"Writing a memoir is a journey inside of yourself, coming to terms with the highs and lows and lessons every life teaches. It is that honest, raw, revelatory account that others will want to read and learn from. Al Watt's 90-Day Memoir® is a masterful guided tour to that interior world, structured perfectly. And, amazingly to me, it ends with a mostly completed rough draft in just three months. That’s something many of us have spent years trying to accomplish. The secret is Al’s empathy and teaching methods—asking his students to address the episodes they most want to resist. Few teachers can get their students to really think through the dark night of their soul and how that led to their eventual success and indeed transformation. Al insists he is not a therapist, and this writing course is not therapy. Well, for me, it was full of deep personal revelations, helping me make sense of my life and be able to write about it in ways that had always eluded me. In short, I simply don’t believe you can go wrong with this extraordinary teacher and his writing blueprint."
Bill Buzenberg, Journalist and Former Head of NPR News, Minnesota Public Radio, and The Center for Public Integrity
“This is the best class I’ve ever taken, and I’ve taken many in my time. I went from 'writing a memoir is impossible' to completing my first manuscript. Al has a genius method to unlock your subconscious and get you writing. I've been able to drop all of my fears and get it done, which is remarkable."
Sherold Barr, Author of Reach for More
“I already had an MFA and I teach and direct a college creative writing program, but I really didn’t have an organic understanding of story. Al’s ability to merge intuition and structure is unique and invaluable. I was able to work through my outline-phobia because of the way he approached structure as a holistic approach, rather than a rigid box. Al encourages the writer to live within the questions of the story, not the answers.”
Laraine Herring, Author of Gathering Lights, Winner of the Barbara Deming Award for Women
“Al Watt is a story guru. Plain and simple. His writing prompts encourage you to dig deep and allow your subconscious to show up on the page. I'm always amazed at what I produce in Al’s class and also how connected to my story he makes me feel. If you are willing to let go of plot, Al will help you find the heartbeat of your story. And then, he’ll drill story structure into your head! I’ve taken a lot of writing classes, but working with Al provided the roadmap to complete my debut novel - the one I’d been thinking about writing for years, and now, finally, the first draft of a memoir, a story I never thought I could tell."
Marcie Maxfield, author of Em’s Awful Good Fortune
“The workshop was without a doubt the key to getting my travel memoir about living with the poor in Vietnam out of a rut. Al is brilliant and has an uncanny ability to draw out of your issues and angles you didn’t know you had in you. It was also fascinating to hear the work of other writers and then learn from Al’s comments to them. I finished my book and had offers from two publishing houses.”
Karin Esterhammer, Author of So Happiness to Meet You, Prospect Park Books, Winner of the Nautilus Book Awards Silver Medal
“I have two Masters Degrees, one from an Ivy League University, and I must say The 90-Day Memoir® is one of the most thought-provoking courses/workshops I have ever taken.”
Marty King
“Al Watt is extraordinary. Having had many powerful teachers, creative and otherwise, in my journey, I’m thankful to have had my share of amazing, often world-class instruction. Al is in a league all his own. His well-homed and well-earned mastery of the craft of writing, his awareness of the human condition, and his own very apparent evolution as a person, among many other qualities, coincide to create an experience like no other. If you have the opportunity to study with Al, don’t miss it. I give both Al Watt and his workshops my highest recommendation.”
Robert Gant, Actor, Queer as Folk
"A line of heat and propulsion carries readers through the best memoirs. Al Watt, somewhat miraculously, has located all the levers and portals into that flow. With deep wisdom and compassion, he guides writers to the way it courses through their stories. A master technician, he’s also part-mystic, part-soothsayer. Take his class, write your memoir and be transformed. What a ride!"
Ann Marsh, Award-Winning Investigative Journalist
“Al's memoir class is part structure journey, part shamanic tracking of self and part healing ceremony.”
Linda Kay Stevens
“Alan is the best writing instructor on the planet. He shines a light and steps out of the way. He honors the creative process and he respects the writer's soul. He is insightful and caring and generous. I feel lucky to have crossed paths with such an inspiring person."
A'ni Santiago
"I had been unsuccessfully trying to tell my story for six years when I registered for Al's class. Not only did I find a way forward, I was able to complete my first draft! I felt safe to share my story with others, to take a risk and be vulnerable. Everyone was very accepting, kind, and caring. It was a wonderful writing experience."
Marieke Hahn
"A friend told me about Alan's online memoir writing course and she spoke so enthusiastically about it that I signed up--not really knowing what to expect. First of all, I must say, Alan makes this substantive course very affordable to everyone. That was a great beginning and says a lot about the kind of person Alan is. I've been a writer all my adult working life in a variety of different professions, but I had never considered writing a memoir. Alan is an exceptional teacher/mentor. I think that is true, first of all, because he knows his subject so well, but beyond that he is an intuitive, compassionate person who allows everyone to feel safe, accepted and "heard." He creates a learning environment that is encouraging and motivating. It has been a transformative experience, not just as a writer, but on a very personal level, and that is because of Alan's ability to work within the complexities of a very diverse group of people and make each and every one feel unconditionally accepted and encouraged throughout the writing process."
Carol DeFina
"In 90 days, I grew as a writer—not just learning about structure, but in content. Al’s thorough understanding of story in each act gave new meaning to my writing, allowing me to create a compelling narrative."
Michael Hauser
"Al Watt’s marvelous courses have helped me in every aspect of writing. When you’re thoroughly confused by plot advice and character how-to’s, drop it all and run fast to lawriterslab.com. From in-person to telecourses, you’ll find something to clear the way to your novel, screenplay, play, memoir . . . whatever is your path, you’ll have a guide.”
Guinotte Wise, Winner of the H. Palmer Hall Award; Nominated for several Pushcart Prizes
"It's the rare teacher who successfully does what they teach at a high level, while simultaneously inspiring others to do their best work. Al's encouragement, guidance, and insights into my manuscript were pivotal, compelling a deeper and truer exploration. He invited me to face all those things in myself that I would have preferred to keep secret. He never let me off the hook, but his notes always rang true as he gently challenged my ego to step out of the way. The result is a book I am proud of, and that I couldn't have imagined existing without his insight and skill."
Arthur Dielhan, author of Get Out of Your Head, It's a Mess in There
Workshops
Creativity is your birthright. Your sole purpose is to build a body of work.
