San Diego Memoir Writers Association

San Diego Writers Festival
2026-03-28 09:00 - 17:00 UTC | Coronado Public Library, 640 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA, 92118
Join us for the 7th Annual San Diego Writers Festival.
The San Diego Writers Festival is a free, community-based event designed to celebrate the power of writing and storytelling.
Stories transform both the teller and the listener. In whatever form you welcome a story into your life—by reading a memoir or graphic novel, listening to a podcast or a poetry reading, watching a movie or play or going to the theater—stories are our pathways, our links, our bridges to one another.
At the San Diego Writers Festival, we ask two important questions: What if there was a place where all stories could be nurtured and heard? What if we opened up our community to stories from those who have been under-served, disenfranchised, or neglected?
We invite you to join us on our mission to hear one another, be educated and illuminated by one another, and inspired by one another—one story at a time.

2026 Keynote Speaker

Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thirty novels, including By Any Other Name, Mad Honey (co-authored with Jennifer Finney Boylan), Wish You Were Here, The Book of Two Ways, A Spark of Light, Small Great Things, Leaving Time, and My Sister’s Keeper, and, with daughter Samantha van Leer, two young adult novels, Between the Linesand Off the Page. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband.
www.sandiegowritersfestival.com

Anne Lamott and Neal Allen on "Good Writing" in conversation with Marni Freedman
2026-04-01 19:30 - 21:00 | Balboa Theatre, 868 Forth Ave., San Diego, 92101, United States
Join bestselling author Anne Lamott and writer-spiritual coach Neal Allen in conversation with Marni Freedman for an inspiring and entertaining evening that will change the way you think about language.
TICKETS
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
36 ways to improve your writing
Two writers show you how to turn a worthy sentence into a memorable one. Starting where The Elements of Style leaves off, Good Writing can improve your book, your essay, your memo, your blog post, speech, or script. These essential rules for persuasive language work on any type of writing, and anyone can learn them quickly.
Each rule is accompanied by examples and a lively pair of essays, the first by Neal Allen, who developed the list of tips over the course of his journalism and corporate careers; the second by his wife, Anne Lamott, acclaimed author of Bird by Birdand nineteen other nonfiction works and novels. The authors don’t always agree on the specifics, but they are passionate about making better sentences.
As Neal writes, “These rules economize, favor the plainspoken and the specific, keep the reader’s attention sharp, and in other ways show respect for the audience’s time and desire for novelty.”
Some rules are fundamental: Use strong verbs. Remove the boring stuff. Twist clichés. Some are more subtle: Draw on all five senses. Give your sentence a finale. Along the way, Good Writing addresses practicalities such as finishing projects despite challenges, trusting editors, and knowing when to break the rules to serve your story.
Whether you’re a novice writer or a seasoned author, this entertaining guide will revolutionize your approach to crafting sentences.

Interview with New York Times bestselling author Annabelle Gurwitch
2026-05-02 14:30 - 16:30 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join us for a powerful and deeply human conversation as Annabelle Gurwitch, New York Times bestselling author, sits down with Tracy J. Jones and Marni Freedman to discuss her bold and unforgettable memoir, The End of My Life Is Killing Me.
With wit, irreverence, and surprising tenderness, Gurwitch turns the traditional “cancer warrior” narrative on its head, embracing what she calls the “cancer slacker” philosophy—choosing joy, humor, and presence over perfection and pressure. This conversation explores how storytelling can hold both grief and laughter, how meaning is found in the ordinary, and how memoir can illuminate even life’s most uncertain chapters.
Expect insight, honesty, and moments that will stay with you long after the conversation ends.

Writing About Trauma with Mimi Nichter
2026-06-06 14:30 - 16:00 | ZOOM Online, CA, United States
Join the International Memoir Writers Association on June 6 for a powerful conversation with Mimi Nichter on “Writing About Trauma.”
A finalist for the 2026 Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award in Nonfiction, Mimi will discuss her gripping memoir, Hostage, which recounts surviving the 1970 hijacking of TWA Flight 741 and the lasting impact of trauma, silence, survival, and resilience.
This promises to be an unforgettable discussion about transforming painful experience into meaningful memoir — and how storytelling can become part of the healing process. Join us.
