Everyone has a story to tell – what matters is how you tell it. In this four-part class, students will focus on the basics of the personal narrative – a story told in first person that relates the story teller’s own experience. Students will develop a five-minute (750-word) story from start to finish through in-class exercises and take-home assignments. They will learn how to mine their memories for story ideas, structure their thoughts for maximum effectiveness, and find the details that will bring their stories to life. At the conclusion of the course, students will be offered the opportunity to share their work in front of a live audience on a date to be determined by the class as a whole.