The Memoir Method Podcast

This episode is for the writer who wants to know what her memoir is actually trying to say. She wants to make the most of her her writing time and writer smarter, not harder. She wants to know what she’s actually writing, who’s she’s writing for, and why she’s really writing it. This episode is for the writer who needs a writing north star—and I’ve got you. Let’s get into it.  Enroll in North...

This episode is for the writer stuck in decision paralysis. You secretly (or not so secretly) know what you want, but owning that and taking action on it is another matter altogether. You have this dream but don’t know what to do next, or if you should even take yourself seriously. This episode is tailor made for YOU. So let’s go. Sign up for my free Should I Write a Memoir mini masterclass (hoste...

This episode is for the writer whose creativity is off-kilter, who has fallen out of their groove and wants to find a way to get back to what they love. I share a bit about what’s been going on behind the scenes for me and how my first writing session went after being sick for a few weeks. I also share my secret to how I outlined seven essays in less than an hour (😱) and what can expect coming ou...

This episode is for the writer who is looking for permission, who is unsure if they are allowed to write or even share their story. This episode is for the writer who may describe themselves as “not a good writer” or wonder if anyone would really want to read their story at all. More than anything though, this episode is for the writer who wants validation. You want to know if your story really ma...

Today’s episode is for writers who aren’t really sure what their memoir is supposed to do. They know they want to write their stories, but that’s as far as they’ve got. Or maybe they dived head-first into writing and now feel lost—and they don’t know way. Today’s episode will help you figure out exactly where you’re losing the thread and what you need to do to get back on track. I mention the memo...

I have been looking forward to this conversation with Tyler and am so excited that it's ready for your podcast feed. Tyler is the author and illustrator of Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir, and in today's episode we talk all things grief, death, living, and art. Tyler shares her insights on the deep interplay between grief and living and how our grief keeps us connected to each...

Today’s episode is on the shorter end and examines the power we have to help carry each other. Let us pay attention to where we are needed and who is available to help us in turn. Stories are our collective heartbeat. Share and carry, my friend. Download the free mini ebook Should You Write a Memoir: bookishedits.com/free You can find me on Instagram @the.memoir.coach , Substack , Facebook , and Y...

What’s fun about my Memoir Method is that it can be applied to literally any memoir. In today’s episode @ginnyreadsandwrites and I take Dancing at the Pity Party through the Memoir Method, naming the focus, the audience, and the core message. These conversations are always a delight, and the different insights that we each have into the book prove just how versatile and personal memoir is. Grab yo...

Let's talk Main Character Energy. This is a term prevalent in twenty-first century vernacular, but what does it actually mean and what does it have to do with the writing life? In today's episode I break down what Main Character Energy actually is and exactly how this applies to memoir writing. I come ready with examples and ways that you can apply this concept into your own writing right now. Sig...

Welcome to our first episode deep diving the graphic memoir Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder! Join Ginny and I as we discuss our experiences reading this book (including how this book came to be a part of our friendship origin story). Ginny shares especially poignant insights about how this memoir portrays grief and how it has made her less alone in grieving the death of her own mother.&nb...

At the end of 2023 I had the wild idea that this year is the year I write my first memoir. While I’ve been working with memoir writers for years now and write my own essays, I hadn’t had the right spark to write my own actual memoir—and this idea is nothing I expected. In today’s episode I’m inviting you into my head as I grapple with the validity of this idea, starting from square one, and how to...

Come along with me as I set my writing intentions for 2024. Last year woke up my writing in a new way, and I want to carry the best parts of this rediscovery with me into the new year. I’ll share with you my writing intentions and invite you into a free workshop on January 19 so that you can go into the year with freshness, clarity, and conviction. You can register for the workshop at bookishedits...

For the last episode of the year, I am getting reflective and marveling on what the year brought me (and you, since you're listening to this episode!). I also share my big dream for this business and the specific types of people I want to ultimately be here for. Thank you for every download, review, and share. You're the heartbeat behind this podcast, and I love you all to pieces. Shop Bookish Edi...

