At Page and Podium Press, we’ve spent years working with writers, writing ourselves for clients and personal projects, and thinking, living and breathing all things writing, especially the amazing, transformative act of writing memoir. We love to hear from followers of this channel who resonate with our content and find it helpful. Our first and primary goal is to make memoir writing both transparent and accessible. This week we are going to share the essential tenets of our philosophy, both for the Press and for our group program, The Memoir Method™.
Before we get into today’s post, we wanted to ask—do you have a plan for actually finishing your memoir? If not, we know you aren’t making the progress you hoped for. That’s why we developed The Memoir Method Checklist. This free guide (and video training!) will take you through every single step you need from idea to published marketable book. Grab it now at https://pageandpodium.com/checklist
In case you are new to our blog space or more familiar with the Youtube channel or Podcast, let me briefly introduce myself! I’m Emily Thrash, fingers behind the blog version of this content and author support in the Memoir Method program. I came to Page and Podium first as a editor and ghostwriter and then through the launch of the group program for coaching women through writing their own memoirs. I have an MFA from the University of Memphis and have taught writing and literary arts in many different contexts.
Philosophies in Balance
Behind the scenes, Amanda and I often discuss our philosophies and approaches to our work as writers and to how we guide others in their writing journey. We always keep coming back to the importance of balance. Binary, black and white thinking is behind so many of the ways we sabotage ourselves as writers (and women), so we have considered the three central tenets of our philosophy not as singular touch stones, but actually pairs of ideas that should be kept in natural balance with each other.
Art & Craft
This question originally surfaced in an internal debate: is memoir art, or is memoir craft? Unsurprisingly, we landed on both. Memoir is art because it springs from a deeply human need to express ourselves—to share wisdom, experience, and meaning in a way that sparks recognition in someone else. Any time we create something that feels authentic and expressive, we’re making art.
But when we treat memoir as only art, we risk overlooking the skill required to shape that expression into something that lands with a reader. When you think about art as pure self-expression, it can be easy to feel like anything that doesn’t come easily or perfectly the first time as, well, bad art, which is demoralizing. Craft, however, is understood as something you can learn and get better at—mainly through trial, experimentation, and practice.
Many of the high‑achieving women we work with have a strong vision for their book, but the skill to execute that vision takes time to develop. This is where craft enters the picture. Craft is the practice, the repetition, the willingness to make mistakes, and the guidance we gain from those who have done it before. Just like learning to throw a pot on a wheel, we build craft through doing, failing, trying again, and learning from people with more experience.
Art and craft feed each other. Our artistic vision pushes us to grow our skills, and as our skills expand, our vision becomes clearer and more ambitious. At Page & Podium, we emphasize that memoir is never one or the other. It is both—held in balance. The art gives the work its soul; the craft gives it shape. And it’s only through the interplay of the two that writers create the books they truly want to write.
Freedom & Constraints
As we talked about last week, it’s important to find a balance between freedom and constraints in the creative process.Freedom gives us the space to stretch, to write in the way we want to write, and to say what we truly want to say. We need that sense of openness to tap into the heart of our story.
At the same time, memoir is built from a long chain of choices—choices about the book’s structure, the purpose of each chapter, the shape of each scene, and even the rhythm of individual sentences. That’s where constraints become essential. Healthy constraints guides our decisions, which allows us to use our freedom more effectively. When we narrow the field in thoughtful ways, the remaining choices become clearer, more intentional, and far less overwhelming. Paradoxically, the right constraints often create a deeper sense of freedom than having unlimited options (which make most of us freeze.)
At Page & Podium, we’re always helping writers find this balance. Sometimes we need to embrace structure—whether that’s a narrative framework or a consistent writing routine. Other times, we need to loosen the rules and give ourselves permission to follow instinct, curiosity, or emotion. In practice, this means holding space for your vision while also offering the structural support that keeps the book cohesive, clear, and capable of reaching readers.
Process versus product
Another question that needs balance is considering whether we are prioritizing the experience of writing the memoir or the quality (and salability) of the finished manuscript? Most of the women we work with hold themselves to very high standards. They want an exceptional book, and rightly so. But that desire can create frustration when their current skill level doesn’t yet match their vision.
Of course we want you to end up with a memoir you’re proud of. No one wants to spend a year writing only to produce something that doesn’t feel like them. But we’ve seen, over and over, that you can reach the same excellent product through two very different paths: one miserable and punishing, one meaningful and transformative. And given the choice, why wouldn’t we choose the path that feels engaging, reflective, and even enjoyable?
This is where balance matters. High‑achieving women tend to push themselves relentlessly toward the best possible product but rarely give themselves permission to value the process. Yet the process of writing a memoir can be profoundly transformative if we let it. Writers should allow themselves to be present with the work to reflect, to explore, to stay curious. They have a better experience and end up with a stronger book.
