The Memoir Method Podcast

This episode is for the writer whose story is juggling so many themes that you have no idea how to make it come together. (You know who you are!) You’re the writer who sees the different connections between different experiences and intuitively know that they go together, but practically you’re drowning in actually piecing it all together. First off, you’re far from the first writer to struggle with this, and second, this episode is just for you. Let’s go.

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This episode is for a lot of different writers: writers who are deep into that first-draft energy I like to talk about, writers who are deep into revisions and are feeling crushed under the weight of what they’ve written, and writers who don’t know how to use their writing time when they have it. Today I’m going to talk about the best emotional and mental state for memoir writing and also how to write when you’re not feeling that way. So let’s get into it.

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This episode is for that writer who gives caveats. You know who you are. “Oh yeah, I’m writing a memoir, BUT I’m not a real writer yet.” Or, “I don’t know, I just like writing I guess. I don’t know if anyone would want to read it.” I have met with so many of you who lead like this. And I’m going to be very direct today: Stop it! Today’s episode is intended as a gentle callout to all of you listening who have a hard time taking yourself seriously as a memoir writer, because the...

This episode is for the writer who finally carved out a two-hour block to write. You have your tea, you have your candle. The door to your office is closed, and you’ve put on your noise-cancelling headphone. Then you open up your memoir document, and you brace yourself. You scroll a bit, you tweak here and there, uncertain of where to really dive in. You add a comment that says in all caps REVISIT LATER. Then, even though you promised yourself you wouldn’t, you open up Instagram—but just for that saved post, right? And then before you kn...

This episode is for the writer who is wondering what actually happens inside of a Memoir Method cohort. This winter was my first time hosting The Memoir Method as a cohort since 2024, and I’m so glad I brought it back. What might surprise you is that the best part of this program isn’t the writing that happens, and that’s what I want to get into today. Let’s go!

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This episode is really for the writer who has been burned before. You’ve worked with other editors, and you feel like you’re stumbling your way through the dark. You don’t know who you can trust, and you’re terrified of, at best, wasting your time and money, and at worst, being taken advantage of. And the worst part is that you don’t even know if you can trust the people you’re working with. Today’s episode will outline a clear litmus test for evaluating editors, red and green flags to watch for, and what to do if you’r...

This episode is for the writer who wants to take themselves seriously as a memoir writer. This is not a hobby for you. It’s not something you’re ambivalent about. Regardless of where you’re falling on the frustration meter right now, you know that your story needs to be in the world, and you’re ready to do whatever it takes to write your last draft. Today’s episode is for you. Let’s go!

The Memoir Method; a cohort style eight-week writing intensive.

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This super short episode is a wake-up call for the memoir writer who is looking for an editor to save them, and in the process you’ve wasted hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on editors and programs. Publishing is made to look complicated, but the pipeline is more simple than people realize. So today I want to bring you behind the curtain and give you a fun, free resource that will help you know exactly what type of help your memoir needs. Let’s go!

Find out what type of editing your memoir is r...

This episode is for the writer who is feeling that overwhelm: every time you think about your memoir your chest tightens, because you’re not nearly as far along as you think you should be. I’m talking to the writer who can’t let their memoir go but who also is feeling crushed under the weight of what you’ve written. Today I want to reframe overwhelm for you, so that you can see it as a tool instead of a block. Let’s get into it.

Break the rewrite loop with instant access to...

This episode could be for two different types of writers: Maybe you’re actually a really good writer. You’re confident in your writing. You know how to turn a phrase. Or maybe you’re writing your memoir and worried about not being a good enough writer. (Most of my clients fall into one of these two camps.) So what I’m going into in today’s episode is going to ask you to examine your writing in a new way, because the truth is that just because something is well written doesn’t automatically make it interesting. Today’s episode is g...

This episode is for the writer who is overwhelmed at all the different steps of publishing and needs a guide, not just an editor. The story behind this episode comes from work I did in the earlier days of this business, and I learned a lesson that I’ve taken with me into how I support, work with, and interact with writers now. The way that I move as a memoir editor and writing coach now is a direct response to this mistake I made almost four years ago. Let’s dive in.

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This episode is for the writer who is overwhelmed whenever you look at the publishing pipeline. There are so many thresholds to cross, gates to enter, and milestones to reach that what you thought would be a marathon is more akin to a super marathon, or multiple marathons run back to back. “Published author” may feel far in the future, but I want to offer you a reframe in this episode that will revolutionize how you approach not just the publishing process but the entire drafting and editing process as well. Let’s get started.

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This episode is for the writer who is grappling with imposter syndrome. It happens to the best of us, and at least for me, that imposter syndrome led to a years-long creative famine where not only did I not write a single word, I also didn’t even consider myself a writer anymore. This episode gets a little personal, but I’m sharing the surprising key that pulled me out of that spiral and got me writing again. Let’s get started.

