Made Visible Writing Class
March - May 2023 - Session
Writing helps us understand our own experiences and share them with others. This 8-week class is for beginner and intermediate writers who are ready to tell their story of living with invisible illness.
In this intimate group of writers, some people may be writing about their invisible illnesses for the first time. Others may have journaled or written drafts of essays before, but they need help finding the heart of the story and figuring out what they really want to say. Others may have written and shared privately or publicly before.
The Made Visible Writing Class is for people who want to explore their story through personal essay and memoir. Over the course of 8-weeks, participants will write, give and receive feedback, and hear from published authors and storytellers about how to write, hone, and publish work. In everything we do, we’ll focus on topics that are specific to writing about invisible illness.
Through our 8-weeks together, we’ll work to find the story that you don’t just want to tell, you NEED to tell. We’ll reflect on the vulnerability it requires to write about our illnesses and lean on our fellow writers for support. We’ll write, revise, and polish, and learn about what comes next (when you’re ready): the world of publishing. Over the course of these 8-weeks, you’ll glimpse what the writing world has to offer. But more importantly, you’ll see what you have to offer it.
How This Class Works
The Made Visible Writing Class is eight weeks long and will take place on Zoom in order to allow people from all over the world to attend.
Class schedule:
March 29th, April 4, April 12th, April 18th, April 26th, May 3rd, May 10th and May 17th from 12-2pm EST
Please note these are all Wednesday’s aside from April 4th and April 18th which are Tuesdays.
While you are encouraged to attend each class live, if you miss a class, they will be recorded for you to go back and watch.
The Structure
Over the 8-weeks together, we’ll have numerous speakers who will discuss a different aspect of writing, storytelling and/or publishing. You’ll have the chance to read some of each speaker’s writing (if published), discuss it with the class, and ask questions about their process and experience.
The other weeks will focus on your writing. You’ll get writing prompts, read your writing aloud, and receive and give on-the-spot feedback as everyone shares their work.
Between classes, you’ll write, give written feedback to others on their work, receive written feedback on your work, and revise. You’ll walk away with atleast six first-drafts of essays.
The Themes
The class is broken into three modules:
I. Getting Your Story on Paper
We’ll talk about how to process and reflect what you’ve been through with your health, and support each other as we make room for honesty, vulnerability, and writing the hard stuff. We’ll focus on getting your story down on paper, knowing that we’ll have time for finessing later.
II. The Craft of Writing About Invisible Illness
Here’s where we start to dig into how to hone your narrative. You want your reader to feel your experiences as intensely as you did--and craft is a big part of that. In this module, we’ll focus on the structure of your story, what to include and exclude, voice, and other craft elements.
III. Sharing Your Story with Others
Everyone’s focus will be different when it comes to sharing their work. You might want to share your story on social media, or you might be focused on writing a book. Whatever your goal, we’ll talk about it. We’ll also give an introduction to agents, pitching, book proposals, and publishers.
“Harper is inspiring. She sees us. By bringing together writers and aspiring writers around the topic of our shared experiences with invisible illnesses, she makes possible both community and individual voice.”
Who This Class is For
This class is for beginner and intermediate writers who want to focus on writing about their health while being part of an intimate writing community. It is essential that all participants have a desire to support each other and give feedback.
This class is a good fit for you if:
You’ve never written a personal essay about your health (or anything else) before.
You’ve written essays, but you still feel “new” to it and want to improve your craft.
You enjoy journaling and freewriting but have never considered yourself a writer.
You’ve spent time writing but haven’t been in a class or community focused on writing, especially for those living with invisible illnesses.
You’re eager to learn about the craft of writing and commit yourself to a practice.
You love reading personal essays and memoirs and are ready to write your own.
While we’ll often be touching on very personal aspects of our lives, this class is not a therapy or support group. You’ll definitely lean on and encourage each other as it relates to your stories, but if you’re writing and talking about very vulnerable or traumatic experiences from your life, you may want to seek support from a mental health practitioner. That kind of professional support won’t happen in class.
Guest Teachers
Coming soon……
“The Made Visible Writing Class was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel called 2020. I was able to connect with writers across the country and grow from our shared experiences. It had been so long since I heard the words “I understand” and knew that the person saying them really did. Living with an invisible illness is a constant challenge and writing about my experiences in a workshop setting was not only cathartic, but a hallmark experience. ”
The Investment
There is a limited number of spots available to keep the group intimate.
If you prefer to pay via PayPal or Chase QuickPay/Zelle — please send an email to hello@madevisiblestories.com
“The Made Visible Writing Class helped me find my voice as a writer sharing her personal health story. Through the heartfelt peer support, feedback, and genuine encouragement from Harper, I now have a deep personal connection to why my health story is worth writing. This is a unique community of writers where participants cheer each other on and listen with a deep understanding.”
About the Facilitator
Harper Spero
Harper Spero is a storyteller, community builder, podcast host and business coach. During a fast-paced career in marketing, PR, and event production spanning the beauty, music, and tech industries, Harper’s life came to a halt with a life-altering surgery due to her rare immunodeficiency, Hyper IgE Syndrome. After living quietly with her invisible illness for nearly three decades, Harper’s surgery was the straw that broke her silence, leading to the creation of the Made Visible podcast, sharing her writing with the world, and business coaching and consulting. Her work has been featured in Health, Forbes, Well+Good, and more, and aims to uplift the voices of those living with invisible illnesses.
Harper works with companies to create more inclusive work environments for people living with invisible illnesses. Through storytelling and community-building, she enhances the employee experience and allows those who are not affected to become more educated, informed and compassionate. Harper is on the Board of Trustees for the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF). She’s originally from New York City, and currently lives in Tel Aviv.
Have questions about the Made Visible Writing Class? Email hello@madevisiblestories.com