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’re paralyzed and don’t know where to go next. Let’s get into it.

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!

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!

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.

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 going deep into the nuances behind both a good memoir and one that is well-written. So let’s get started.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 can catch up on part 1–3 back in episode 113–115. Today we’re getting into our fourth and final installment! Let’s get started.

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 can catch up on part 1 and part in episodes 113 & 114. Today we’re getting into part 3! Let’s get started.

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 can catch up on part 1 back in episode 113. Today we’re getting into part 2! Let’s get started.

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 is part 1. Let’s get started.

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.

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.

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.

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 good memoir. Let’s get into it.

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, because I’m announcing something new and fun and it comes with a little holiday sparkle!)

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 get started.