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This episode is for the writer who has been doom-scrolling more than they’ve been writing. The headlines this month have been sobering, maddening, and frustrating. I’ve found myself at a loss for how to enact real change in areas that matter to me, and what’s come through on my end is an even greater conviction in this work. Consider this episode your invitation and call to take your story seriously in a world that feels like it’s falling apart. Let’s talk about it.

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This episode is for the writer who wants to actually finish their memoir manuscript. This episode is also part of a four-part series that I’m running here on the podcast that I’m calling the 12-Month Memoir. Over the holidays I was thinking about you and what you might want heading into the new year, and what came through was a month-by-month plan for how to use your time, energy, and money as a memoir writer so that by the end of twelve months, you’ll have a finished memoir draft in hand, ready to move into publication. You ca...

This episode is for the writer who wants to actually finish their memoir manuscript. This episode is also part of a four-part series that I’m running here on the podcast that I’m calling the 12-Month Memoir. Over the holidays I was thinking about you and what you might want heading into the new year, and what came through was a month-by-month plan for how to use your time, energy, and money as a memoir writer so that by the end of twelve months, you’ll have a finished memoir draft in hand, ready to move into publication. You ca...

This episode is for the writer who wants to actually finish their memoir manuscript. This episode is also part of a four-part series that I’m running here on the podcast that I’m calling the 12-Month Memoir. Over the holidays I was thinking about you and what you might want heading into the new year, and what came through was a month-by-month plan for how to use your time, energy, and money as a memoir writer so that by the end of twelve months, you’ll have a finished memoir draft in hand, ready to move into publication. You ca...

This episode is for the writer who wants to actually finish their memoir manuscript. This episode is also part of a four-part series that I’m running here on the podcast that I’m calling the 12-Month Memoir. Over the holidays I was thinking about you and what you might want heading into the new year, and what came through was a month-by-month plan for how to use your time, energy, and money as a memoir writer so that by the end of twelve months, you’ll have a finished memoir draft in hand, ready to move into publication. Today...

This episode is for the writer who is looking back on the last year and feeling more discouraged than not when it comes to your memoir. Today I want to validate the frustrations you’re experiencing, highlight why what used to work for your writing doesn’t anymore, and show you how to reset your writing for the new year into a sustainable energy and structure. Let’s get into it.

Ready for your own breakthrough? Check out this mini-training video.

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This episode is for the writer who wants to finish their memoir in 2026. You’ve already invested years and years into this work, and you just want to be finished with your draft. Heading into 2026, this is what I want for you: Yes, I want you to finish your memoir manuscript. I also want you to love it. The thing is that if writing your way worked, you’d have finished and published by now. So let’s talk about why this is and how to shift it going into 2026.

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This episode is for the writer who has thought about throwing in the towel, but something keeps stopping you from giving up. Maybe you think about publishing your memoir, but often you can’t even think that far ahead. What you are actually waiting for is a moment in the drafting process that I’m going to highlight today, and hopefully this small perspective shift can make your writing feel more do-able to you. Ultimately I want this episode to serve as a lighthouse to you when writing feels hard and frustrating. Let’s get into it.

This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This month I’m looking at the self-published memoir, The Light that Shines Through: One Woman’s Journey of Healing and Stepping into Her Power by Shawna Thibodeau.

Purchase this month's, The Light that Shines Thr...

This episode is for the writers who know they’re really good writers. You know how to turn a phrase. You know how to tap into your voice and you have a style. You love the craft of writing, and you know that the quality of your writing is exemplary. I say this with so much love, friend: Just because you’re a good writer doesn’t mean that you’re going to write a good memoir. Today I’ll show you the missing piece in the creativity of memoir so that you can write a beautiful memoir that is also a...

This episode is for the writer who is actually really good at sitting down to write. Procrastination probably isn’t your kryptonite (at least when you’ve made writing a habit). I can bet that you’re disciplined and committed to the projects that matter to you. You wouldn’t have even considered writing your memoir if you didn’t have some chutzpah behind it! But, for reasons you can’t quite figure out, you’re still not finished. And it’s starting to drive you crazy. Let’s talk about it. (And stick around until the end of the episode, becau...

This episode is for the writer desperate to reconnect to her memoir. You’ve felt meh about your memoir for months, and you’ve realized that you hate feeling that way about your story. You hate feeling frustrated and discouraged about this manuscript that actually means so much to you. I walk my clients through very deep and vulnerable moments of doubt and discouragement, and without fail, when they reach a certain point, they skyrocket. Today I’m bringing you behind the curtain so that you can see when this happens and when it can happen for you too. Let’s...

