Write Your Deepest Story: Memoir, Autobiography, and the Personal Essay

Everyone has a story worth telling, yet turning a life into a narrative that is both engaging and true asks for two things at once: honest self-awareness and a working knowledge of how stories are built. This creative workshop at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA, offers a place to develop both, in a setting known for reflection and creative exploration.

Write Your Deepest Story: Memoir, Autobiography, and the Personal Essay is led by author and longtime Zen practitioner Janis Cooke Newman. It welcomes writers at every level, from personal journalers to published authors, who want to find where their story lives and learn how to bring it onto the page.

If you have been circling a memoir, an essay, or a piece of your own history without knowing where to begin, this workshop pairs practical craft with a supportive circle of fellow writers.

What to Expect

Each day begins with a short burst of early-morning free writing. Newman draws on what author Ruth Ozeki calls "the liminal state," when the brain is most flexible and the internal judge is still asleep. Writing at that threshold can open material that a more guarded, daytime mind tends to hold back.

From there, the days move through a rhythm of:

- Small-group sharing of your morning writing, in a setting designed to feel safe and supportive
- Craft talks that incorporate examples from published works
- Prompted free-writing sessions that help sharpen your skills and reach the deepest parts of your own story
- Afternoon sharing with the full group, with time set aside every day

The workshop is experiential, balancing technique with the willingness to write honestly. You do not need publishing experience to take part. By the end, participants leave with a clear sense of where their story lies and how to get it on the page.

About Janis Cooke Newman

Janis Cooke Newman is the author of two award-winning novels and a memoir. She has taught writing and mindfulness workshops at Esalen and for the San Francisco Zen Center, and she is a long-time practitioner of Zen. That blend of storytelling craft and contemplative practice shapes the workshop's approach, from the quiet of early-morning writing to the attention given to each person's work.

Venue & Logistics

The workshop takes place in person at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, or an individual day pass. The on-site workshop package includes housing, breakfast, lunch and dinner, coffee, tea and snacks, access to the hot springs and other campus features, and classes on the Open Schedule. Healing Arts sessions such as Esalen Massage, specialty coffee, tea or alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. Scholarships are available through Esalen. Because Highway 1 conditions around Big Sur can change, check Esalen's current travel advisory before you plan your journey.