How to Write Your Life

Writing your life's story can be a daunting task but it might be easier than you think. This workshop will focus on ideas and strategies to kickstart writing something about yourself. We'll talk about the importance of such writing and what you might ultimately want to do with it.

Brad Ricca, Cuyahoga County Public Library's 2026 Writer in Residence, is the award-winning author of seven books. His latest, released in October 2025, is Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency. His earlier works include Super Boys: The Amazing Adventures of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster – the Creators of Superman (winner of the Ohioana Book Award); Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The True Story of New York City's Greatest Female Detective and the 1917 Missing Girl Case That Captivated a Nation; and True Raiders: The Untold Story of the 1909 Expedition to Find the Legendary Ark of the Covenant.

Ricca has been involved with CCPL throughout his career as a frequent branch speaker and joined Henry Winkler in 2023 as part of the William N. Skirball Writer's Center Stage Series. He holds a PhD from Case Western Reserve University and received the Richard A. Bloom, MD, Award for Distinguished Teaching.