Learn How to Write, Publish and Share Your Story

Your story. Written by you. With a little help from me.

You've been thinking about writing your life story for years.

Maybe you've even started.

There are notes in drawers, memories scribbled in notebooks, photographs that bring whole chapters of your life flooding back – and stories your family has heard you tell a hundred times.

But somehow, the book never quite gets written.

Where do you start?

What should you include?

What should you leave out?

How do you organise an entire lifetime into chapters?

And once you've written it, how on earth do you turn it into an actual book?

My Write Your Life Story online course takes you through the entire process, one manageable step at a time.

You don't need to be an experienced writer.

You don't need to understand publishing.

And you don't need to have your entire story worked out before you begin.

I'll show you how.

From a Lifetime of Memories to a Finished Book

Writing a memoir isn't about recording everything that's ever happened to you.

It's about discovering the story within your life.

Throughout this course, I'll help you decide what you really want your book to say, identify the experiences that belong in it and turn those memories into stories people will want to read.

Then we'll go further.

I'll take you through writing, editing and preparing your manuscript, before explaining your options for publishing and sharing your finished book.

The aim is to take you from:

"I'd love to write my story one day…"

to:

"I've written my book."

What You'll Learn

Module 1: Finding Your Story

Before you start writing, we need to work out what you're actually writing about.

You'll learn how to explore your memories, identify the heart of your story and decide what kind of memoir you want to create.

We'll look at:

Why you want to write your story

Who you're writing it for

Finding the central theme of your memoir

Identifying the important moments

Creating a timeline of your life

Deciding what belongs in your book – and what doesn't

By the end of this module, you'll have a much clearer idea of the book you want to write.

Module 2: Building Your Book

Now we'll turn those memories into a structure.

You'll learn how to take a lifetime of experiences and organise them into a book that makes sense to your reader.

We'll cover:

Where your story should begin

Chronological versus thematic memoirs

Creating your chapter structure

Opening your book in a way that makes people want to continue

Building momentum through your story

Knowing where – and how – to end

You'll finish this section with your own working chapter plan.

Module 3: Learning to Tell a Story

Knowing what happened isn't the same as knowing how to write about it.

This module is about transforming memories into compelling scenes.

You'll learn about:

Finding your natural writing voice

Showing rather than simply telling

Writing dialogue

Describing people and places

Bringing memories to life through detail

Creating emotion without becoming overly sentimental

Keeping your reader interested

Moving between scenes, memories and periods of your life

You don't need to write like anyone else.

The goal is to learn how to write like you.

Module 4: Writing About Real People – and Difficult Things

Memoir comes with challenges that fiction doesn't.

What happens when your memories involve other people?

What if someone remembers an event differently?

What if there are parts of your story you're frightened to write about?

We'll explore:

Writing honestly without writing cruelly

Dealing with conflicting memories

Writing about family members and relationships

Approaching painful or sensitive experiences

Privacy and changing identifying details

The difference between memory and provable fact

When you may need professional legal advice before publication

The aim isn't to frighten you away from telling your story. It's to help you tell it thoughtfully and responsibly.

Module 5: Actually Getting the Book Written

This is where many would-be authors get stuck.

They plan.

They research.

They rewrite Chapter One seventeen times.

And somehow Chapter Two never appears.

We'll look at practical ways of keeping your book moving, including:

Creating a realistic writing routine

Setting achievable targets

What to do when you can't remember something

Dealing with writer's block

Researching your own past

Using photographs, letters and documents to trigger memories

Knowing when to stop editing and keep writing

Your first draft doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist.

Module 6: Editing Your Memoir

Finishing your first draft is a huge achievement.

But it isn't quite the end.

Now we'll look at your manuscript as a complete book.

You'll learn how to:

Carry out your first major edit

Spot repetition

Identify sections that drag

Strengthen weak chapters

Check that your story flows

Improve openings and endings

Tighten your writing

Proofread your manuscript

Know when your book is finished

I'll also explain the different types of professional editing available and when you might – or might not – need them.

