Meet Lauren Krouse, our brand-new memoir teacher

We’re thrilled to introduce Lauren Krouse, our brand-new memoir teacher! Lauren is a writer who covers domestic violence, women’s health, mental health, technology, and LGBTQ+ issues. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, the Washington Post, Parents, USA Today, SELF, HuffPost, Shondaland, and elsewhere. She’s going to be teaching our first-ever class in Cary starting next Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gather Good Co. Read on to get to know Lauren, and learn more about her course here!

Do you have a writing ritual? Share it with us!

I don’t have a particular writing ritual! I tend to write in the margins of my life — late at night or very early in the morning in my Notes app when inspiration strikes and on Saturdays or Sundays from morning to late afternoon when other lifely obligations aren’t calling. 

What is the best, or worst, piece of advice you’ve gotten about how to write nonfiction?

The worst advice I’ve gotten about how to write nonfiction is some iteration of “You have to X.” Writing creative nonfiction is deeply personal and while there are elements of craft we can teach, there are also no rules you can’t break. Great writers also disagree on many “musts” — such as whether or not to outline your work before you get started.  

What is a recent memoir/personal essay that you’ve especially enjoyed?

I’ll give you two: Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation by Camonghne Felix, about an eventual mental health diagnosis (among many other things), and Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley C. Ford, about growing up with a father in prison (among many other things). I loved Dyscalculia because it’s a memoir written by a poet and you can tell. I’m still trying to sort out how she could string together so many epic one-liners and vignettes. Her word choice and freedom with structure is inspiring to me. Ford’s writing, on the other hand, inspired me for how it automatically read like a classic memoir. You could really feel how she’d taken her life and shaped it into narrative and plot, and she’s got a beautiful, heartfelt voice. 

What is one of your favorite topics to teach to beginning nonfiction writers and why?

Structure. Nonfiction — and memoir in particular — can feel really overwhelming, especially when the immediate impulse is often to tell all. Structure gives you the form and limitations you need to start thinking about a story you’re telling to someone else, rather than just figuring out for yourself. Traumatic memories in particular can often present themselves on the page in disjointed fragments, which can be interesting but tends to ask a lot of the reader. Sometimes the best way to relay that story is to wind back into a simple chronology or to start in media res, in the midst of chaos, to then go back to the beginning and work your way back to that high point. I love when you can begin to see the shape a story is meant to be told in, and the relief that scaffolding can bring. 

Any words of encouragement for those who are interested but scared about taking the leap into joining a class?

Just do it! And try to leave your ego at the door. Anything worth learning is going to come with frustration, but that’s the feeling of your brain sorting things out and developing new skills. Embrace the frustration, remind yourself writing can be so much fun, and take joy in knowing that you are allowing yourself to become a part of a conversation and community that’s much bigger than yourself just by starting to tell stories. That’s really what it’s all about: getting to know yourself, growing, and connecting with others. 

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

I’m in the process of trying to expand into new forms of art myself and just signed up for my second painting class!  

Anything else you would like to share?

I want to emphasize that writing classes with me are about creating a space for you to do the work. A lot of creative writing is just putting your time in and being willing to stretch yourself. It's important to me that I create an environment where you feel safe and welcome to do that, and I look forward to working with writers of all backgrounds.

Please join us in welcoming Lauren to Redbud, and learn more and sign up for her class here!