Family Stories: Writing Our Roots, Relationships & Legacies - with Brenda Johnson

Brenda Johnson is leading a writing workshop called Family Stories: Writing Our Roots, Relationships & Legacies at the Indianapolis Public Library on Friday, November 13, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. It's a 90-minute session held at the Glendale Branch, 3660 East 62nd Street.

The workshop follows the Amherst Writers & Artists method, which is a particular way of working that invites you to dig into family history, memory, traditions, complicated relationships, and the stories passed down through generations. It's pitched as a supportive space where you work freely and share your pieces only if you want to—there's no pressure to read aloud if you're not feeling it. You don't need any previous writing experience to join in, so it works just as well if you've never written a word of your family history as it does if you've been at it for years.

Brenda Johnson is an Indianapolis storyteller, writing workshop leader, and public speaker whose work focuses on aging, family stories, and the power of personal storytelling. She writes the Older, Bolder & Better! blog on Substack, gives storytelling performances, and was named the 2025 Frank Basile Emerging Storyteller, sponsored by Storytelling Arts of Indiana. This workshop sits right in the middle of that focus: the roots and legacies that make up a family's story.

Registration opens on Wednesday, October 28, at 12:15 PM, so if you're interested, you'll want to be ready when that window opens. The session runs from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at the Glendale Branch, 3660 East 62nd Street, on Friday, November 13.