Module 7: Turning Your Manuscript into a Book

You've written it.

Now let's turn it into something people can actually read.

I'll explain the publishing process in straightforward language, including:

Traditional publishing versus self-publishing

Understanding ISBNs

Formatting your manuscript

Ebook versus paperback

Book cover considerations

Writing your book description

Choosing a title and subtitle

Uploading your book to publishing platforms

Ordering printed copies

Making your book available to readers

You don't have to become a publishing expert.

You simply need to understand your options well enough to choose the right route for your book.

Module 8: Sharing Your Story

Not everyone writes a memoir because they want to become a bestselling author.

Perhaps you simply want twenty beautifully printed copies for your family.

Perhaps you want your grandchildren to know about the life you lived before they existed.

Or perhaps you genuinely want to find a wider audience.

We'll look at the different ways you can share your finished book, including:

Creating copies for family and friends

Selling your book online

Creating a simple author presence

Getting your first readers

Asking for reviews

Introducing your book on social media

Finding communities interested in your subject

Simple ways to begin promoting your book

You decide how far you want your story to travel.

You'll Also Receive

Alongside the course lessons, you'll receive practical resources to help you actually write your book, including:

Your Life Timeline Worksheet

Map out the people, places and events that shaped your life.

Memory Prompts

Questions designed to uncover stories and details you may have completely forgotten.

Your Memoir Chapter Planner

Turn your collection of memories into a workable book structure.

Character & Relationship Worksheets

Help you think about the important people within your story.

Chapter Writing Template

A simple framework for developing individual chapters.

Editing Checklist

A practical guide to reviewing your completed manuscript.

Publishing Checklist

A step-by-step guide for taking your manuscript towards publication.

Learn at Your Own Pace

There are no deadlines.

You can work through the course at your own pace and return to lessons whenever you need them.

Some people may want to move through the course quickly.

Others may spend a year writing their memoir.

This is your story. There is no race to finish it.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is for you if you've ever thought:

"I wouldn't know where to start."

"I'm not a proper writer."

"I've got so many stories I don't know which ones to include."

"I've started my memoir three times and never finished it."

"I want my children and grandchildren to know about my life."

"I want to write a book, but I can't afford to employ someone to write it for me."

You don't need previous writing experience.

You don't need special software.

And you don't need to have written anything before you start.

I'll take you through it step by step.

About Your Course Tutor

I'm Juliet Sullivan, an author, former journalist and experienced memoir writer.

I've spent much of my writing career telling true stories – both my own and those of other people.

I've written and published my own books and worked with others to transform their experiences and memories into books of their own.

And I've learned something important along the way:

Most people who say they can't write don't actually have a writing problem. They have a starting problem.

They don't know where to begin, how to structure their story or whether what they're writing is any good.

Once you have a roadmap, writing your life story becomes much less intimidating.

That's what this course is designed to give you.

Write Your Life Story

Complete Online Memoir Writing & Publishing Course

£199 / CAD $499

Your course includes:

8 step-by-step modules

Practical writing exercises

Downloadable memoir worksheets and templates

Chapter planning tools

Editing guidance

Self-publishing guidance

Lifetime access to the course*

Learn entirely at your own pace

*Subject to the terms of the course platform.

[START WRITING MY STORY]

Not Sure If the Course Is Right for You?

Perhaps you'd like to talk about your story before deciding.

My one-to-one Memoir Writing Consultation gives us 75 minutes together to explore your story, identify its potential and create a personalised roadmap for your book.

Or perhaps you've decided you want your story told but don't want to write the book yourself.

My Memoir Writing Partnership is my fully personalised service where I work with you to transform your experiences into a professionally written memoir.

There are three ways I can help:

Help Me Get Started
One-to-One Memoir Consultation

Teach Me How to Write It
Write Your Life Story Course

Help Me Write It
Full Memoir Writing Partnership

Whichever route you choose, the important thing is the same:

Your story shouldn't remain something you're going to write "one day."

Let's make today the day you begin.

[START WRITING MY STORY]