In-Person Class: “Writing Humor in Memoir” with Greg Marshall
October 31 2026 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM CDT
$75.00 – $135.00
This Event is for Members only.
Click here to learn more about benefits of membership
$75 for Members
$135 for Non-Members
Humor can be used not to cover up pain but to cut through it.
In this three-hour session, we’ll treat humor not as an ineffable, unreproducible fluke but as the opposite: an element of craft that can enrich and enliven our stories. Maybe humor can’t be taught, but it can certainly be tapped into. Setups and punchlines, plot, pacing, voice—all can be strategically deployed to delight and surprise.
We’ll kick things off by looking at the bread-and-butter of comedy: gallows humor. How do we write about the hardest things in life—grief, chronic illness, conflict—with a sense of levity? How do we decide when to be sentimental and when to be absurd, outlandish, vulnerable? For this, we’ll look at the work of writers like Sloane Crosley, author of the wonderful memoir Grief is for People. We’ll also flip the script and explore how to be funny on the page when you’re supposed to be funny. And how do we write across cultures and varied experiences in a way that’s rich, nuanced, page-turning, and also likely to induce belly laughs? With a generative exercise at the end of class, our goal is to hone practical tools that help us blast through shame, resist tidy morals, and sidestep cliché.
This course is for any writer who’s ever wished they were funnier on the page, and wants to drill down on how exactly to pull that off. Because ultimately, humor isn’t about being clever. It’s about seeing clearly, breaking form, and reaching for connection.
This is an in-person class held at the Munday Library (3001 S Congress Ave Building LIBR, Austin, TX 78704) on the St. Edwards College campus. It will not be recorded, or made available online. There will be paid parking ($6/day) available onsite. More details will be provided prior to the class date.
TAKE THIS CLASS IF:
- You’re writing memoir or personal essays.
- You wish you were funnier on the page and are looking to gain concrete techniques for crafting humor.
- You’re hoping to apply humor as a tool to deepen emotional impact.
- You’re writing personal narrative and want different ways to tackle your subject matter.
The deadline to register for this class is Friday, October 30 at 5:00 PM CT.
CONTINUING YOUR WRITING JOURNEY
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The WLT is committed to making our classes accessible to all writers including writers who do not have the financial means to pay for programming. Five (5) seats in this class have been set aside for scholarship recipients to attend free of charge. Please note: two (2) of these seats will be reserved for students of St. Edward’s University.
Please fill out this application no later than 2 days prior to the class to be considered for one of the scholarship seats. We do not ask for any corroborating documents; we only ask that you help us understand your situation. If you are selected for one of the available seats you will be notified via email (from wlt@writersleague.org) no later than 24 hours before the start of the class. Please note, each writer is limited to no more than four (4) total scholarship seats per catalog season.
Instructor
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Greg Marshall grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah. A National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Prose, Marshall is a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers and the Medill School of Journalism. His work has appeared in The Best American Essays and been supported by MacDowell and the Corporation of Yaddo. Marshall's memoir, Leg, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award and the Randy Shilts Award.
Before purchasing, please read all policies as noted below and on our Accessibility and Policies page.
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Class & Event Registration Policy
Once a purchase has been made, registrations are not refundable and cannot be transferred to a different class or event. No exceptions will be made. If you purchase a registration and then find you cannot attend the class or event, someone else can attend in your stead. Simply contact us at wlt@writersleague.org and let us know the name and contact information for the person who will be using the registration so that we can update the class or event roster.
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Anti-Harassment Policy
The Writers’ League of Texas is dedicated to providing harassment-free spaces for everyone, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Violating these rules may result in expulsion from WLT programs without a refund at the discretion of the WLT staff.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Comments that reinforce social structures of domination (related to gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, or religion);
- Sexual images not appropriate for the specific subject of the public discussion;
- Deliberate intimidation or stalking;
- Harassing photography or recording;
- Sustained disruption of discussions or other events;
- Unwelcome sexual attention;
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.
Enforcement
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the event with no refund. Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules during all events and event-related social activities.
Reporting
If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Reports can also be made via email at wlt@writersleague.org. We’ll handle any and all reports as respectfully as possible. You won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we won’t tell anyone who you are.
Accessibility Policy
Closed captioning is available for all online classes and special events.
The WLT is committed to making its programs & services accessible to all writers. Please contact us at wlt@writersleague.org or at 512-499-8914 for more information or to discuss accommodations you may need.
Credit Card Transaction Handling Fee Policy
All credit card transactions will incur a 4% handling fee. If you’d prefer to pay by check for membership, a class, or an event, you can use the provided forms on the membership or event pages and mail to: WLT, P.O. Box 14355, Austin, TX, 78704.
Writers’ League of Texas classes and workshops are also funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts – Investing in a Creative Texas. For more information, go to www.arts.texas.gov.