Welcome! I’m Becky Wills.
I am the founder of Own Your Life Writing, and I host a unique and intimate 12-week life-writing workshop that focuses on contemporary technique and practice, as well as literary community and citizenship. I set up this course because I believe writing about our experiences is one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves: a precursor to crucial awareness, powerful expression, and cathartic release.
Together we will produce the first edition of your own work. At the end of the course, you will have your writing published in a one-of-a-kind handmade chapbook featuring all members of your cohort. My chapbooks are carefully crafted compilations and objects, designed by local artists with letterpress printed covers and hand-sewn with Irish linen thread.
Why work with me?
I received my Bachelor of Arts in English Creative Writing from DePaul University, as well as my MFA in Creative Writing from The New School in New York City. I’ve studied life writing, fiction, and poetry extensively. My life writing has appeared in Gigantic Sequins, and my poetry has been published in While You Were Waiting and Indolent Books. My chapbook, Star Flower Strange Light, was published by Lillet Press in 2022. I am a PhD candidate at University of Surrey in Guildford, England where my research focuses on the portrayal of prescription drug addiction and traumatic events in literature, particularly in my own lyrical autobiographical novel, and the value of focusing on the subjective or hidden experience in the medical humanities. I teach undergraduate critical writing.
Why do I want to work with you?
I want to help you explore your creativity. I believe that a healthy writing purge is an effective way to stay present, gain confidence, find perspective — even process and heal. I’ve re-framed my own history through writing, and my goal is to help you experience the revelations that often appear on the page in front of me quicker than they click in my brain. Life writing is like rolling forward on a ball so you’re always ahead.
Join me and the next cohort!
“The very reason I write is so that I might not sleepwalk through my own life.”
Listen to what the current Life Writers are saying . . .
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Imagine it.
In the group seminars, you will:
Learn different ways to write about experience including perspective, tense, form, and mode
Read, discuss, and imitate a variety of contemporary influences in multiple genres
Engage in stream of consciousness and writing exercises
Practice how to think like a writer throughout the day and determine what makes a ‘good’ piece of writing
Acquire skills on momentum, productivity, and effective writing practice
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Build it.
In the small group workshops, you will:
Use creative techniques to consider yourself in the position and perspective of someone with different experiences to expand your capacity for imagination and empathy
React to and discuss each other’s work in a sophisticated, encouraging, and supportive setting
Foster a connection with your small group companions over the course of three months with people in various locations
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Hold it.
At the end of the course, you will:
Publish a whole piece or an excerpt of the work you produced in the course
Own your cohort’s limited edition, handmade chapbook featuring your own work
Be equipped with the tools, skills, and confidence to continue writing beyond the course
Have individual reading suggestions that pertain particularly to your own growth as a writer
Course Outline for May - July Workshop
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Introductions
Define Life Writing
Explore your story, style, and voice
How to outline
Discuss effective writing practices and tips on productivity, tips on how to overcome ‘writer’s block’
Establish workshop structure
Writing exercise #1
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Pieces for workshop will be submitted by email to assigned small groups one week prior
All members of group will read each other’s submissions and be prepared to offer comments
Each member will have roughly 20 minutes of dedicated discussion on their work
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Reactions, reflections, revelations to writing process so far
Exploring emotions, memory, and identity
The ‘pleasures’ of Life Writing
How to avoid cliches, and think and observe like a writer
Discuss assigned readings
Writing exercise #2
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Pieces for workshop will be submitted by email to assigned small groups one week prior
All members of group will read each other’s submissions and be prepared to offer comments
Each member will have roughly 20 minutes of dedicated discussion on their work
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Reactions, reflections, revelations to writing process so far
Exploring form
How to hook your reader with your very first sentence
Discuss assigned readings
Writing exercise #3
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Pieces for workshop will be submitted by email to assigned small groups one week prior
All members of group will read each other’s submissions and be prepared to offer comments
Each member will have roughly 20 minutes of dedicated discussion on their work
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Week of July 27th, we will schedule 1:1 exit consultations to discuss the course, the future of your writing, and decide on a final piece that you are proud to publish in the cohort’s chapbook
FAQs
What time are the classes?
Group classes are held on Zoom Thursdays from 1pm-3pm EDT. Small workshops will be determined to find a 2-hour slot that best suits your time zone.
May 23rd, June 20th, and July 25th will be small workshop group meetings held at the times below. You choose one time that suits you.
5am - 7am ET (10am - 12pm BST)
9am - 11am ET (2pm - 4pm BST)
1pm - 3pm ET (6pm - 8pm BST)
Am I too busy for this course?
You are only committing to 4 hours of live class/workshop time per month for 3 months. How much you write outside of those time frames is up to you. My task is to get you excited about the importance of writing, so that you want to as much as you can.
What if I cannot attend a class?
The lessons will be recorded and emailed to only the members of the cohort. However, none of the workshops or discussions will be recorded.
What is a chapbook?
TL,DR: A small, paper-covered booklet.
Do I need any writing experience?
No! This is a class geared towards beginners, although writers at any stage are welcome.
Do I have to write my story in English?
You are welcome to write your work in any language. However, please note that comments on your work may be limited.
My story is personal. Is this a safe space?
This is a safe space, and I am here to make sure of it. All workshops will be mediated by me, and you only have to share to the extent you are comfortable. The main objective of the course is to express and write for yourself. There are a number of excellent personal essays that are written without using “I” — or you may consider writing autobiographical fiction to create some distance from yourself as the writer.
What if I can’t decide what story to tell?
Book a time to speak with me one-on-one, and we will work together to explore which story you are most excited about writing at the time of the course. Remember, you don’t need to write the masterpiece of your life all at once!
Will my writing be graded?
No — This is not an academic class. I am less concerned about the formal properties of language and more concerned about you writing what you need to write. I am a proponent of the experimental form. Raw, fragmented, and non-linear — even messy — can be good. This is a class just as much about recalling memories and catharsis as it is writing.
How heavy is the reading load?
Every group class will have assigned readings, as reading is crucial to thinking like a writer. I do not expect you will spend more than 1 hour preparing for each class, whether that be a group seminar or workshop. There are no required texts to be purchased, as all readings will be available as a PDF.
How many pages should I submit for the workshop?
Each submission should be no more than 8 pages double-spaced. You are welcome to build on to previous submissions, or produce new work each workshop. We will determine together what will be presented in the final chapbook.
Will I finish my writing piece?
You may, you may not! You may find your story wants to change shape last minute. Of course, there will always be opportunity to write beyond the course, or continue on with the next cohort. Whether you are ‘finished’ is determined by how you feel about your own work, but we will aim to have — at least — a sample or an excerpt that you are proud of.
What if I’ve already started my story?
Great! Bring in what you have; let’s take a look.
Do I have to have a topic or content before the course begins?
No! The first week will be dedicated to brainstorming, imitation, and exploration.
Can I write fiction?
Yes — I think fiction is a great vessel for the truth.
Will there be extra copies of the chapbooks?
Additional copies of the chapbook will be available for purchase through the Own Your Life Writing website.