All writing is about life and the experience of living it, especially in creative nonfiction. Whether you’re writing a personal essay or memoir, you’re shaping your perspective into story. In this 6-week course, we’ll explore and try on different writing tools and techniques to breathe new life into your nonfiction writing. Each week, I’ll share a short reading that exemplifies expert wielding of a writing tool or technique that we’ll unpack and experiment with applying to our own personal essay or memoir work.

Led by artist instructor Allison Nichol Longtin, this course follows a similar structure to the Spring session but introduces all-new content. If you joined us in the Spring, you’ll find fresh material to engage with; if you’re new, no prior experience or course attendance is needed to fully participate and enjoy.

You don’t need to be an expert at writing to write, nor do you have to be one to join and enjoy this course. You may choose to share your writing with me and with the other participants, or keep it to yourself. This course is about the creative process and not about production; no pressure, no homework.

Age range – 18+

6 Tuesday afternoons from 1-3 PM: September 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, October 7th & 14th, 2025.

Location – The County Arts Lab, Unit 2E, Picton Armoury Building

Sliding scale pricing.