Everything You Need to Know to Bring Your Memoir to Life
with Ingrid Ricks
Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir
Online
Online Introductory, Intermediate
Introductory, Intermediate 2 Sessions
2 Sessions Memoir projects begin in fragments: pages from freewrites, moments we return to, scenes we can’t forget even if we’re not why. If you have memories burning brightly—whether in your head or on the page—and the unmistakable feeling of something larger forming around them, this two-session intensive will help you identify the story your writing is already pointing toward.
We’ll begin by uncovering your core narrative: the themes that keep resurfacing, the turning points that shape your arc, and the throughline that holds your project together. From there, you’ll learn how to develop a flexible structure and create a roadmap that organizes your existing material into a coherent, compelling book.
In the second session, we’ll turn to the craft techniques that bring memoir to life. We’ll look at openings that draw readers in, how to build yourself and others as characters on the page, how to use dialogue and setting effectively, and how sensory detail and emotional clarity give scenes their shape. You’ll explore practical strategies for transforming raw pages into vivid, focused moments.
This class is ideal for memoirists at all stages, whether you’re at the very beginning of your project, you've been generating writing for years, or you’re knee-deep in something that feels unfinished or unclear. You don’t need a polished draft or a fully formed concept; our goal is to help you discover it.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your central narrative, a working book structure, and practical tools for developing your memoir on the page.
Each student will receive a 30-minute individual story-structure session with the instructor.
This class focuses on:
- Generative Writing: Focuses on producing new writing through prompts and exercises.
- Craft & Technique: Focuses on the building blocks of strong writing
What to expect:
- Goal-Setting & Accountability: Includes tools or practices to help students stay motivated.
- Lecture: Instructor-led teaching
- Class Discussion: Facilitated class conversation
- Prompts & Exercises: Class features guided writing activities.
- In-Class Writing Time: Class will include dedicated time to write.
- In-Class Sharing: Students are invited to share their writing aloud or in small groups during class.
- 2-3 hours of reading and/or writing outside of class
Students say…
“I learned some specific elements about writing memoir. Ingrid is a thoughtful, knowledgeable, flexible and supportive instructor.”
“I loved that there were generative exercises that could expand on the ideas that we discussed in class. Ingrid was amazing.”
Registration Dates:
- December 2: Member registration opens at 10:30 am PT
- December 9: General registration opens at 10:30 am PT
- December 14: Last day of Early Bird discount
- December 16: Scholarships open
Ingrid Ricks
Ingrid Ricks is an NYT-bestselling memoir author, writing coach, and inspirational speaker who is passionate about leveraging personal storytelling to foster healing, awareness, empathy, and change. Over the past decade, she has helped thousands of students of every age find healing and empowerment by writing the deeply personal stories they needed to tell, and has produced eight anthologies in partnership with high schools and non-profits. Ingrid, who views personal storytelling as the key to healing and unity in today’s divided world, regularly presents her Healing Through Personal Storytelling workshops in partnership with organizations throughout the region and has delivered keynote talks on the subject to educators and social workers nationwide. Ingrid’s books include the coming-of-age memoir, Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story, and Focus, a memoir about her journey with the blinding eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa. She has also ghostwritten several memoirs and has shared stories from her childhood on Salon and NPR.
FAQ
Complete FAQEach class description includes a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of in-class activity, feedback, and homework (if any).
Generative means you’ll be generating new writing, either in class or at home between classes.
Workshop means you’ll be sharing work to be read and critiqued by your instructor and classmates and that you will also be critiquing the work of your peers.
Reading means you’ll be doing close reading of a work with an eye toward craft.
Craft discussion means you’ll be looking at the tools writers use to do that thing they do so well and then trying it out yourself.
Class levels are designed for various stages of the writing journey. Simply self-select the level that sounds best for where you’re at.
Introductory: This is your first creative writing workshop, first writing class since high school, or first foray into a new genre or form. You’re looking to try something new, kickstart your writing, and/or establish yourself in the fundamentals.
Intermediate: You have a strong understanding of writing fundamentals and are eager to deep dive into craft. You’re honing your writerly identity and voice through independent projects. In workshop, you look for constructive feedback and are ready to do writing and reading outside of class.
Advanced: You’ve written a significant body of work and have taken it through several stages of revision. You’re getting ready to publish or are in the early stage of publishing, and you’re interested in refining the skills that will take you to the next level in the literary industry.
All Levels: You are any of the above and are looking to play with new possibilities.
You’ll get your class information, including Zoom link if applicable, three days before the first day of class.
If you register for a class within this three-day window and do not receive this information, please contact us at welcome@hugohouse.org
Write With Hugo House is our free monthly write-in program that takes place online via Zoom.
We also have payment plans available for most of our classes. These payment plans are available to all students. Additionally, we offer partial scholarships (covering up to 40% of class tuition) for students who meet our income guidelines.
Lastly, we announce flash sales, early bird periods, and special deals through our e-newsletter; sign up at the bottom of this page.
At this time, we offer payment plans on classes 4 sessions and up. To register for a payment plan, select “Pay in installments” on the class details page, select your preferred option, and proceed to add to cart usual.
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We charge a 5% nonrefundable administrative fee for all payment plans. This fee is based on total class cost.
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We are unable to hold seats for prospective payment plan students. Students will be enrolled once their first installment has been paid.
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If you need to cancel, Hugo House will issue refunds according to its cancellation and transfer policies. Your 5% nonrefundable admin fee will not be refunded.
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If you withdraw from a class after it begins, you will not receive a refund and are still responsible for paying the full course tuition.
Asynchronous classes are perfect for students that need flexibility!
During an asynchronous class, instructors release new lessons once per week. Students then have one week to complete that lesson and any accompanying coursework. You’ll learn as much as you would in a traditional class but with the flexibility to work at the best times for your schedule!
While there are no live sessions, asynchronous classes are still a lively and rigorous experience. Async classes are not static lessons but an adaptable and energetic community space. Be ready to work in a collaborative environment, giving and receiving feedback on your writing, participating in discussions, and growing your writing practice in a way that works best for you.
Asynchronous classes take place through the website Wet Ink. Students receive an invitation to the class and to set up a Wet Ink account on the start date of the class. Each week of the class, a new lesson will be available through the Wet Ink portal. Classes close two weeks after the end date, and students receive an email containing their content from the class when it closes.
Hugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.
To request a refund for class credit, please note such in the message section of your refund request.
In general, we do not record classes. However, an exception can be made with instructor approval if a student has specific access needs.
We encourage students to only sign up for classes that fit with their schedule.
We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.
If Hugo House needs to cancel a class for any reason, you’ll receive a full refund.
You can apply for a scholarship by clicking the red “Request a Scholarship” text on class pages. The scholarship request text is located at the top of each class page, underneath the “add to cart” button.
Scholarship application dates can be found in our Academic Calendar.
Due to the limited number of scholarships, please only request up to two scholarships for two different classes per quarter if you truly meet the financial need requirements.
Hugo House members get to register early for classes – a full week before they open to the general public!, receive a 10% discount on events and classes, and more. See the full list of membership benefits here!
Donations of all sizes allow us to provide access to quality writing classes, events, and experiences for all. Please consider making a donation to Hugo House today.
If you’re interested in contributing your skills, Hugo House accepts volunteer applications for a variety of roles, including event support, administrative tasks, and more. Learn more on our Volunteer page.
Finally, becoming a member is an excellent way to support Hugo House and our mission.
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