Today we dismantle the idea that there's only one "right" way to write, because the truth is that your writing life is inextricably connected to your regular life. What that means for you is that 1) you don't have to stress when living your life takes prominence over writing about it and 2) everything you live in your life you can start to see as a writer. Don't forget about the Bookish Edits shop...

AKA The Memoir Method and From the Ashes. Even though the fantastic conversation is lost forever, I couldn't let us wrap up From the Ashes without breaking it down using the Memoir Method framework. If you want to learn more about the Memoir Method framework, go give episode 02 a listen . If you want to listen to other episodes where we discuss From the Ashes, you can find those here: 04: Memoir R...

In this episode with Ginny Walters we talk through our final thoughts on From the Ashes by Jesse Thistle. We are so glad that we read this together and each came away from this memoir with profound takeaways. If you want to find her on the internet you can head to her Instagram @ginnyreadsandwrites and also check out her Substack (linked here) . Be on the lookout later this week for a bonus episod...

In today's episode I have Ginny Walters back with me to deep dive From the Ashes further. We examine how Jesse Thistle uses vignettes to manage the reading experience and guide the reader through what is a very difficult narrative. Writing through vignettes does not come naturally to me as a writer, and so I loved examining this device with Ginny. You can find your own copy of From the Ashes here...

I'm sharing a short pep talk that I initially wrote for a live group I ran last November (the precursor to the Memoir Method Live actually!) and is now a part of my mini audio course, A Story Worth Writing. We all need a little pep talk sometimes, and I hope this is one you can continue to come back to. A Story Worth Writing is one of the three digital products included in my new bundle, the Memoi...

The Memoir Method Live fall cohort is wrapping up this week, and today I’m taking the time to reflect on what the past ten weeks have meant to me and what I’ve learned from the writers this season. Hop on the Memoir Method waitlist and be the first to know when doors open in winter of 2024: bookishedits.com/waitlist Download my free mini ebook, Should You Write a Memoir?: bookishedits.com/free The...

This week I take you behind the scenes of my first encounters with writers, what I've been calling a "writing strategy call" (but after prepping this episode think I need to rename a "story validation call"). Every writer comes to me with some version of the same questions, and every time I use this framework to empower them to see their story and capabilities differently, giving them more knowled...

National Novel Writing Month presents a creative and energetic container for fiction writers, and I want to extend that experience to memoir and creative nonfiction writers. In today's episode I quickly run through some of the pillars of NaNoWriMo and then get to tell you about how my newest program, the Speedway, can extend that NaNoWriMo experience into memoir writing. I treat you to a couple of...

Writing is just like any other endeavor: the more you do it, the better you become. You don’t need to invest eight hours every day to write a memoir. Rather, you can trust that taking small, daily action will yield transformative results. Join the Speedway, kicking off first thing on November 1. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy (parts of this book are a little bro-y—IKYKY—and ignore the role pa...

You want to write and you want to finish your manuscript. Today’s episode is all about how to move you to that finish line and feel confident in your writing. I also have a month-long writing accelerator open for enrollment that will take you even deeper into the strategies and mindsets we discuss on the podcast today. Head to bookishedits.com/speedway to learn more (and use the code PODCAST for 1...

As you'll hear, Ginny and I had a different episode planned today! Thwarted by technology, I'm coming to you solo today to talk about what a thesis in memoir is, why you need one, and how a thesis will guide the reader's experience with your book. Learn more about the Memoir Method framework in episode 02. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls Join the waitlist for the next round of The Memoir Method...

I get spicy in today’s episode and go to bat for our young writers. We start off talking about Taylor Swift and go into the harm in gatekeeping memoir, rounding off with advice for the young memoirist. I’d love to know your take on young memoirists! "Should There Be a Minimum Age for Writing Memoir" by Leslie Jamison and Benjamin Moser, NYT Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS (the memoir that...