This seminar-style course introduces students to the writing of memoir, autobiography, biography, and other types of personal narratives.

Generally, the course explores a number of subgenres of nonfiction writing, including memoir/autobiography, biography/profile, personal essay, and literary journalism. The course includes selected readings by contemporary writers, short lectures and discussions of the writing craft, in-class writing exercises, and workshop discussions of students’ own creative pieces. Readings will include work by writers with a range of voices and styles, including Indigenous writers, Northern writers, BIPOC writers, and LGBTQ2S+ writers. In addition to reading and writing, we also briefly touch on publishing and developing portfolios for future study, but the emphasis is on students’ current writing projects.

Prerequisite(s): Six credits of university-level composition and/or literature; or CRWR 201, CRWR 202, or CRWR 241.