Laura Cathcart Robbins | Writers.com https://writers.com/instructor/laura-cathcart-robbins Your voice is a gift. Share it. Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:25:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 Writing to Heal: Exploring Trauma and Truth on the Page https://writers.com/course/writing-to-heal-exploring-trauma-and-truth-on-the-page Wed, 23 Apr 2025 20:06:23 +0000 https://writers.com/?post_type=product&p=36636 Discover how writing can help us heal. We'll explore personal storytelling to make sense of difficult experiences, and find the seeds of meaning and connection within them.

The post Writing to Heal: Exploring Trauma and Truth on the Page appeared first on Writers.com.

]]> Sometimes our stories feel too complex, too painful, or too raw to put into words—but writing can offer us a powerful path toward clarity, reflection, and healing.

In this course, you’ll develop tools to help heal trauma through writing. Together, we’ll explore personal storytelling as a means of making sense of difficult experiences, and finding the seeds of meaning and connection within them.

We’ll help you develop sustainable writing habits, while discovering why and how writing frees up cognitive resources that can lead to healing. We’ll cultivate a safe and supportive space to explore vulnerable topics, and to thoughtfully consider whether you want to develop your stories for personal reflection or to be shared with others.

Through weekly craft lessons, guided writing exercises, and readings from inspiring memoirs and personal essays, you’ll learn how to shape your memories into meaningful, authentic narratives. You’ll receive weekly feedback from me and your peers, plus the option for two one-on-one “coffee chats” with me for personalized guidance.

By the end of the course, you’ll have tools to process difficult experiences through writing that shines with honesty, care, and confidence—whether just for yourself or for future readers.

Who This Course Is For

This class is perfect for writers who have complicated stories, and would like to figure out the best way to write them. You may be unsure whether your writing is meant for publication or for your own healing, or you may find that fear, doubt, or fragmented memories are holding you back from writing. With guidance and support, we’ll explore all of this together. All experience levels are welcome!

Learning and Writing Goals

 Learning Goals

In this course, you will learn:

  • Why and how writing can free up cognitive resources and heals trauma.
  • How to write about friends and family. 
  • To write about trauma without retraumatizing yourself.
  • To live like a writer, creating schedules, setting boundaries.
  • Journaling: Why it’s important to keep something for yourself.
  • The foundations of personal essay and memoir writing, if you decide to share your writing.
  • Tools of emotional resilience needed for publishing your stories. 

Writing Goals

  • Write and submit up to 1000 words per week
  • Write and share the story you never thought you could.

Zoom Schedule

We will meet as a group every Wednesday from 8-10 PM Eastern. I will also be available for two 15-minute one-on-one “Coffee Chats” (by appointment) from 8-11 PM Eastern.

Weekly Syllabus

We will cover a lot of ground over the next eight weeks, but I’ll break up the course into easy-to-digest lessons that should take 30-60 minutes each week to complete. I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed, I want you to get what you came for and a little extra. Trust me, we’re going to take it slow, and I’ll be guiding you the entire way. 

What you get out of this course depends entirely on how much work you put into it. There will be writing prompts, readings, writing assignments, course chats, and discussions. I highly recommend that you participate as often as you can.

Week One: Finding Your Story 

In this first class, I’ll ask you to come prepared with a piece of writing to share (no more than 1000 words).   We’ll discuss what makes for a great personal essay and/or memoir (as opposed to articles or autobiography) and zero in on what type of writing you’re going to do. The workshopping portions of our class will require active reading and listening to provide helpful feedback.  We will discuss how to participate so that everyone gets thoughtful responses to their work.

Week Two: How Writing Can Heal Trauma

We’ll discuss how and why certain kinds of guided, detailed writing can not only help us process what we’ve been through and assist us as we envision a path forward; it can also lower our blood pressure, strengthen our immune systems, and increase our general well-being. We’ll also discuss how expressive writing can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, improve our sleep and performance, and bring us greater focus and clarity.

Week Three: Dealing with Family,  What to Leave In, What to Leave Out

Sometimes, to tell your story, you need to tell someone else’s, too—kids, parents, friends, bosses, co-workers, spouses, and even ex-spouses. During our third week together, we’ll learn to evaluate everything this way: “Does it serve the story?” We’ll also discuss various strategies, such as using italics for the inner voice and changing names, descriptions, and locations. 

Week Four: Writing About Trauma Without Retraumatizing Yourself

Trauma memory often comes in flashes and fragments. During this week, I’ll share my experience with writing about my own trauma, along with suggestions and tips from several of my (best-selling) author friends who all tackled writing about trauma in different ways. We’ll also talk about comfort vs self-care and how to best take care of yourself during these vulnerable writing sessions. 

Week Five: Journaling to Find the “WHY” of Your Writing

It is possible to write every day, and journaling is the best way to accomplish this. Keep a notebook in the car so you can journal while waiting for your take-out order or for a soccer game to end. When can you not scroll and commit to writing instead? It can be ten minutes, or it can be two hours. All the best authors have writing strategies. This week, I’ll help you discover the “why” of your writing.  Is it just for you, or is it something you need to share with the world?

Week Six: Personal Essays

During this class, we’ll go over different writing structures and methods to help you organize your essay. We’ll also talk about the importance of voice and how yours can set your writing apart. We’ll brainstorm ideas that would make a great essay, and finally, I’ll go over essay structure and pitching.

Week Seven: Memoir

In this class, we’ll go over memoir structure and genres. When editing the manuscript for querying, it’s good to have a tight ten (pages) to submit to the agent.  If they like what they read, they may request the full manuscript! Looking for an agent is like looking for a spouse. You want to make sure it’s a good fit. In our final class, we’ll discuss strategies for finding an agent that makes sense for you and your memoir..

Week Eight: Letting Your Story "Out"

Writing about your real life isn’t always the battle. Once it’s published, you’ll want to brace yourself for the real fight because people you don’t know will often have an opinion about your truth.  All writers have blind spots, no matter how long they’ve been writing. Our stories have deficits, holes in the narrative, better ways of phrasing ideas, and confusing sections that will trip up our readers.  A bad review can be crippling. It’s all part of the process. We’ll discuss how to let go of the negative and focus on the positive, which is the real art.

Writing to Heal: Exploring Trauma and Truth on the Page
Notify me when this course is scheduled

The post Writing to Heal: Exploring Trauma and Truth on the Page appeared first on Writers.com.

]]> Lapses, Flashes, and Fragments: How to Write Through Challenging Memories https://writers.com/course/lapses-flashes-and-fragments-how-to-write-through-challenging-memories Fri, 22 Nov 2024 19:19:52 +0000 https://writers.com/?post_type=product&p=24429 Shape your difficult life experiences into a compelling memoir. Discover how to find and share your story's pivotal moments with power and authenticity.

The post Lapses, Flashes, and Fragments: How to Write Through Challenging Memories appeared first on Writers.com.

]]> Are you ready to develop your difficult life experiences into a compelling memoir that resonates with readers?

This course is for writers who want to explore life’s trying chapters, and learn to shape these transformative moments into story. Whether you’re just starting to write or have pages waiting to be refined, this course will guide you in finding how best to tell your story with power and authenticity.

Over the course of our time together, you’ll delve into challenging moments from your life experience—without re-traumatizing yourself!—and I’ll guide you through uncovering and highlighting the key moments for your story. Through weekly in-depth craft lessons, you’ll gain tangible writing techniques to elevate your prose. We’ll cover everything from building emotional resonance to structuring scenes that captivate, helping you navigate sensitive or traumatic content thoughtfully and effectively.

Throughout the course, we’ll also discuss sustainable habits and strategies to build and maintain a steady writing practice, which is crucial for tackling emotionally charged material. For inspiration and motivation, we’ll read excerpts from a range of memoirs, exploring how celebrated authors have transformed personal challenges into powerful literature.

By the end of the course, you’ll have an outline and a draft of one to two chapters, a deeper understanding of memoir writing, and the confidence to keep developing your story. Whether your goal is to write for personal growth, or to publish a memoir that touches others, you’ll gain the skills and support you need to bring your vision to life.

I’ll give you and your peers weekly feedback on your work, and you will also have optional biweekly one-to-one Zoom “coffee chats” with me.

Who This Course is For

This course is for anyone with a powerful story to tell, but who may feel unsure about where to begin or how to continue. If you’re struggling to identify the most compelling parts of your memoir, or if fear and fragmented memories are holding you back from writing, you’ll find the guidance and support you need in this course.

Writers of all experience levels are welcome—from complete beginners to those ready to deepen their craft. No matter where you are on your memoir-writing journey, this course will help you gain clarity, confidence, and the tools to bring your story to life.

Learning and Writing Goals

Learning Goals

In this course, you’ll learn to:

  • Write memoir  scenes and chapters that include friends and family with sensitivity. 
  • Claim the stories that are yours to tell. 
  • Live like a writer—creating schedules and setting boundaries.
  • Write about trauma without re-traumatizing yourself.
  • Find an agent that’s right for you.

