Some of the most compelling personal narratives go beyond the author’s own experience, blurring the lines between memoir and other forms of nonfiction (or even other genres all together) to tell a larger, deeper, more complicated story. This independent study breaks down some of the most popular types of hybrid memoir with craft lessons, examples, and prompts.

This independent study course will guide you through the process of writing a braided personal essay that incorporates research, criticism, and/or other external elements—from generating an idea and identifying the various strands, to developing those strands, and, of course, braiding them together.

Whether you’re in a creative drought and need help coming up with new essay ideas, or you just feel like you keep repeating the same essay forms and want to try something new, this Generative Essay Lab is for you.

In this independent study, a series of craft lessons and assignments will walk you through the process of translating the messy, complex, ongoing story of your life into a satisfying narrative arc for your memoir.