BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Craft Talks - ECPv6.16.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Craft Talks
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://writingcraft.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Craft Talks
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260411T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260411T150000
DTSTAMP:20260515T115845
CREATED:20260224T221504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T144320Z
UID:10000106-1775908800-1775919600@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:SEMINAR | Turning Your Memoir Into A Screenplay
DESCRIPTION:You lived it. You wrote about it. Now\, you want to adapt it.\n\n\n\nFor Memoir \n\n\n\nDoes your memoir have what it takes to be a film or TV series? Adaptation requires more than screenplay formatting. This class shows you how to evaluate your story like a producer\, structure it like a screenwriter\, and imagine yourself as a character an actor would want to play.In this three-hour seminar\, we move beyond personal reflection and examine memoir as dramatic source material. You’ll begin by clarifying what your story actually is: its scale\, its genre\, its central tension\, and whether it is better suited to a feature film or television series format. \n\n\n\nNext\, we focus on the dramatic shift that drives adaptation. What is the disruption that alters the trajectory of the narrative? What decision\, loss\, or revelation creates forward motion? You’ll distinguish between interior point of view and visible action\, identifying the turning points that can structure and sustain a film or series rather than simply recounting events. \n\n\n\nFinally\, we adopt a producer’s lens. What makes this story entertaining? What does it need to sustain the development process? What makes the central character strong enough to attract the talent that can help get it made?  \n\n\n\nThrough focused exercises and real case studies—from big-budget movies to independent films and TV series—you’ll begin evaluating your memoir’s adaptation potential with clarity. \n\n\n\nAttendees are invited to submit loglines\, 250-word synopses\, OR a single scene from the exercises in class for written feedback\, up to 4 weeks after the session.  \n\n\n\nA resources handout with links and session slides will be available after the class. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this insightful three-hour live seminar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nCLARIFY the scope\, genre\, and central tension of your memoir as potential screen material\n\n\n\nDETERMINE whether your story is better suited to a feature film or a television series\n\n\n\nIDENTIFY the pivotal disruption in your memoir and distinguish between internal point of view and the dramatic action required for film & TV\n\n\n\nEVALUATE your memoir through a producer’s lens\, assessing entertainment value\, character strength\, and development potential\n\n\n\nANALYZE case studies of major studio and independent adaptations to understand how true stories are reshaped for the screen\n\n\n\nSUBMIT a logline\, 250-word synopsis\, OR short adaptation exercise for written feedback following the seminar\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis course is ideal for…\n\n\n\n\nmemoirists who want to unlock the cinematic potential of their manuscript\n\n\n\nwriters ready to evaluate their book’s marketability through a producer’s lens\n\n\n\nauthors who want to translate true stories from source material to screen\n\n\n\nscreenwriters interested in adapting memoir and nonfiction projects\n\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔Think you might miss class? No worries\, replay will be available 3 business days after the event. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR Instructor\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMichelle Cutler is an award-winning screenwriter\, storytelling coach\, and developmental editor specializing in true stories and memoir\, as well as an enthusiastic and collaborative teacher. She has worked with Academy Award–winning producers and directors\, and her original and adapted screenplays have been optioned and developed by major studios and featured at international film markets.  \n\n\n\nShe has written more than 1\,700 advertising campaigns for global brands and worked as a script analyst for agencies and production companies. She previously served as a judge for the Independent Spirit Awards and as North American Curator for the Chinese Women’s Film Festival. She holds an MFA in film from NYU and a diploma in advanced creative writing nonfiction from Cambridge. She is currently writing I WON’T LET YOU DIE ALONE\, a reported memoir from the trenches of modern elder caregiving. \n\n\n\nStudent Testimonials \n\n\n\n“Consulting with Michelle on my memoir’s adaptation has been transformative. She brought fresh ideas and a professional perspective I never would have had on my own\, while always honoring what my story was truly about at its core.” – Elizabeth Austin  \n\n\n\n“I participated in a highly informative seminar about adaptation with Michelle\, where she discussed how books gain the attention of media-makers. She is very knowledgeable and generous with her time personally\, as well.”- Christina Adams \n\n\n\n“Michelle’s professionalism\, knowledge\, and humor made this workshop engaging and insightful. Her attention to detail and the case studies she shared made the adaptation process clear. I would highly recommend this class for anyone working on a memoir project.” – Grace Koo \n\n\n\n“Working with Michelle on adapting my father’s story was an exceptional experience. Her care\, thoughtfulness\, and thoroughness were evident at every step. I highly recommend her for anyone seeking honest\, creative storytelling techniques for true story adaptations.”– Patrick Boyd \n\n\n\nTHE FINE PRINT \n\n\n\nWe understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course\, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers. \n\n\n\nBefore the class\, you may request a full refund. \n\n\n\nPlease keep in mind that no refunds or credits will be issued after class begins. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRegistration Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Organizer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/memoir-into-a-screenplay/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MASTER-Event-Templates-1-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260425T170000