Writing Goals

In this course, you will:

  • Write and submit up to 1000 words per week for feedback and direction.
  • Draft and refine a compelling opening paragraph and first chapters. 
  • Create a memoir outline.

Zoom Schedule

For the first five sessions, the class will meet weekly on Zoom Thursdays from 5-7 pm Pacific time. Our final session will be one-on-one appointments with me on Thursday, March 16th, between 5 and 8 pm Pacific.

Weekly Syllabus

Over the next 6 weeks, we will cover a lot of ground, but I’ll break up the course into easy-to-digest lessons that should take between 30-60 minutes each week to complete.

I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed, I want you to get what you came for and a little extra. Trust me, we’re going to take it slow and I’ll be guiding you the entire way. 

What you get out of this course depends entirely on how much work you put into it. There will be writing prompts, readings, writing assignments, course chats, and discussions. I highly recommend that you participate as often as you can.

Week One: Pulling Focus

In this first class, I’ll ask you to come prepared with three potential titles for your memoir and a piece of writing to share (no more than 1000 words).   We’ll discuss what memoir is (as opposed to autobiography) and zero in on what type of memoir you’re going to write. The workshopping portions of our class will require active reading and listening to provide helpful feedback.  We will discuss how to participate so that everyone gets thoughtful responses to their work.

Assignment: Submit up to 1,000 words of your memoir for feedback. Complete assigned reading. 

Week Two: Structures

During this class we’ll go over different writing structures and methods to help you organize your memoir. We’ll explore everything from the classic three acts to the tried and true Hero’s Journey and the Story Spine. We’ll also discuss containers for your memoir, such as periods, specific threads, and bookending with life events. We’ll also talk about the importance of voice and how yours can set your memoir apart from others in your genre. Finally, we’ll brainstorm ideas that could kick off your memoir. 

Assignment: Submit up to 1,000 words of your memoir for feedback, focused on the opening pages of your memoir. 

Week Three: Dealing with Family,  What to Leave In, What to Leave Out

Are you “one hundred percent” ready for the impact your published memoir might have on your relationship with your family and friends?  Yes, you own everything that happens to you. But sometimes to tell your story, you need to tell someone else’s too – kids, parents, friends,  bosses, co-workers, spouses, and even ex-spouses. During our third week together we’ll learn to evaluate everything this way, “Does it serve the story?” We’ll also discuss various strategies, such as using italics for inner voice and changing names, descriptions, and locations. 

Assignment: Submit up to 1,000 words of your memoir for feedback, possibly focused on a challenging time involving family or friends. 

Week Four: Writing About Trauma 

Trauma memory often comes in flashes and fragments. During this week I’ll share my experience with writing about my own trauma along with suggestions and tips from several of my (best-selling) author friends who all tackled writing about trauma in different ways. We’ll also talk about comfort vs self-care, and how to best take care of yourself during these vulnerable writing sessions. 

Assignment: Submit up to 1,000 words of your memoir for feedback, possibly focused on a hard or traumatic event. 

Week Five: Living Like a Writer

It is possible to write every day.  Keep a notebook in the car so you can journal while waiting for your take-out order or for a soccer game to end. When can you not scroll and commit to writing instead? It can be ten minutes or it can be two hours. All the best authors have writing strategies. This week I’ll help you find the ones that will work best for you.  We’ll cover everything from boundary setting to schedule non-negotiables.

Assignment: Submit up to 1,000 words of your memoir for feedback. 

Week Six:  Do You Really Need an Agent? (Answer: Yes, you do)

When editing the manuscript for querying, it’s good to have a tight ten (pages) to submit to the agent.  If they like what they read, they may request the full manuscript! Looking for an agent is like looking for a spouse. You want to make sure it’s a good fit. In our final class, we’ll discuss strategies for finding an agent that makes sense for you and your memoir. I’ll also lecture on the business of publishing, advance breakdowns, networking, and platform building.

Why Take a Memoir Writing Course with Writers.com?

  • We welcome writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and we are here for one reason: to support you on your writing journey.
  • Small groups keep our online writing courses lively and intimate.
  • Work through your weekly lectures, course materials, and writing assignments at your own pace.
  • Share and discuss your work with fellow writers in a supportive course environment.
  • Award-winning instructor Laura Cathcart Robbins will offer you direct, personal feedback and suggestions on every assignment you submit.

Click the Enroll Now button below, enter your details on the Checkout page,
and reserve your spot in the course.

Original price was: $445.00.Current price is: $380.00.Enroll Now

The post Lapses, Flashes, and Fragments: How to Write Through Challenging Memories appeared first on Writers.com.

]]>