Take your readers on a heroine's journey

YOUR STORY SPINE:

MEMOIR

Clarify which story from your life you are going to tell, before you start writing.

You'll receive:

 2-PART PDF WORKBOOK

1 x SUBMISSION DEADLINE

1 x EDITORIAL NOTES

1 x 90 MINUTE COACHING CALL

With this jump-starter offer, you will narrow your ideas down from the broad to the specific. You'll define what your memoir is about, why it's of value to readers, and how it will interact in the world. 

This is a simple yet powerful clarification process that sets you up for your writing journey ahead. It has the added advantage of offering a 'taster' of my coaching style, without any bigger financial commitment.

THIS OFFER IS FOR YOU IF....

You're struggling to narrow down your wealth of life experiences

You have lived through powerful experiences in both the shadow and the light, and your memoir is starting to take form in your mind. You have a broad sense of your mythic theme and what you want to share with your readers. 

However, you are yet to have a vision of your book as a finished entity, because you are yet to define its underlying message.

You haven't figured out how to align your life-story to a bigger cultural conversation.

You feel impatient to get the real work underway, and resolving this feel urgent, because your book will speak in some way to the pain and brokenness in the world, and offer a way through. You want your journey to help others in a similar situation; and to offer guidance so they don't have to suffer like you did

If this sounds like you, read on.

Step 1: the point of your memoir

The point of your memoir is the singular powerful idea that you will be the through-line for your book. 

You're longing to nail the idea that feels right, giving you a full-body "YES!", and the exercises in the first part of this program guide you towards that.

It is liberating to define your memoir's central message like this, early on in the writing process. It brings motivation and enthusiasm. It helps you write your manuscript with thematic and structural cohesion; and that's as satisfying for you as author as it is for the reader. 

The clearer your intention is at the start, the more lucid your writing will be, and the more you'll enjoy the process of writing. The breakthrough in clarity can get you through overwhelm, confusion, and the sticky moments, because you remember your source of inspiration in the first place.

Step 2: Your book's purpose

You're writing memoir. Yes, your book will be compelling on the level of story; but its purpose is also to offer your readers an illuminating shift in perspective on an issue that's of deep interest to them. 

You are making an important offering to your readers. By sharing your own lived experience, you're going to open their eyes, shift their worldview in some significant way, and (most likely) suggest calls to action that will change their own way of being in the world.

In order to be most effective, your memoir will appeal to a question or desire your readers are already carrying inside. 

In the second step of this process, you will consider who your readers are, along the pressing wants, needs, and hunger for knowledge they are living with in their own lives, so that you can speak to these in specific terms. 

This way, they know, at a glance, that your book is right for them. Through the medium of story, you are offering the answers they are seeking.

Step 3: Putting your point and purpose together

When you put your point together with your memoir's purpose, you have your organising principle or 'story spine.' Here, you find the sweet spot between what you have to give and what the reader longs to read about.

Creating author-reader rapport

Factoring in your readers' wants and needs might feel salesy, manipulative, out of integrity, or anathema to your creativity.

These feelings are common, but actually the process of exploring your readers' needs is incredibly helpful, because it guides you into the deeper layers of your intention. That is, to inspire cultural change.... one reader at a time. 

This offers the kind of rewarding, transformative experience that has your reader feel as if this book was written specifically for them. As if you are whispering your personal stories in their ear.

When this happens, they're likely to spread the word about your book through word of mouth (the proven #1 way to sell a book.)

Imagine the feeling...

  • Your vision for your memoir has simplified and deepened.
  • You are clear about your point and purpose, and therefore have the through-line for your entire book. (Note: this puts you way ahead of the curve. I cannot emphasize this enough. Most people write to find out what they want to say. This approach saves an enormous amount of time.)
  • You've put your attention into who your readers are, what you're offering them and why.
  • You're starting to think in terms of your memoir's role in the marketplace.
  • Having defined your memoir's organising principle, you're energised to make the next steps.
  • You know what to say if people ask you what you're working on. You can articulate your vision in a few well-chosen words.

You will have to ask yourself challenging questions.

It takes dedication to find your story spine, especially in the case of memoir. You're going to have to dig deep to find the answers that are true for you. It's likely this will involve digging into your sacred life purpose. 

The tools provided in this program are carefully curated to help you do this.

This process will set you up with 'right thinking.'

This process does not promise instantaneous results. It will be iterative. After all, there's nothing small about the subject you're writing about. There's so much you've lived through!

You might experience an 'aha!' moment at some point during our process that gives you goose-bumps. This can happen, but it's more likely you will continue to refine your ideas after we've done our initial, bite-sized work together. 

What this offer will do, most importantly, is set you up with right thinking as you embark on your memoir project. You will learn how to ask the right questions.

How fast you move will depend on how far along the path you are already, and how much time and effort you choose to put in.

Catriona helped shepherd a transformation within me, to let go of a book project I’d been working on and to embark on a more raw and personal project. 

I believe that Catriona was the only coach who could elicit this dramatic pivot and is the one I trust to make it the book of my dreams.

JANE HARDJONO

Embodiment coach

janehardjono.com

The practicalities: 

1.

YOUR WORKBOOK & SCHEDULE

Your Story Spine for Memoir starts with a 2-part PDF guide for you to work through in your own time. You'll receive this when you sign up. The questions and exercises provided will help you to brainstorm about your memoir's point and purpose in specific and guided ways. The more time and thought you put into your answers to the questions provided, the better.

2.

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK

Once you've done all the preparatory work, you'll send your working document to me. I will provide editorial notes and feedback, prior to our coaching call. 

3.

COACHING CALL

We'll use your 90-minute coaching call to look at your written responses in more detail, do some creative brainstorming, explore the scope and marketability of your idea, and address any questions you might have.

INVESTMENT

*special introductory offer*

$ 247 USD

 

This offer includes:

* 2-part PDF workbook

* 1 x submission deadline

* 1 x round of editorial notes

* 1 x 90 minute coaching call

*Must be completed within 30 days from date of purchase.

PAYMENT: 

I'll send you an invoice in advance for an online payment. While my prices are set in USD, payment is possible in €, AUD or GBP on request.

Interested in signing up?

If yes, I'll be delighted to hear from you. Please click the button below. It will take you through to a contact form to fill out.

Get in touch

FAQ

WHAT COMMUNICATION TOOLS DO YOU USE?

For edits and written feedback, we'll use Microsoft Word's 'track changes' function, so it's important you are familiar with this.

For the coaching call, we will use Google Meet. This requires no subscription at your end, and video recordings and/or written transcripts can be provided. 

DO YOU OFFER REFUNDS?

My services are non-refundable. If for unexpected reasons you can't use this service within 30 days from the time of purchase, please contact me to discuss this.

can i be assured of confidentiality?

All communication and materials are treated as confidential, unless your permission to share with others is explicitly granted. This is stated in my terms of service.

How to take your readers on a heroine's journey

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