Life Writing with Sisonke Msimang
Learn how to begin or develop your memoir manuscript or personal essay
Join Sisonke Msimang in this introductory workshop about the flexible and vibrant genre of life writing.
With a particular focus on memoir and personal essays, this workshop will teach you how to approach writing about deep, personal and often intimate experiences for a public audience. Through a series of writing exercises and insights from your teacher, you'll explore how to narrate your own life in a deeply thought-through way while keeping a clear eye on a set of larger ideas and topics that prevent your work from being narcissistic or overly inward-looking.
You'll learn how to:
- inject substance and voice into basic facts
- use rhythm to add life to your writing
- fit your personal experiences to a narrative arc
- embrace doubt to inspire you to ask questions
- utilise rewriting to polish your work
Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.
Until 12 February KYD Members receive a $50 discount on this course and all other KYD workshops. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.
Want to buy a workshop for a friend? Purchase a gift voucher here.
Your Instructor
Sisonke Msimang is the author of two books – Always Another Country: a memoir of exile and home; and The Resurrection of Winnie Mandela, which is a biography of the political activist. Her essays have been featured in the Guardian, the New York Times, Al Jazeera, CNN and other news outlets. She serves as a fellow at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER) and is on the editorial board of Africa Is A Country.
Course Curriculum
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StartCan I Be Honest and Protect My Privacy?
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StartYour Teacher: Privacy, Ethics and Oversharing (3:14)
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StartExercise: Privacy, Ethics and Oversharing
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StartHoning Your Voice
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StartTelling the Truth
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StartExercise: Adding Detail to Memories
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StartRhythm (2:12)
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StartExercise: Rhythm
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StartPlace
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StartExercise: Place