This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This month I’m looking at the memoir / true crime hybrid The Tragedy of True Crime, and today is part 2. 

Listen to 103: Why it Works (or Not) -- The Tragedy of True Crime, Part 1

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This episode is for the writer who keeps coming back to the same chapters to rewrite. I won’t ask you to tell me how many drafts you’ve worked through, but I’ll chance a guess that it’s more than three or four. I’ve seen this happen with brilliant writers, and it’s a spiral that will cannibalize your offer. You can get to a point where you’re OVER editing, OVER working your memoir, and you’ve lost the plot. Let’s talk about it.

Episode 99: Breaking the Rewrite Cycle

3...

This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This month I’m looking at the memoir / true crime hybrid, The Tragedy of True Crime, and today is part 1. Let’s get started.

The Tragedy of True Crime: Four Guilty Men and the Stories Th...

This episode is for the writer who thinks that if they just found the right editor then they could make sense of their memoir. When creativity gets hard, it sometimes stops being fun, and when that happens, you start wondering if there isn’t an easier way to make this memoir happen. Spoiler alert, there isn’t a shortcut. You do have to do the hard part. But the way you walk through the hard part? That’s where we get to play and that’s what we’re diving into today. Let’s get into it.

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This episode is for the writer who has been burned by editors before. You’ve invested time, money, and trust into an editor, and you feel if not betrayed, at least disillusioned. Your memoir isn’t any closer to being finished and now your document is marked up with comments and changes that you don’t know what to do with. Today I want to dive into why that is and how to re-empower yourself as the author seeking support.

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"3 Reasons You Haven...

This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This episode is special for three reasons: First, we sit down to discuss this month's memoir, Renegade Agency with the author herself, Andrea Verbanic. Second reason, Andrea was my very first client and third this is my 100th episode! Let's...

This episode is for the writer who is embarrassed to tell me how many times you’ve rewritten your draft. You’re committed and resilient, but yet that’s not resulting in a manuscript that you’re proud of and want others to read. The big reframe we get to explore today is that rewriting is not the same as revising. This is a big one, so let’s get into it.

Free video 3 Hidden Reasons You Haven’t Finished Your Memoir

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This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This month I’m looking at the memoir Renegade Agency by Andrea Verbanic, and today is part 2.

Purchase Renegade Agency by Andrea Verbanic here

Link to free 30-minute call

This episode is for the writer who makes time to write and is committed to her memoir, but still isn’t making any progress. If willpower could finish and publish your memoir, my job as a writing coach and editor would look a lot different. In today’s episode, I’ll show you why willpower actually isn’t your problem and how this reframe can refresh your entire writing process. Let’s get into it.

Get the free "3 Hidden Reasons You Haven’t Finished Your Memoir" video here.

Schedule a free 30-mi...

This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This month I’m looking at the memoir Renegade Agency by Andrea Verbanic, and today is part 1.

Purchase Renegade Agency here.

Enroll in The Memoir Method today, (Phase 1 and Phase 2...

This episode is for the writer who sits down at her computer and realizes that she’s not having fun anymore. You may have started off feeling lit up, inspired, and creative, but now everything feels flat. You’re opening your document because you feel like you have to, not because you actually want to or feel that you’re making progress. But here’s the thing: You won’t ever finish if you’re writing to check a box. So today I want to help you tap back into what it would feel like to come at your memoir draft...

This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. In September I dived deep into Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones, and today we actually get to talk to Annie! Let’s welcome her to the show.

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This episode is for the writer who has looked into an editor and is intimidated by the average investment required to partner with a publishing professional. I know that there can be some sticker shock, especially if you’re new to publishing. I want you to come into this episode ready to orient yourself with where you are in your writing and ready to think critically about how you want to use an editor’s expertise. We can’t talk about publishing (and especially independent publishing) without talking about money, so let’s get started.

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This episode is part of a series where I take already published memoir and break down what works and why (and what doesn’t work and why). I’ve found that when I’m teaching my Memoir Method concepts to my writers, they benefit from seeing how these principles play out in memoir that you can find at the bookstore. This month I’m looking at the memoir Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones, and today is part 2.

Enroll in The Memoir Method today, (Phase 1 and Phase 2 are available instant access!).

Ord...

This episode is for the writer who is intimidated by AI, especially as a creative writer. It can feel like ChatGPT is taking over everything, and the creative spaces are feeling the squeeze of technology. You wonder what AI actually means for creative spaces, for your writing, for your story. While I can’t cover every aspect of the AI conversation today, I do want to start a dialogue about how to navigate rapidly advancing technology with your own creative life. Let’s get into it.

Enroll in The Memoir Method today, (Phase 1 and Phas...