Mountain Words Festival 2026

Join writer River Selby for a session on writing memoir. Selby is the author of Hotshot: A Life on Fire. Selby was a wildland firefighter whose given name was Anastasia. This is a memoir of that time in their life—of Ana, the struggles she encountered, and the constraints of what it means to be female-bodied in a male-dominated industry. An illuminating debut from a fierce new voice, Hotshot is a timely reckoning with both the personal and environmental dangers of wildland firefighting.

Zooming in and Out in Memoir-

Writing a memoir can be overwhelming, especially if one story is emotionally charged (and it often is). In this generative workshop, River Selby, author of Hotshot: A Life on Fire, a Kirkus Best Nonfiction Book of 2025, will help writers identify a particular scene, zoom in, and then reflect on the elements surrounding that scene in a way that illuminates the material for both writers and readers. Bring a seed of a scene into the workshop– anything works; and expect to leave inspired and ready to continue writing.

Take your Pantsing and Planning to the next level and become a Mapper instead. In this two-part seminar, writing coaches Doug Kurtz and Dan Manzanares will introduce you to the Story Map, their breakthrough tool that helps memoirists of all stripes and skill levels unlock the potential of their books. Part 1, Orientation, is an introduction to the Story Map and how to use it, followed by an open Q&A session. Part 2, Implementation, is a hands-on workshop in which participants will explore the holistic landscape of Story that underlies craft and begin the Story Mapping process. Memoirists at any stage of the writing process are welcome.

Take your Pantsing and Planning to the next level and become a Mapper instead. In this two-part seminar, writing coaches Doug Kurtz and Dan Manzanares will introduce you to the Story Map, their breakthrough tool that helps memoirists of all stripes and skill levels unlock the potential of their books. Part 1, Orientation, is an introduction to the Story Map and how to use it, followed by an open Q&A session. Part 2, Implementation, is a hands-on workshop in which participants will explore the holistic landscape of Story that underlies craft and begin the Story Mapping process. Memoirists at any stage of the writing process are welcome.