Writing a memoir? Do you have questions like these:
- How do I get my life on the page?
- How do I know the story is working?
- How can I finish my memoir and figure out what to do with it?
- How can I bear to expose myself and my life in a memoir.
People who want to write a memoir also express these concerns:
- How much truth do I need to include to have an authentic story?
- I’m a new writer—how do I transition from journaling to writing stories?
- I’m concerned about the process of writing—what if digging into the past takes me to memories I’d rather avoid?
A writing coach:
- Helps to answer all those questions above!
- Will help you find the resource to learn the craft skills you need—and teach you as you work together on your manuscript.
- Helps you decide what to keep in and what to leave out.
- Educates you on the memoir genre and what is expected in a published work.
- Advises you on platform and plans for publishing.
- Helps you learn to become your own best editor.
- Offers accountability and support to finish your memoir.
How It Works
We’ll have an initial complementary 15 minute meeting to get acquainted.
We’ll talk about what kind of editing and coaching you need.
A coaching session is an hour of my time. It includes 30 minutes of my time with your work, editing, making comments and preparing for our ½ hour Zoom consultation.
My Philosophy of Coaching
Writing a memoir invites people to dig deep into the meaning of their lives, and helps them discover new perspectives while offering wisdom and lessons learned throughout the story
Memoir writers wrestle with truth, especially their own. We bare ourselves on the page. Why—because our story matters. Because we help to heal ourselves as we write, and we can offer those lessons to others. Stories create community, which is why memoir is so popular in an era of disconnection and separation.
As a therapist for over 40 years, I helped people to explore the stories that had shaped them. Often they were stories that needed to come out of the darkness of shame and secrecy. Many memoir writers say they find healing and peace as they explore the truths of their lives by writing.
I’ve been coaching memoir writers for 30 years, and have been teaching with my colleague Brooke Warner for 13 years the Write Your Memoir in Six Months program. We have graduated hundreds of writers, and many have become published authors.
I offer support in the process of getting the stories on the page, and teaching the writer the craft elements needed to develop the story for a reader.
In the complimentary session we can get acquainted and see if we are a fit. I look forward to getting to know your story and your writing goals.
