DVDs & eCourses

Your course inspired me to start writing the story of my life. — M.D.

Some time ago I purchased your memoir writing workshop DVDs. I live in Southern California and have taught life story writing for 14 years at a community college in Orange County. I believe I own nearly every book written on the subject, as well as several shelves full of memoirs. I’m always trying to teach myself something new and, like you, I believe that the best education comes from reading other memoirs. My classes focus on the quality of writing—not just getting something down on paper, but really making it interesting. … My husband and I co-authored a book published by Signature Books in 2007 that essentially covers the writing techniques I stress in my classes. The book is titled Breathe Life into Your Life Story: How to Write a Story People Will WANT to Read.

I’ve given you this background as a context for sharing with you how much I admire what you’ve done with these DVDs. I didn’t know what to expect when I bought them, and I was worried that I may have spent a great deal of money needlessly. To be honest, I was primarily interested in how one would put together a memoir workshop on a DVD since I’m often asked if I would do something similar. You gave me far more than I expected—which is high praise from someone who feels like she’s read everything there is on the subject. I found myself repeatedly taking notes and thinking you had captured familiar topics in novel and interesting ways. You truly take the student from concept to publication. As I got toward the end of your DVDs, I began to feel overwhelmed at the magnitude of what you’ve done. I can’t imagine the hours you put into that project—planning, rehearsing, designing, taping, creating a workbook, etc., etc. …

Just wanted you to know that I’m a fan, and I appreciate learning from you through your creative and inspiring DVDs. By the way, I very much appreciated Kendra’s timely and helpful insights about Internet marketing—one of my weaknesses. — Dawn T.

You are an excellent teacher and presenter. I never thought I would be motivated to write my memoir in only two sessions! I’ve wanted to write for several years, but could never get started until now. — W.B.

In this workshop 5-DVD set, you’ll accomplish the first five steps of memoir writing: theme, message, scope, focus, and style plus much, much more. By the end of the DVD, you’ll have the initial plan for your memoir. You’ll learn about non-fiction writing techniques used by the pros. You’ll see how to integrate dialogue and the five senses into your writing. You’ll learn how family photographs bring back not only memories but details about those memories. By the time you complete the DVD, you’ll have a clear guide to the next steps. We’ve even added five steps to memoir writing success in the final lesson.