January 2020 Everything Memoir- with Susy Flory

Everything Memoir Retreat Description:

Do you have a true story to write? If so, “Everything Memoir” Writing at the Red House Retreat is for you. Learn from industry experts and featured writers in residence, Susy Flory and Kathi Lipp, as they take you through the ins and outs of crafting your unique true story and how to best share you and your story the world.

About Susy

Susy Flory is a New York Times bestselling author or co-author of 12 memoirs, She’s written with celebrities, heroes of the faith, athletes, explorers, and the girl (and boy) next door.

About Kathi

Kathi Lipp is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of 17 non-fiction books. Each of Kathi’s projects features memoir techniques to help her reader apply real-world truth through story.

Workshop Descriptions and Schedule

Sunday January 12

Workshop 1: Introduction: Let’s Get Started – Kathi Lipp and Susy Flory

Kathi and Susy begin your memoir writing retreat adventure by discussing the foundations needed to make a good story. The who, what, when, where, and why.

Monday January 13

Workshop 2:  Shaping Your Story Part 1-Susy Flory

This hands on workshop will have you visually creating and plotting your story.

Workshop 3: Lessons Learned- Kathi Lipp

In great memoir, the reader wants to understand how the story will relate to them (even if you have lived a life they could never imagine.) In this workshop, Kathi will teach you how to connect with your reader within the book, and in marketing, even before your reader opens to the first page.

Tuesday January 14

Workshop 4: Shaping Your Story Part 2-Susy Flory

As you continue to plot your story, part two will teach you how to add in the ups and downs of your story effectively.

Workshop 5: How to Develop Your Platform/Marketing- Kathi Lipp

You may have an amazing story, but an editor is going to want to know how you will carry that message to the world. In this workshop, Kathi will help you identify your core message, and what marketing and platform methods you can use to take that core message to the world.

Wednesday January 15

Workshop 6: Making it Good-Susy Flory

Now that you have your basic outline, learn how to make the building blocks of your story, extra special. Skill building will include character arcs, beginnings and endings, and how to best handle telling true stories that involve your family and friends.

Workshop 7: Structuring Made Easy-Kathi Lipp

We all need structure in our book so that we can be as free as possible with our writing. Kathi will share with you how to structure your memoir chapters to get the maximum impact for your reader.

Thursday January 16

Workshop 8: How to Write About Faith, Miracles and God-Susy Flory

Learn all the things you need to know to share your God moments through your story. This includes adding faith elements like your beliefs, using scripture, and making your faith story accessible to non-believers.

Workshop 9: Working with Feedback Teams and Editors-Kathi Lipp

Writing a memoir is a two way relationship between the writer and the reader. The mistake that most memoirists make is to write their story and then present it to an editor for them to fall in love with.

An editor is not the first person who should see your work. Learn the process of developing a reader team who can help shape and share your book so that it will benefit your reader (and in the process, get you closer to being published.

We will also discuss the author/editor relationship and how to work together to create the most powerful work possible.