As writers of fiction, non-fiction, and memoir, we have stories we want to tell. Maybe it’s about a unique character, or a fantastic series of events, or an incredible locale. But our stories need a transformative arc — a message that will move readers on deeper levels. As writer / teacher Vivan Gornick says: "The situation is the context or circumstance, sometimes the plot; the story is the emotional experience that preoccupies the writer: the insight, the wisdom, the thing one has come to say." Sometimes the real story can elude us for many drafts and years. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore tools and prompts for finding our “why” for telling and excavating the meaning from our stories.