An offer from yours truly

Join me for a one-day conference with one of my favorite craft/publishing resources. The first five signups will receive a free copy of Joe McGee’s newest book: Sherlock Roach and the Case of the Crunchy Crumb. Perfect for any young reader in your life, or to donate to a classroom or a Little Free Library!

Writing a Memoir Readers Will Love: May 17th, 11-3 pm EDT

Do you have a story only you can tell? In this conference, you’ll learn how to find your voice, shape your life story into a narrative, and write a memoir readers will love. Through three practical sessions, you’ll discover the ins and outs of memoir writing — with a focus on key skills like finding your central theme and captivating your target audience. You’ll also get to hear from published memoirists about their processes, and how to navigate deeply personal stories with a balance of deftness and honesty.

Whether you are writing a memoir primarily for your loved ones or looking to pursue a publishing deal and commercial success, you’ll leave with a practical roadmap for writing a memoir that will capture readers’ hearts. This one-day conference includes three live masterclasses from seasoned memoir editors, as well as a panel discussion and Q&A with published memoirists.

You’ll leave with a copy of Reedsy’s exclusive memoir outline template so you can apply what you’ve learned during the day. Finally, you’ll get post-event guidance on working with an editor (or ghostwriter, cover designer, or marketer) on the Reedsy Marketplace.

Plus, $25 credit towards your next collaboration!

There’s even a live Q&A after each session—often one of my favorite parts of these events.

You can read more about it HERE.

And if you use the code JESSICA10 you’ll receive 10% off!

Memoirs and novels have more in common than you might think. In this practical guide to planning and structuring your memoir, author Rebecca van Laer will introduce you to the key features of a memoir and techniques for plotting it like a novel. You’ll learn how to shape anecdotes into a narrative arc, ways to build and resolve conflict, and where to begin and end your story. You’ll leave with an understanding of how to turn a personal narrative into a page-turning memoir.

We’re joined by Sophie Strand (The Body is a Doorway) and Allegra Huston (Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found) to discuss turning hardship into a powerful story of healing. As memoirists, these authors have explored deeply personal wounds of loss, family secrets, and chronic illness with an openness that has resonated with thousands of readers. During this author panel, they will share insights learned from years in the industry. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A.

(This is the one I’m SUPER excited about!)

The personal essay is a short, creative nonfiction piece that can be a great entry point to writing about your own life experiences and beliefs. In this session, editor Victoria Zackheim will introduce you to the format and show you how to use craft techniques such as voice, pacing, and character development when writing creative nonfiction. You’ll also learn how to identify suitable online magazines and other writing outlets, as well as best practices for pitching your work.

When the ending is known from the beginning, how do you create suspense in your narrative? While memoirs naturally come with spoilers of some degree (you overcame enough hurdles to write the book), it is still possible to build – and undercut – tension. In this session, Holly Welker will show you how to infuse your story with drama and unpredictability on a sentence, paragraph, chapter, and manuscript level to create a memoir that is both surprising and engaging.

I hope you’ll join me in learning from these talented writers. I’m always thinking: one of these days I’m returning to my long-form memoir, and I know these sessions are going to help kick me in the butt to do so.

If you sign up and send me a screenshot and your address by messaging me privately through Substack or my website contact form HERE, and I’ll send you a book!