The Art of Memoir:
Crafting Compelling,
Vivid, True Life Stories
Commonweal, Bolinas, California
Not yet rescheduled
Come write your heart out with master teacher Laura Davis and a vibrant, supportive writing community on the beach overlooking the Pacific in Bolinas, California.
Many of us hold a deep dream of writing the story of our lives. We want to tell our stories so we can understand ourselves more fully. We want to pass on our family stories. By giving our life experiences shape, texture, and beauty, we hope to create a lasting legacy that will inspire and inform.
The Art of Memoir will teach you how to take life stories and craft them into memoir. We will examine what transforms a personal story into something that has value and meaning for others, and in the process, we will address the following questions:
- What makes a memoir a memoir?
- What is it about my life experience that makes it worth telling?
- How can I move beyond the "simply personal" into writing with universal significance?
- How can I write about the past with fresh immediacy?
- What should I include and what should I leave out?
- What about the voices that tell me I can't tell these stories because I'd be betraying the people in them?
This is an intimate retreat with a maximum of 15 participants.
You will leave with a substantial body of work as well as essential skills and exercises that will keep you focused and directed in your writing for months to come.
Evocative prompts will lead you deeply into the world of memoir and story. Learn how to “find the story beneath the story,” why writers need to “slow down where it hurts,” and the secret of telling true stories rooted in the immediacy and physicality of the moment.
As we alternate periods of writing with listening to each other from a place of deep acceptance, you’ll benefit from the strength of a supportive writing circle, witness the healing power of language, and experience the transformation that occurs when we tell true stories and are deeply heard.
Is This Retreat For Me?
To benefit from this retreat, you can be already deeply engaged in writing a memoir, interested in exploring the possibility, or simply looking for a concentrated period of time to explore new entry points for writing about your life experience.
Open to anyone willing to connect with their creativity in the context of a safe, confidential community. Both emerging and seasoned writers are welcome to attend.
I'm ready to learn how to transform personal stories into memoir.
Testimonials from Past Participants
Location
Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas, California
Our retreat will be held at the incomparable Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas, California, where I have taught for twenty years.
Come prepared to absorb the stark beauty of the wild California coastline at the height of Indian summer. It's a gorgeous, wild, beautiful haven.
The meals are fresh, organic and deeply satisfying. Accommodations are peaceful and quiet, conducive to creativity and deep rest.
Those of you have studied with me at Commonweal before, know what a perfect peaceful setting it is. For those of you who've never had the privilege of attending before, Commonweal is a gorgeous, secluded, magical healing sanctuary.
Arrival and Departure: We will convene at 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 29 for dinner. You can arrive to register as early as 3:00 PM. We will end after lunch on Monday, November 4.
You will need to arrange your travel so you can be at the retreat for the entire time. (If you are flying into SFO, that means your plane should arrive no later than 1:30 Tuesday afternoon and leave no earlier than 5:00 on Monday afternoon.)
Size of the Group: There will only be 21 writers at the retreat. We will meet as a large group each day for a teaching session and in small writing groups, so there will be ample time for intimate sharing of your life and your words.
Food: The food will be organic, fantastic and plentiful. Everyone always talks about the food: what will be in the next meal and what was in the last one. Claire's meals are always healthy works of art, filled with love, and deeply nourishing.
Accommodations: We rent three houses on the Commonweal property. The main house has all the single occupancy rooms, all up a flight of stairs, our big kitchen, group dining room and meeting room are on the ground floor; the second and third houses have their own kitchens, living rooms, and porches. They're lovely and that's where the double-occupancy rooms are. All three buildings are close together: a 3-5 minute walk over through a grassy field to Kohler House or a walk through the woods to Bothin House. The ground in between is basically flat, but not totally even. There are no private bathrooms; all bathrooms are shared.
Many participants, who initially preferred a single, have reported to us that having a roommate was unexpectedly one of the very best parts of their week at Commonweal. The small houses with the double rooms are charming, cozy and welcoming with lots of private spots to sit, indoors and out.
Since accommodations are limited, we assign rooms on a first-come basis.
Yes, Laura, I want to meet you at Commonweal in July!
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Teachers
Laura Davis
Laura Davis is the author of seven non-fiction books, including The Courage to Heal, Becoming the Parent You Want to Be and I Thought We'd Never Speak Again. Laura's groundbreaking books have sold more than 1.8 million copies around the world. Laura has also worked as a columnist, talk show host, radio reporter, radio producer, blogger, editor, and speaker.
She is a cancer survivor, the mother of three, the grandmother of three, and has buried both her parents. In other words, she is a well-seasoned human being.
Words have always been at the core of her work and her self-expression.
Laura has been mentoring and supporting writers for the past 20 years. It is truly the work of her heart:
"I love teaching. I love watching my students find their natural voice and their rhythm. I love it when they find their true stories and discover the courage to put them on the page. I feel like a midwife as my students birth their stories, and I feel honored to witness their bursts of creativity and pure life energy pouring out on the page. Our writing circles are safe places where skills are honed, tears and laughter are welcome, and each writer is seen, heard and deeply known."
Laura leads weekly online writing groups and in-person retreats in California, as well as retreats internationally. She has taken writers to Bali and Scotland, Tuscany, Greece, Vietnam, hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and to Laos and Cambodia. She documents these trips to the delight of many readers in her intermittent travel blog, The Virtual Vacation.
