Joselin Linder

Teaches at Product School

(2 Reviews)

Memoir Writing Level 1: 10-Week Workshop

Anonymous review on 12/26/2019

Carmen Bugan is a generous teacher who knows how to help us unlock what we need to get started on writing a memoir. Her extensive knowledge and experience broadened the form of memoir and what it can become. I feel so lucky to have taken her class. The exercises in class were designed to illustrate each class's focus, and while they were not always easy to carry out, they were all good learning experiences. The workshop aspect was also helpful for our group, and Dr. Bugan's feedback, both spoken and in written comments on submissions, helped me move forward in form, and her high standards helped me to write better. A great deal of enthusiasm was generated in this class by Dr. Bugan, which made it a wonderful exploration for us all.
Memoir Writing Level 1: 10-Week Workshop

Reviewed by Cheryl Dolinger Brown on 12/21/2019

This is one of the best courses I have taken as an adult. Carmen Bugan is an excellent instructor. Memoir one with Carmen is a course for beginning writers as well as those with experience. Through reading, short lectures, in-class exercises, weekly 500 word essays using the techniques studied in class, and two longer workshopped memoir pieces we begin to explore our spine and theme, use of description, dialogue, point of view, time, and other techniques. The students all do their homework and learn from each other as well. Carmen is caring, respectful, direct and encouraging to everyone. She reads everything we write and gets to know our individual voices. She organizes each class with clear instruction, in-class written exercises and homework assignments that teach the various techniques. Her assignments are always thought provoking. She creates a safe environment for all of the students to express themselves and grow. To repeat, Carmen is full of passion and is an outstanding teacher. It was a tremendous amount of work, but I signed up for it and learned so much. My daughter asked why I voluntarily agreed to do so much homework and it was easy to answer: I was ready to learn to write and I found the right teacher.