The Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop marks its 25th anniversary this year and will keep the celebration going through next spring with a keynote lineup of bestselling authors and rising comedy stars, hands-on workshops, networking — plus the opportunity to laugh, learn and be inspired.
The 2026 workshop, set for March 26-28 at the University of Dayton, will feature keynote speakers Kelly Corrigan, Ann Garvin, Sona Movsesian, Steven Rowley and John Searles — writers whose work spans memoir, fiction, humor and media. Attendees will also choose from dozens of hands-on workshops with gifted faculty, including former keynoters Annabelle Gurwitch, Katrina Kittle, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Sophfronia Scott and the writing duo of Kathy Kinney and Cindy Ratzlaff.
The Art of Memoir: The Page as Mirror
Sophfronia Scott
Joan Didion famously noted, “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking.” That kind of writing can mean a precarious process. After all, what you’re thinking may be unsettling! And writing has been compared to opening a vein and bleeding onto the page. But the journey of self-discovery need not be so dramatic — or traumatic. In fact, it can be quite productive. Unpacking your interiority as you put words on the page may solve writing blocks, present new ideas and result in deeper and more meaningful and authentic work. We will play with a writing exercise and think about how to observe your thoughts as you write. We will also discuss what to do with what you find in the marginalia of your brain. By embracing the unknown, we may see that writing, no matter the genre, doesn’t have to be about opening a vein. It may be as simple as stepping onto a path and seeing where it takes you.