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Mapping Your Memoir:

HOW TO FIND THE HEART AND SHAPE OF YOUR STORY

— with Estelle Erasmus—

Mapping Your Memoir:

HOW TO FIND THE HEART AND SHAPE OF YOUR STORY

— with Estelle Erasmus —

$89.99

October 9, 2025
1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for one year. You do not have to attend the live event to get a recording of the presentation.  Attendees have the ability to chat with the instructor during the live event and ask questions. This webinar is 90-minutes.

A copy of the webinar presentation recording will be added to your Writer's Digest University account as soon as possible after the live webinar. It may take 24-48 hours to process and post in your Writer's Digest University account

Enroll Now

$89.99

October 9, 2025
1:00 - 2:30 PM ET

Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for one year. You do not have to attend the live event to get a recording of the presentation.  Attendees have the ability to chat with the instructor during the live event and ask questions. This webinar is 90-minutes.

A copy of the webinar presentation recording will be added to your Writer's Digest University account as soon as possible after the live webinar. It may take 24-48 hours to process and post in your Writer's Digest University account

Enroll Now

About the webinar

About the webinar

Memoir isn’t just what happened—it’s how you shape what happened. The most powerful memoirs don’t unfold as a diary dump of events, but as purposeful narratives with emotional arcs, structural intention, and thematic resonance. In this live webinar, NYU writing professor and award-winning author Estelle Erasmus (host of Freelance Writing Direct and TEDx speaker) shows you how to transform a tangle of memories into a cohesive, compelling story.

We’ll explore popular memoir structures—from linear timelines to fragmented mosaics to braided essays—and unpack the strengths of each. You’ll learn how to identify your emotional throughline, organize your narrative timeline, and make smart decisions about what to include, what to leave out, and how to layer scenes for maximum impact. You’ll also see examples from published memoirs and essays by authors like Cheryl Strayed, Ann Hood, Kelly McMasters, Nicole Graev Lipson, Athena Dixon, and Joanna Rakoff—all of whom have been guests on Estelle’s podcast Freelance Writing Direct—as well as craft examples from celebrated authors like Kiese Laymon and Michelle Zauner to illustrate what works—and why.

Whether you’re just starting or knee-deep in pages, you’ll leave with practical tools, exercises to map out your own material, sample structures, and a blueprint for shaping your memoir with clarity, confidence, and voice.

This live webinar will be interactive with plenty of time for questions and answers.

Meet the instructor

Estelle Erasmus

Estelle Erasmus is an award-winning journalist and the author of Writing That Gets Noticed, named a Best Book for Writers by Poets & Writers Magazine. A 2025 TEDx speaker, she is a writing professor at NYU, where she received a Teaching Excellence Award, and also teaches for Writer’s Digest University. Estelle is the host of the award-winning Freelance Writing Direct podcast, where she interviews top memoirists, editors, and publishing professionals. A former magazine editor-in-chief of several national publications and a Contributing Editor to Writer’s Digest, she has helped writers get published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and top literary journals—and guided many through the journey from personal essay to book deal.

Her teaching blends editorial expertise with storytelling soul, a focus on voice-driven work, and proven strategies for getting published. Visit her at estelleserasmus.com, subscribe to her Substack at estelleserasmus.substack.com, and follow her on social media @EstelleSErasmus (Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, BlueSky, Threads).

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