Three Pillars of Support
In building the Memoir Method™, we wanted to ensure an additional balance between having everything that beginning writers would need to work through the writing process from beginning to end, but also not overwhelm members with so much (often conflicting or overcomplicated) content and additional obligations that the program becomes a way to procrastinate or distract from the writing process rather than support it. With that in mind, we offer three main pillars of support.
Education
Before building The Memoir Method™, both of us spent years teaching in university and community settings. That background shaped our approach, but we didn’t want to simply repackage the same material writers see everywhere online. Instead, we zoomed out and asked: What does a first‑time memoirist truly need to know to begin developing their craft without getting overwhelmed? In other words, what are the core constraints that actually empower freedom?
Again and again, the answer was structure. Structure is what separates a readable memoir from one that never quite lands. By distilling the many approaches to memoir structure into a simple, accessible framework, we give writers just enough constraint to get started, while preserving the freedom to shape their story, message, and turning points in a way that feels authentic. A clear scaffold makes it possible to begin.
We start with a seven‑step development process that helps writers clarify their topic, message, scope, and arc. Each step includes guided worksheets, and the process culminates in a detailed outline. This outline is strong enough to support a traditional book proposal and clear enough for others to evaluate. As part of the program, we personally review every outline and provide detailed feedback.
From there, writers have access to on‑demand modules covering chapter drafting, revision, marketing, and publishing—everything needed to move from idea to finished manuscript. The educational content is delivered in a flipped‑classroom style: you learn the material at your own pace, and our live sessions become a space for deeper discussion, questions, and application.
This flipped-classroom style is how we are able to be actively involved in our member’s individual projects, obstacles, and goals. Our weekly meetings are lead and focus by member’s needs, helping them make process and creative decisions in the context of their own project.
Accountability
Real accountability makes a dramatic difference in a writer’s progress. In the group program, we’ve learned that accountability doesn’t require submitting pages or adding additional obligations by reading others’ work on top of your own each week. Simply showing up—either by attending the live call or responding to the Friday email check‑in—is enough to keep writers engaged and moving forward. No one wants to show up empty‑handed, and many writers find that the familiar structure of reporting in each week gives them exactly the nudge they need. It also means that they are free to come with obstacles talk through what is currently stalling them.
Between the weekly group call and the weekly email check‑in with Emily, members have two gentle but effective touchpoints that help them stay connected to their goals. It’s simple, it’s supportive, it’s focused on kindness in support, and it works.
Community
Despite the cultural myth of the lone writer tucked away in isolation, writing in community is powerful. Many of us try to work on our projects alone, but the truth is that being surrounded by others who share our goals makes the process richer, steadier, and far less overwhelming.
In The Memoir Method™, we wanted to offer more than just weekly check‑ins. In addition to our live calls, members connect through our private app, where both current writers and alumni stay in conversation. We also host monthly gatherings: a voice workshop where members read short excerpts and receive supportive critique, and our monthly book club, where I break down what makes popular memoirs work behind the scenes. (Your first book club session is free!)
Community isn’t just about accountability, though it certainly helps. It’s about sharing experiences, normalizing the challenges, and hearing from others who have been exactly where you are. It’s about being able to say, “I struggled with that too,” or to ask, “How did you navigate this part of the process?” That sense of shared purpose—whether in person or through the magic of the internet—is invaluable. Having people around you who understand the journey you’re on is, truly, priceless.
What to Expect
When you join our Memoir Method Program, you can expect three kinds of results. The first is an exceptional finished manuscript. Writers like Hope Fabiliar, who once couldn’t get past three pages, have gone on to complete powerful, beautifully crafted books once they had the structure, support, and rhythm of The Memoir Method™. When the foundation is strong, the book comes together, and strong books always find their path to publication.
The second result is a profoundly healing experience. Whether writers are exploring deep trauma or reflecting on lighter, more joyful material, the act of shaping a slice of life on the page inevitably shifts how they see that part of their story—and often how they see themselves. We’ve watched writers like Dolores move from tears to pride as they read their finished pages, and we’ve seen this transformation repeat itself again and again. The process changes you in ways you can’t anticipate at the beginning.
And finally, this work creates momentum for whatever comes next. Many women quietly wonder whether writing might open new doors—speaking, teaching, thought leadership, or a new chapter of creative life. It can, and it often does. Writers like Jailee have taken the clarity and confidence gained through memoir and turned it into powerful public work. When you write a book, you don’t just clarify one story—you clarify your voice, your message, and your sense of possibility. Dream big about what this book can make possible, because we see women step into those dreams every day.
PS. Searching the internet for writing, publishing, and book marketing advice can be exhausting to say the least! If you’re ready for hands on, one-on-one support for your memoir, check out The Memoir Method. We’d love to welcome you into this nine-month group program specially designed for women writing their first memoirs. And don’t forget, if you’d like to chat with Amanda about the program (or any other services we offer), you can book a free consult any time!
