Family tales

Today Tempe library had a workshop .

Following from their site:

How to get started writing about family members, events, and places

Family History Series

Duane Roen will discuss the family experiences that offer rich material for writing and will share strategies for beginning the process, including an easy hands-on activity that will get participants writing about a memorable family member, place, or event (so please bring paper and pen or laptop). Participants will respond in writing to a series of questions designed to generate concrete details about family stories. After recording these details, participants will be invited to share their writing with the group. In turn, the group will be encouraged to offer constructive feedback that will help writers develop their writing further. This is the first in a series of three writing workshops focusing on journaling and personal and family history. Each workshop has a different focus. You may participate in one, two, or all three. There is no charge for this program.

Duane Roen is Professor of English at Arizona State University, where he serves as Assistant Vice Provost for University Academic Success, as well as Head of Interdisciplinary and Liberal Studies in the School of Letters and Sciences. He also coordinates the Project for Writing and Recording Family History (http://sls.asu.edu/humanities/familyhistory/). Throughout his professional life, Duane has taught students how to write more effectively—how to tailor their messages for specific audiences and for specific purposes. He has published nine books, and he has authored more than 250 articles, chapters, and conference presentations. 

I was in tears. Well I was in tears in a birthing class too. It was an interesting format of writing down and then sharing your work with the rest. I saw how family stories are similar in some ways - displacement and different in other - sometimes you are leaving your best friend off and sometimes you are the one left behind.

Writing down, I realised that my first memory has me and my sister. Some curried favour with repetition. I realised why my grandma was my favourite person, may be because I was with her during KG.