“On Memory and Metaphor: Bringing the Past to Life”

How do we translate a vague memory in our thoughts into a vivid memory in an essay or memoir? Sensory knowledge, written descriptively, assists in memory, in recalling past events. From here, we metaphorically string memories together. By reflecting on our lives, we see truths not initially observed in the past. Memories are dynamic, not static. They change as we change. When we write our sensory memories, they present us with fresh perspectives. This second life doesn't just recapture past actions, it gives them depth and meaning.

This presentation includes a writing prompt, space to read your work, as well as time for discussion and questions-and-answers.

A copy of Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul is included as part of your registration.

Sue William Silverman is an award-winning author of eight works of nonfiction and poetry. Her book Acetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories to Ignite the Soul, available for presale, will be officially published Jan. 2024. Her previous book, How to Survive Death and Other Inconveniences, won the gold star in Foreword Reviews Indie Book of the Year Award and the Clara Johnson Award for Women’s Literature. Other works include Love Sick: One Woman’s Journey through Sexual Addiction, made into a Lifetime TV movie; Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You, which won the AWP Award; and The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew. She teaches at the low-residency MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. www.SueWilliamSilverman.com