Memoir Mastery: Craft Lab
A 4-week Live Class to Write,
Explore and Play
How Do You Capture Your Story on the Page?
Writing about your life seems easy until you start doing it.
Then you notice how hard it is to get your stories onto the page. You know what happened, and can even feel it.
But somehow, the pages aren’t coming alive.
In my 25 years of teaching writing, I've found that folks get stuck in the following areas:
Relying on summary instead of scene. It’s easy to explain what happened rather than anchoring your reader inside the story with setting, dialogue, and sensory detail. I see this far too often, especially when folks are starting out.
Difficulty with dialogue and reconstruction. How do you write conversations you can’t remember word for word? And how do you do it honestly?
Pacing. When do you slow down for a pivotal moment, and when do you move quickly through the connective tissue?
These aren't signs that you're not a "real" writer. They're craft issues, and practice is what will help strengthen your craft.
How we'll work through it:
In this 4-week class, we'll write, explore, and play. We’ll strengthen your memoir writing in real time. Together, we’ll:
Anchor your story in scene. Scene is what lets your reader step into the story and experience it with you.
Learn when to slow down and when to move. You’ll practice lingering on the pivotal moments and moving briskly through the rest.
Get comfortable with dialogue. You’ll learn how to capture conversations you can’t recall exactly while staying true to what happened.
Find your voice. We’ll explore how to bring your essence onto the page.
We know exactly what happened. The challenge is getting it onto the page in a way that pulls a reader in.
There’s a big difference between reading a book and writing one. And the craft of memoir often seems more intuitive than it actually is.
To write a memoir your reader wants to keep reading, you need to anchor in craft and technique.
That’s what we’ll be doing in the Craft Lab. Once you learn these techniques, your pages begin to draw the reader in.
If this resonates, I invite you to join me:
Memoir Mastery: Craft Lab
A 4-week Live Class to Write,
Explore and Play
In this 2-hr workshop, we will:
1. Learn the difference between autobiography and memoir.
2. Explore a theme or timeframe that’s calling you.
3. Discover the building blocks of a strong scene.
4. Begin drafting a scene of your own.
5. Write and play in a safe, supportive community.
You’ll leave with a focus for your story, a draft of a scene, and a clear next step.
This Class Is for You If
• You’re just starting out or have always wanted to write.
• You’re having difficulty capturing your story on the page.
• You’ve mapped out your book and now want support filling in the pieces.
• You’re a beginner or intermediate creative writer.
This Class May Not Be the Right Fit If
• You’re an advanced writer. If you’ve taken previous writing workshops, you’re likely familiar with most of these concepts.
• You’re looking for detailed feedback on your pages. This is a hands-on craft class, not a manuscript critique.
• You’re looking to vent. We’ll be focused on craft.
• You want a substitute for therapy. Writing can be healing, but this class isn’t therapy.
If this calls to you,
I invite you to join us!
Memoir Mastery: Craft Lab
A 4-week Live Class to Write,
Explore and Play
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
1:00-3:00 pm MT/ 3:00 - 5:00 pm ET
We meet on Zoom
$89
As the daughter of immigrants, it took me years to see my experience mirrrored in the books I was reading.
As a memoir book coach, I'm passionate about bringing more voices to the table.
Your story matters!
About Your Instructor: Tanja Pajevic
The author of The Secret Life of Grief: A Memoir and 9 Steps to Heal Your Resentment and Reboot Your Marriage, Tanja is on the faculty of Lighthouse Writers Workshop and has taught creative writing and professional writing at the University of Colorado Denver, the Community College of Denver and Indiana University, where she earned her M.F.A.
Tanja’s memoir The Secret Life of Grief: A Memoir received the Nautilus Silver Book Award, an award honoring “books that inspire and connect our lives as individuals, communities, and global citizens.” She is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, Hemingway Fellowship, and a faculty award from CU Denver for her project “Writing as Healing.”
Four Elements Can Make All the Difference
We know exactly what happened. The challenge is getting it onto the page in a way that pulls a reader in.
There’s a big difference between reading a book and writing one. And the craft of memoir often seems more intuitive than it actually is.
To write a memoir your reader wants to keep reading, you need to anchor in craft and technique.
That’s what we’ll be doing in the Craft Lab. Once you learn these techniques, your pages begin to draw the reader in.
How we'll work through it:
In this 4-week class, we'll write, explore, and play. We’ll strengthen your memoir writing in real time.
Together, we’ll:
Anchor your story in scene. Scene is what lets your reader step into the story and experience it with you.
