is the Vice-president of the Society of Women Writers.

Gwen Wilson’s memoir I Belong to No One is also informed by growing up in Sydney’s working-class western suburbs in the 60s and 70s. A raw account of disadvantage and poverty within the Forced Adoption Era, it is ultimately a tale of triumph over adversity.