The word comes from the French mémoire, memory, and before that the Latin memoria. Which makes sense, because a memoir is a slice of your life told through the memories that shaped you. An autobiography tries to cover everything from the day you were born; a memoir picks up one thread – a loss, a leaving, a body that fell apart, a love that didn’t last – and follows it until it means something.

I learned this the hard way. After I fractured my spine, I wrote a whole book about healing it, slowly, the way I did everything back then (a snail would have beaten me to the last chapter and taken my fiver). I never published it. That book didn’t need readers; it needed writing. Some memoirs are like that, and some are meant to be shared so they can light the way for someone else.

What is a hybrid memoir?

A hybrid memoir weaves your story together with what it taught you. A chapter of lived experience, then a chapter of reflection, practice or guidance that grew out of it. My book Words From The Wild is written this way: the story of betrayal and coming home to myself, alongside the invitations to write that helped me get there.

If you’re a coach, therapist, teacher or anyone whose work was born from something you lived through, hybrid memoir may well be your book. Your story shows readers you’ve been there; the teaching shows them the way through.

Memoir Made Easy Planner (A4)

A big, roomy planner for mapping your memoir: the thread you’re following, the moments that matter, the order they want to go in. Tackle it in chunks, like squares of chocolate, and savour each one.

The Memoir Guide (6 × 9)

A compact guide to writing memoir, based on the planner. Use it to map your memoir in your journal. Tackle like the planner – one chunk at a time.

Available as 6×9 and in Kindle.

Memoir Journals

Guided journals for exploring memories, people, places and the life you’ve lived. The journals are designed that you explore your life one prompt at a time. For writing about your life long before you worry about chapters.

I’ve been teaching people to write their stories since 2013, and more than 23,000 students have taken my courses so far. The memoir ones are all self-paced, so you can start tonight in your pyjamas if you like.

Memoir Courses

What do you actually want this book to do?

Discover whether your memoir is a business engine, an act of completion, or a lasting legacy -without forcing a sales funnel onto a sacred story.

You’ll discover lots of things you could do, but will they help you realise your vision? You’ll have some brilliant ideas which simply aren’t practical right now and things that you said yes to turn in the cold light of day into things that do not energise you.

Life Writing Courses

Course In A Book

The whole series of life writing courses will soon be available in book format. Perfect for snuggling up with a cuppa and your journal.

Memoir Masterclasses

Regular Masterclasses

These are open sessions where you you bring your journal and get a taster memoir session. Leave inspire to write.

A 1.15 hour safe space where 4 storytellers share their story – what it is, why they want to share it and what they would like it to do in the world.

You tell it your way – no scripts or slides – just you and the moment.

This is without commentary or judgment, while up to 6 silent witnesses listen.

The chat opens only for “what moved me” reflections, keeping the space safe and free of unsolicited advice.

Next date: TBA

When you book you need to tell me if you are a storyteller or a witness.

I will then contact you to confirm.