DTSTAMP:20260515T115845
CREATED:20260211T195312Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260419T144621Z
UID:10000099-1777125600-1777136400@writingcraft.com
SUMMARY:SEMINAR | Scene vs. Summary: When to Show\, When to Tell\, and How
DESCRIPTION:What to include\, what to show\, and what to summarize? This class teaches you exactly when to show\, when to tell\, and how to make every moment count.\n\n\n\nFor Fiction and Memoir \n\n\n\nStruggling to know when to slow your story down—or when to speed it up? Unsure what belongs and what to leave out? We’ll dive into your two core storytelling tools—scene and summary—and explore how they work together to make your writing rich\, compelling\, and memorable. You’ll learn how to use scene intentionally to shape pacing and flow\, and discover the four types of summary\, with best practices for placement and timing. By the end of the workshop\, you’ll know how to deploy these techniques in concert\, crafting sequences that keep readers hooked from start to finish. \n\n\n\nThis seminar gives you clear\, practical strategies for deciding exactly when to show\, when to tell\, and how to make every moment count. Whether you’re polishing a memoir\, starting a novel\, or shaping any narrative\, you’ll leave with actionable strategies to create stories built from scenes and summaries that truly rivet readers. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this insightful three-hour live seminar\, you will:\n\n\n\n\nMASTER pacing to control the speed and rhythm of your story\n\n\n\nWEAVE scenes and summaries seamlessly for maximum impact\n\n\n\nIDENTIFY AND USE the four types of summary effectively\n\n\n\nBREAK DOWN the parts of a scene to understand what makes it work\n\n\n\nDEEPEN your story and increase emotional resonance with pacing\n\n\n\nCONSTRUCT strong\, compelling scenes that draw readers in\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis course is ideal for…\n\n\n\n\nwriters who want to turn various scenes into a story that clicks\n\n\n\nmemoirists struggling to condense life into compelling moments\n\n\n\nnovelists who know their plot but need sharper scene structure\n\n\n\nstorytellers who want readers to fall deeply into the story\n\n\n\nanyone tired of “too much info” and craving clarity and impact\n\n\n\nnew writers looking to master the art of what to leave in—and what to cut\n\n\n\nexperienced writers who want their stories to land emotionally \n\n\n\n\nClosed captioning is available. ✔Think you might miss class? No worries\, replays will be available 3 business days after the event. ✔ \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nABOUT YOUR Instructor\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDr. Heather Sellers is the author of You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know\, a popular memoir about family and face blindness. An O Oprah Book-of-the-Month Club selection and Editor’s Choice at the New York Times Book Review\, the award-winning book was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered\, Dick Gordon’s The Story\, and Dateline\, The Today Show\, and Good Morning America with George Stephanopolis. Her essays appear in The New York Times\, The Sun\, Reader’s Digest\, Good Housekeeping\, The Best American Essays\, and numerous journals and anthologies. She is the author of four books on the craft of writing\, including The Practice of Creative Writing. \n\n\n\nHer fifth collection of poetry is coming out in June: Women in Tampa Talking About Alligators. \n\n\n\nHeather has been teaching for over 30 years. Currently she is a member of the MFA faculty at the University of South Florida\, where she won the university’s highest teaching award. She also offers in-person workshops and private lessons for writers at all levels. \n\n\n\nStudent Testimonials \n\n\n\n“This was one of the most substantive classes I’ve taken. The craft insights were deep\, but everything was presented in a clear\, usable structure that made revision feel possible instead of overwhelming.” – Anon \n\n\n\n“I loved how rigorous the content was without ever feeling dry. The pacing\, humor\, and energy kept me completely engaged—and I left with concrete tools I used immediately.” – Grace L\, New York \n\n\n\n“What stood out most was how intentional the teaching was.” –Kate S\, NJ \n\n\n\n“I expected inspiration\, but I didn’t expect this level of craft depth. The class was smart\, funny\, and incredibly well organized.” – Constance\, Holland\, MI \n\n\n\n“You can feel how much thought has gone into the structure of the presentation. Nothing felt random—everything connected\, and Heather is so personable and smart and fun.” – BethAnn\, Tampa\, FL \n\n\n\nTHE FINE PRINT \n\n\n\nWe understand that life can get in the way of your plans. We want you to be able to get the most out of your course\, and our refund policy is designed to balance your need for flexibility with our deadlines and obligations to our teachers. \n\n\n\nBefore the class\, you may request a refund less a $10.00 processing fee. \n\n\n\nPlease keep in mind that no refunds or credits will be issued after class begins. \n\n\n\nQuestions? Please email Info@writingcraft.com \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRegistration Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEvent Organizer\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLocation
URL:https://writingcraft.com/event/seminar-scene-vs-summary/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Seminars
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://writingcraft.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/MASTER-Event-Templates-2.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR