Oregon’s beloved William Stafford said, “The research for what you are writing is your whole life…there is one world expert on it: you… For what you are writing, there is no other authority.” Personal experience is the bedrock of all stories, whether told or written. Come join this easygoing group who plans to make the leap and write their own stories; never mind what others have told us about ourselves. We’ll use, as prompts: photographs, small keepsakes, reminiscence, and all sorts of other memory-jogging ideas to get us started. Facilitator: Marti Brooks—is a writer and editor for Voicecatcher, an anthology of Portland area women’s writing. Five Thursdays; 1–3 p.m., Channing Room (A101), $35.