Memoir As Quest [Nicole Hardy]
Students will outline their memoirs and write critical scenes as we explore the intersection of the hero’s journey and the three-act narrative. We’ll study the difference between situation and story, working unwieldy experiences into narrative arcs. A class for those struggling with the “where to begin” and the “which parts to tell,” those hoping for a better understanding of story structure, or those wondering which will suit their story best – an experimental or a traditional form.
Memoir as Quest is about how to effectively outline & better write your memoir, using the three-act narrative structure in conjunction with Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey.
The course will be 16 weeks long, and will include a mixture of lecture/instruction, writing prompts, and workshop. Each class period will look as outlined below.
(with the exception of the last few weeks of class, which are dedicated to workshop. Each student will have 30-45 minutes to get feedback from the entire class on a portion of work created during the course).
10 minutes–questions, clarifications, discussion of previous week’s homework
45 minutes–lesson on structure/craft
10 minutes–break
40 minutes–writing/brainstorming based on a prompt
15 minutes–sharing of writing, questions/clarifications
| Session 1
Big picture outlining |
Session 9
Approach to inmost cave |
| Session 2
Big picture outlining |
Session 10
Ordeal/Reward |
| Session 3
Ordinary World |
Session 11
Road back/resurrection |
| Session 4
Call to Adventure |
Session 12
Return |
| Session 5
Refusal of the call |
Session 13
Workshop |
| Session 6
Meeting with mentor |
Session 14
Workshop |
| Session 7
Crossing the threshold |
Session 15
Workshop |
| Session 8
Tests, allies, enemies |
Session 16
Workshop |
FAQ
Complete FAQMost classes are offered at a general and member tuition rates based on instruction hours, with Hugo House members receiving a 10% discount on classes fewer than six sessions.
Early bird discounts are available during the first two weeks of registration and apply to both general and member tuition rates.
To help provide financial accessibility to our class offerings, some classes each quarter are offered with a sliding-scale tuition model, allowing students to pay what they can for the class. For these classes, tuition increments starting at $5 and going up to 125% of the standard pricing will be listed on the page.
Hugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 business 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.
Class sessions may be recorded if a session falls on a holiday, or if a student has access needs. Class recordings are not guaranteed.
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.
Classes may be cancelled if less than the minimum number of students are enrolled within ten days before the class start date. If Hugo House needs to cancel a class for any reason, students can choose between receiving a full credit toward future classes or full refund.
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