Barbara Else On Writing A Memoir – Queenstown Writers Fest

You don’t have to have had a life of extraordinary adventure or great achievement to write a memoir – everyone has a personal story that’s worth sharing with friends and family at the very least, and maybe with the wider world in an essay or book. This session with celebrated writer and editor Barbara Else is about how to get that story down on paper.

You might be ready to write a full book-length autobiography. But you could also write a memoir, a reminiscence of a segment of your life. You might write about one particular relationship, with your mother, say. Or your memoir could be about an intense interest – a love of sailing or a passion for the arts. Then again it might be a memoir of a significant phase or era – a divorce, an OE in Europe, or dealing with illness.

But how do you even begin?

Barbara Else, whose own beautifully crafted memoir Laughing at the Dark was published earlier this year, is here to help. With plenty of warmth and humour she’ll share her insights on who should write their story down and why. She’ll help you identify what to write about and what to leave out. She’ll talk about planning your memoir and actually getting started – and how to maintain the focus to keep going till it’s finished.

Debbie Jamieson will facilitate.

Supported by Arrowtown Lifestyle Village.

Queenstown Writers Festival (11 & 12 November 2023) brings together writers from across Aotearoa to discuss bold ideas and their latest literary work. This year's programme circles around the mysterious and morbid, and turns over the deeply personal act of memoir writing. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of these conversations.