Laura's book, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story, winner of the BookLife Prize for best memoir/autobiography of 2021, tells the story of her dramatic and tumultuous relationship with her mother from the time of Laura's birth until her mother's death. You will receive a copy of The Burning Light of Two Stars as a bonus gift as part of your registration.
Praise for Laura
Evelyn Hall
Evelyn Hall is a social worker, master hypnotherapist, and minister. For the past 35 years, Evelyn has been guiding individuals and leading groups, helping people find healing in body, mind, and spirit. Evelyn specializes in transformative healing practices including somatic awareness, movement, meditation, healing through nature, and leading sacred ceremonies. She brings a depth to workshops by teaching clients to allow natural healing processes to occur: addressing and transforming feelings and thoughts through body, mind and spirit.
Praise for Evelyn
"Evelyn brought mysticism, magic, creativity and a romantic spirit to the retreat."
—Julie Sheehan, Livermore, CA
"Evelyn is a comforting presence. She is a healer and very real. She truly helped me. I love her."
—Bonnie Kirchbaum, Oceanside, CA
"Evelyn played a beautiful supportive and sensitive role to all of us in the group."
—Linda Comin, Oceanside, CA
"Evelyn's presence was a gift. Her calming presence, her blessing and the altar she tended. I appreciated everything she brought to the retreat. I wouldn't have had the same powerful experience without her."
—Margo Fowkes, Loomis, CA
"Evelyn was the keeper of the altar. She invited us into a larger holding of spirit, of presence of stillness."
—Gail Warner, southern California
"Evelyn is a joy to behold. The treasures and symbols she brought to the workshop added color and dimensions and depths to our days and nights."
—Diane Schwedner, Santa Cruz, CA
"Evelyn was very motherly and calming, truly understanding of my spiritual experience without judgement."
—Dwi Prasetyowati, San Francisco
"Evelyn's role in the retreat was essential. The place of ritual gave a container for the work of the writing and the journey of the feelings. Her care and warmth made her approachable and supportive."
—Martha Fauteux, Ontario, Canada
"Evelyn provided a sprinkling of fairy dust that lightened the hard work we did."
—Carolyn Lehman, Arcata, CA
"Evelyn was our support and spiritual guide."
—Chris, Ithaca, New York
"I love how Evelyn's perspective guided the group. Her gentle effortless way of being with us was wonderful. She was there for me in my moments of need."
—Lynne Benatovich, Sonoma, CA
"Evelyn was the wind beneath my wings. She always appeared by peoples' sides when she was most needed."
—Denise Carter, Aptos, CA
"Evelyn is pure joy and positive energy."
—Kendra Dorfman, Santa Cruz, CA
"What an incredible gift Evelyn's uplifting energy was throughout this retreat. Her zest for life was contagious."
—Sandra, Pacific Grove, CA
"Evelyn is a beautiful soul. She provided the 'heart,' the compassionate soul of the retreat."
—Claudette McLean, Alberta, Canada
Yes, sign me up for a creative, deeply restorative memoir retreat.
Endorsements for Laura's Workshops
Inclusions & Travel
What's included:
- Room and board, three meals a day.
- All writing instruction for a life-changing retreat.
- The services of your capable, compassionate leader.
- Incredible vistas of the Pacific coast.
- An amazing community that will lead to deep connections and new friends.
- A copy of Laura's memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars.
What's not included:
- Transportation to and from the Commonweal.
- Personal, medical, and travel insurance to protect your investment in the retreat.
- Tips for the kitchen and the cleaning staff.
TRAVEL TO THE RETREAT
Arrival and Departure:
We will start at 5:00 P.M. on Monday, November 3rd for dinner. You can arrive to register as early as 3:00 PM. We will end after lunch on Friday, November 7th.
Flying in?
Villa Maria del Mar is approximately one hour from San Jose Airport (SJC) or one hour and 45 minutes from either San Francisco International Airport (SFO) or Oakland International Airport (OAK).
You will need to arrange your travel so you can be at the retreat for the entire time. If you are flying into San Jose Airport, that means your plane should arrive no later than 1:30 pm Monday afternoon and leave no earlier than 5:00 pm on Friday afternoon. For the Bay Area airports, your pane should arrive no later than 12:45 pm on the 3rd and 5:45 pm on the 7th.
Yes, I want to learn to tell powerful, vivid true stories!
Registration
The Art of Memoir: Crafting Compelling, Vivid, True Life Stories
Villa Maria del Mar, Santa Cruz, California
November 3 - 7, 2025
Your Investment
Cost: $1,600 for a spot in a double-occupancy room; $2,450 for a standard single occupancy room.
Payment Schedule: The full cost is due upon registration.
Retreat Tuition Cancellations and Refunds Policy: A deposit amount of $800 for a double occupancy room spot or $1,225 for a single occupancy room spot is nonrefundable and will be forfeited in all cases. After September 15, 2025, there will be no refunds. Exceptions to this cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including personal emergencies. Travel protection insurance will provide your only option for recouping your full tuition investment.
Choose Your Rooms
1. DOUBLE ROOMS - Only 1 Spot Left!
Shared Double-Occupancy Room - $1,600 per bed
Room contains two twin beds. Pricing per person.
NOTE: If you sign up for a double occupancy room without having a roommate in mind, we will do our best to pair you with an appropriate roommate. If a roommate cannot be found for you, you will be upgraded to a single and need to pay the difference.
2. SINGLE ROOMS
Standard Single Room - $2,450
Private room and bathroom. Pricing per person.