Learn when to slow down and when to move. You’ll practice lingering on the pivotal moments and moving briskly through the rest.
Get comfortable with dialogue. You’ll learn how to capture conversations you can’t recall exactly while staying true to what happened.
Find your voice. We’ll explore how to bring your essence onto the page.
We’ll also begin to touch on how to shape your material.
Creating that throughline is the focus of Map Your Memoir, the other half of the Memoir Mastery program.
Praise from Previous Students
"Thanks so much Tanja, for a truly fabulous, and powerfully helpful workshop!!!" --T.A.
"I think you created this directly for me. I’ve been vacillating on my book for months … sucking up all my energy. This helped me be brave and just decide already!" – Wendy K.
"I found your workshop very enlightening. It definitely clarified for me what the memoir genre involves & gave me steps to take so I can create my own & keep myself safe throughout the process."
"Thank you! I was so alone as a writer - the community and having a place to ask questions of other writers (not just friends and family) was so helpful. Your input and experience was so valuable. I'm so glad I found the course!"
"Thank you so much for this wonderful class! It has not only helped me shape my story and helped me to see in my mind’s eye how it will unfold, but it has really motivated me to get it written and out there. I really needed both the instruction and the motivational push to do it. Thank you!" –Sandi York.
"I wanted to tell you how much I loved this class! It’s been so helpful in so many ways… It helped me identify the themes, the arc and other elements that all story telling have in common but this story felt overwhelming before the class, now it feels manageable." –Celeste Donohue
"There must be a better word than service to describe what Tanja Pajevic does for her clients. Tanja is a mentor, a teacher, a supporter, an enabler, as well as a remarkable writer. Her guidance and coaching ability have helped me to transform my writing, grow as an author, and fulfill lifelong dreams." –Benita Glickman
"After looking for a person to help me for a while I found Tanja and she has been life changing! I feel like the book that I want to create is being born, rather than the book that I felt stuck with. I also appreciate her sensitive nature and ability to meet me where I am as I work through difficult material and trust my own self to bring my story to light." --Paige Doughty
"I am so grateful to work with Tanja ... She reignited a light in me that believes not only in achieving this project, but making it successful. Much gratitude for the brilliant support." —Patrice Bazile
Memoir Mastery: Craft Lab
A 4-week Live Class to Write,
Explore and Play
In this workshop, we will:
1. Learn the difference between autobiography and memoir.
2. Explore a theme or timeframe that’s calling you.
3. Discover the building blocks of a strong scene.
4. Begin drafting a scene of your own.
5. Write and play in a safe, supportive community.
You’ll leave with a focus for your story, a draft of a scene, and a clear next step.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
1:00-3:00 pm MT/ 3:00 - 5:00 pm ET
We meet on Zoom
$89
If you can't make it live, sign up and you'll get the recording. A lot of times, though, those recordings just sit in our inbox. You'll get a lot more value if you show up live and engage with the exercises during our call.
This workshop is for writers who want to write a memoir but aren't sure where to start or how to navigate the messy middle.
This workshop isn’t for those seeking feedback on pages. It’s also not a suitable substitute for therapy.
If you're interested in continuing support, I offer my Memoir Mastery program that builds on these concepts.
In the meantime, this workshop will give you the tools you need to get started. It will also give you a good sense of whether or not we're a good fit for continuing to work together.
This workshop isn’t for those seeking feedback on pages. It’s also not a suitable substitute for therapy.
My workshops are safe, confidential and inclusive spaces. This isn't a good fit if you're uncomfortable with folks from different backgrounds and experiences.
Yes! You'll receive the recording within 24 hours.
If this calls to you, but you're unable to join us live, I recommend still registering for the workshop -- you'll receive the recording within 24 hours.
Over the years, I've found that simply committing to a course or program can bring up some fear or uncomfortable feelings. Please know that's completely normal.
Writing about challenging events from your life can trigger uncomfortable emotions -- that's why I place such a heavy emphasis on safety and self-care in all of my offerings.
Although I offer trauma-informed teachings, I'm a writer and teacher, not a therapist.
If you find yourself needing additional support at any point during the writing process, please reach out to a trained professional.
You can receive a refund up to 48 hours before the workshop, minus processing fees.
Please email me at info@tanjapajevic.com and I'll get back to you within 48 business hours.
© 2025 Tanja Pajevic
Tanja Pajevic
Writer | Memoir Book Coach
Contact
info@tanjapajevic.com
Map Your Memoir
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