LLA0056 - Writing Life Stories as Gifts
Course Description
Forget store-bought presents, your words are the most meaningful gift you can give. In this course, you’ll learn to craft personal stories and heartfelt vignettes drawn from your own life. Whether for weddings, holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries, you’ll create one-of-a-kind keepsakes that will be treasured for generations. Discover creative ways to package your stories and experiment with AI as a creative writing partner. No writing experience is needed, just bring your memories, imagination, and the desire to give a gift only you can create.
Notes
This is a self-paced course. Students are responsible for completing the modules independently. Limited instructor support is available, with up to one hour allotted for email correspondence and virtual meetings as needed.
Testimonials
"I enjoyed the classes very much, thank you for introducing me to a whole new world. I plan to take other writing classes in coming semesters and hope to learn from you again." N. P.
"It was a pleasure to attend your workshop on what to expect when expecting to write a book! My wife Melisa and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you so much for the good push to move things along with the stories we have been struggling to prioritize writing. We are both aiming to make some big strides in the near future." Adam A.
"I am a current student of Laura's and cannot say enough about how she champions fledging writers and guides them through the entire writing process. I first took a class from Laura last year as a pandemic activity with my sister. I had not written in a very long time and was a blank slate in terms of where to proceed. Laura created a learning environment online that was comfortable and encouraged risk taking. She motivated us to think big and provided us with information throughout the writing process from seedlings to publishing. I was so inspired that I began to formulate an idea to write a novel. I eagerly signed up when Laura offered a summer writing camp. I continued to plan and outline my idea for my novel and slowly begin to write. Then she offered a 180 day novel intensive course. This class has been a life changer for me! The mini conferences with Laura once a month have been very informative and helpful in providing valuable feedback towards the creation of my novel. It is affirming that she is also a successful working author. She can provide realistic examples of the course content each week and can relate to our struggles throughout the writing process. She believes everyone has a story in them and works to help them bring it out of themselves. As a result of taking Laura's classes, I can confidently call myself a writer and proudly tell people that I am writing a novel. I believe in my writing abilities and a lot of that has to do with the encouragement I have received from Laura. Every writer needs a someone for motivation and Laura Ehrke is a wonderful writer educator for the role." A. W.
"Laura is a wonderful instructor. Creative writing classes can be intimidating, but Laura is generous and supportive. She gives examples and exercises that help you be more creative. She also helped set the tone of the class for the students by being accessible and open-minded. I recommend her class to anyone who has not taken a class like this before and wants to find encouragement. Highly recommended." Dr. P. R.
"I’ve taken two writing classes (Short Story Writing Workshop) and Write a Novel in 30 Days Workshop) with Laura Ehrke, and enjoyed them both. Her exercises and supporting material are helpful and informative. She is a caring instructor, and her classes are just plain fun." P. G.
"Laura is a very knowledgeable, welcoming, encouraging, inspiring, down to earth and fun instructor! Laura also creates a very safe space for sharing, if you want to. I learned tons and am very inspired! I would definitely take another class with Laura!" K. F.
"I enjoyed the classes very much, thank you for introducing me to a whole new world. I plan to take other writing classes in coming semesters and hope to learn from you again." N. P.
"This class offered well-paced guidance through the structure, content, and style of short stories. Using models both classic and modern, we explored how authors created their stories and then attempted to emulate parts of this in our own writing. As someone who had been away from writing for a while, this class was a joy! Laura’s insightful expertise and sound direction were always delivered with kindness and good humor. I wish the class had lasted much longer." R. P.
"I want to tell you how much I enjoyed the Short Story Writing Workshop. I have never taken a writing class, much less an online class, so I was a bit apprehensive, not being sure that I would fit in. My fears were allayed in the first class when Laura's easy warmth came through and a structure for the class showed itself. I was afraid it would be all writing, but she presented a lot of material about aspects of writing like plot and character and setting that I had not really fully appreciated. I also loved the opening activity of discussing an assigned short story with her and the class. They were all different and gave me a lot to think about and way more knowledge about story construction. We also had writing exercises and opportunities to use the short story each of us was working on in learning more about the necessities of short story writing such as conflict. Laura also facilitated our working with the other students in the class. I learned not to be so afraid of sharing my work with others. In short, I got a lot out of this class and want to pursue my fledgling efforts in writing fiction. Thank you, Laura!" K. M.
Laura Ehrke is an award-winning novelist, blogger, marketing specialist and writing coach. Her education includes studying British literature and poetry at Oxford University, a bachelor’s degree in communications from DePaul University and a master’s degree in liberal arts from the University of Chicago, with supplemental graduate coursework in writing at Northwestern University. As an author, Laura has been featured at several events, including Comic Con, Pop Culture Con, the University of Chicago Liberal Arts Panel, NaNoWriMo forums, and library programs. She brings her passion for writing into her courses, inspiring students to have fun while developing their creativity and writing skills. Laura was recently awarded the Excellence in Arts: Outstanding Educator Award by the Barrington Cultural Commission.