I was in exactly the same place until I discovered the approach to writing I teach in my courses. I’ve worked with many writers who felt stuck for years on a story, and by experimenting with my approach experienced the breakthroughs they were hoping for. Many writers were unable to just get through a draft until they started working with the techniques I share in my workshop.

Although I can’t guarantee what will happen with your writing after you take my workshop (because I can’t control whether or not you put my training into practice), I can promise that if you try these techniques you are going to discover new facets to your story that may surprise you.

I hope you’ll let me know if you experience a breakthrough or finish a difficult story after taking my workshop. ❤️

I think there are two signs of readiness when writers have a difficult story to tell.

The first is feeling a persistent nudge to write about an event or experience. If you have a story you can’t seem to shake, that’s the first clue.

The second sign of readiness is emotional preparation for what may come up in the writing. From experience I know it may not be possible to avoid re-triggering emotions when writing into vulnerable material. That’s why I’m a huge believer in self-care and have included tips for taking care of yourself in my workshop.

Although you can’t always predict the feelings that may surface when you write about difficult experiences or their intensity, ensuring you have emotional support is both within your control and highly recommended.

I don’t believe there are limits to what a writer can or should write about. But some writers worry, from a publishing perspective, theirs is “just one more story about (fill in the blank).” If you feel the world doesn’t need another story about a devastating breakup, a cancer diagnosis, or the death of a parent, I disagree.

Your story, your perspective, and your voice are unique. You’re the only one who can tell the story burning inside you. I believe more than ever the world needs more stories. Collectively we are wiser, more empathetic, and more creative when we do our brave, truth-telling work. Stories also have immense power to pave the way for healing.

There are myriad ways a writer can work with the same material they (and other writers) have written about many times before. I share ten fresh ideas to get your inspiration flowing in my workshop.

Some fear that their experience of trauma, grief, or loss contains elements that may disturb a reader, and for that reason their story is best left untold. The truth is, you can’t predict how your story will land with someone. But if the process of writing is healing for you, there’s a good chance reading your story will be healing for someone else (especially if they may not feel ready to tell their own story). In my experience, I’ve only ever received grateful words for sharing my own hard stories.

If you’re unsure whether you should reveal some of the details of a traumatizing experience, know that what you share is entirely up to you. I like to tell writers: you may not have control over what happens to you, but you have absolute control over how you tell your stories.

Creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing genre out there. The fact that so many memoirs and personal essays deal with trauma reveals that writers and readers value stories that deal with difficult experiences.

I believe readers are drawn to personal storytelling because they want to know how another person survived trauma, grief, or loss – even if the writer’s story is very different from their own.

I don’t think you need to wait until a situation is “over” before you write about it. If you meet the readiness criteria I use (see FAQ 1) then I think you should write your story as long as the process feels manageable.

Some of the writers I’ve taught have used the techniques I share without the benefit of temporal distance (i.e. one writer wrote about an abusive relationship while she was in the process of leaving her partner).

In some instances, I’ve found it too difficult to write about an experience until time has passed – then, when I was ready, I used the tools I share here. At other emotionally challenging times, writing has been the only thing I wanted to do.

I do find that writing with the intention to process a difficult experience is very different than writing for an audience. In that case, I’ve had more success shaping a story out of my material after I’ve spent some time freewriting into the emotions first. Writing freely, in a journal, is typically the first step in my process.

Signing up for this workshop is a non-refundable investment in your writing. Please make sure you are ready and fully committed before you sign up. By purchasing you understand there are absolutely no refunds. If you have any questions about the program before purchasing, please get in touch.