How To Plan Your Memoir with Tess Rowley

Create a memoir that will be a lifelong testament for your family to treasure.

Getting started - for those participants who have been procrastinating about writing their memoir.

Keeping going - for the writers who've started to flag.

Finishing with a flourish - tips for making your memoir a unique testament to who you are, what you stand for, and your achievements and pitfalls.

Tess will help you breathe life into your stories (if you're running out of air) and add humour, especially for when things went wrong. This workshop will be an informative and energising spark for your memoir project, with spaces of silence to get writing.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will learn:

• Tips and an overview in getting started.
• Adding colour and feelings to your life stories.
• Choosing the starting point for your memoir & positioning your storylines.
• Considering what to leave out.
• Self-care if some of your story is disturbing.
• Adding a touch of whimsy to leave a little more for future generations.

Format

This is an in-person workshop with a focus on writing craft; it will be held at State Library of Queensland. This workshop is suitable for memoir writers of all levels and writing backgrounds.

About Tess

Tess has written poems and stories from childhood. She is an award-winning author of children’s literature, adult memoir, & poetry.

She has performed at:

• Brisbane Expo, poet in residence.
• Woodford Folk Festival, Queensland.
• Poetry Slam Champion, Brisbane 2020.

Her awards are:

• 2019 National Hope Literary Prize, “The Girl Who Wanted To Paint The Moon.’
• Lord Mayor’s Australia Day Achievement Award, 2019.
• Queensland Writers Centre Johnno Award, 2022.
• Child Protection Week 2023.
• Order of Australia Medal, OAM, 2024.

Her 2021-2024 publications are:

• Middle Age Spread (poetry).
• My Friend Gordon.
• Odd Socks.
• Jack Changes The Game.
• Remembering Nazareth House.
• Every Day I Like To Play.

For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program of Events and answers to FAQs, please visit: www.queenslandwriters.org.au/program-info