Laura Vaughan is a freelance writer, playwright, and author of two novels and a children’s book, which she also illustrated. Her novels Rabbits and Moons and Betting on Paradise are both examples of a fictional memoir. The children’s book, Andy Ant, What Could Possibly be on the Other Side to See? was put on as a play by the Children’s Circle Nursery School in Dartmouth, MA. It was also chosen by the Massachusetts Workers Union for their book of the year in 2002. For twenty one years, Vaughan was a high school teacher. She first taught history, then went on to teach English. As an English teacher, she taught a course on memoir writing. She discovered that even the most stubborn, disinterested students who disliked academics and especially writing, enjoyed putting pen to paper about their lives. “Everybody has a book in them, and that book is about who they are and the experiences that created them.” She has also been a newspaper reporter, an assistant editor for Adventure Magazine, associate producer for Interlock Media Associates (video documentaries) and has written and continues to write articles for magazines. Recently, The Cultural Park performed one of her plays at the Whaling Museum. 

This workshop is designed to jump start your memoir by discovering its premise. The premise is the foundational idea that sparks the story. It establishes the basic situation, characters, and conflict. Through questions leading to several follow-up questions, the workshop will tap into that nagging voice inside your head. You know the one that repeats itself over and over again in stories you tell or write. It's the story you want and need to tell. It starts with your premise.

Workshop:  2.5 hours • 15 minute  break

Cost:  $25

Class Size: 12 People

Instructor:  Laura Vaughan

What to bring: Whatever method you prefer: pen, pencil, paper, and/or computer

When:  July 26  • 10:00-12:30 • Saturday

Where:  Co-Creative Center  •  137 Union Street  •  New Bedford, MA 02740