Class Title: "Write Your Travel Memoirs" Mini-Course [mini-course] Instructor: Sarah White Class Term: enroll in this class Class Description Writing about travel allows us to explore many aspects of the writing craft, and also to discover new perspectives on our selves and our lives. We will explore story structure, descriptive techniques for capturing people and places, and ways to bring home the meaning discovered in our travel experiences. We will share a "wiki" collaboration space where each student will have a personal page for sharing stories, photos, and other resources. All course handouts will be posted there, as well as links to resources for writers. Students will submit two writing excerpts for instructor review and group critique. In addition to using the group wiki, I will personally correspond with each student, providing individual coaching and document review. Each week the instructional portion of the class will take place via a conference call/class meeting (using FREECONFERENCECALL.COM). This call will be recorded and available for review. Outline Unit 1: Story Structure for Travel Memoir: There and Back Again. Explore the "C-D-R" form behind compelling dramatic narrative. Establishing expectations: assignment format, length, and deadlines. Unit 2: Bring the Story Back Alive: Explore travel writers' techniques for vividly describing people and places. Brainstorm techniques to better capture our travels while on the road. Unit 3: Find and Share the Meaning in Your Tale. Review/critique participants' writing assignments. Discuss the universal themes and life lessons. Student Skills, Equipment required Beginning writers welcome. Students should be able to complete assignments using word processing software, including formatting documents as instructed. Students should have access to the Internet and be familiar with web browser controls. During the first class session students will be instructed how to use the wiki to submit their assignments, receive their handouts, and review each other's essays.The class conference call will require approximately one hour per week. There will be writing assignments each week which may take about an hour to complete. Readings supplementing the coursework require another hour or two a week. Tuition/Fees for this course SCN members: $0. Non-SCN members: $. Instructor Bio Sarah White has been teaching reminiscence writing workshops since 2004. She typically teaches 3-5 classes each spring, summer, and fall, in 6-week or 8-week formats. Some of her workshops are offered at senior centers, others at libraries. She is looking forward to teaching online while preserving the sense of sharing in a small community through phone conferences. Some of her travel memoirs have been published on Star Thrower, an online project dedicated to autobiographical narrative and funded by the Indiana Humanities Council. For more about Sarah, explore her website.