START YOUR SUBSTACK

Build Your Readership Before Your Memoir Is Done

A guided workshop for writers who are ready to start publishing and building an audience before their book is finished

REGISTER NOW - $29

Saturday, June 27 | 10 am -12 pm CT (replay included)

When you register, you'll automatically be added to our email list to keep you informed about your registration and to share weekly writing tips, prompts, and more. We hope you'll become an engaged part of our writing community, but at any point, if we're not serving your needs, you're free to unsubscribe.

You've been waiting to finish your memoir before you start building your audience.

But that's one mistake that will make your book harder to sell.

The writers who successfully launch their memoirs don't build their audience after the book is done. They build it while they're writing—one essay, one reader, one connection at a time.

Substack is the simplest, most powerful tool available to do exactly that. And in 90 minutes, you'll know how to use it.

 

By the end of this workshop, you will have everything you need to publish your first Substack post.

Not someday. Not "when your memoir is done." Now.

Here's what you'll learn: 

  • How to set up your Substack account and profile, ready to publish
  • What to prepare before you start your setup (so you don't have to redo anything later)
  • Step-by-step knowledge of how to create, format, and publish your first post
  • Practical tips for promoting your posts and growing your readership, even if you're starting from zero

Confidence about what to write, including how to use short-form essays and memoir excerpts to attract exactly the readers who will want your book.

 

WHAT WE'LL COVER

This is a practical, screen-share workshop to give you a real-time view of how to set up your Substack and publish your first post.

I'll walk you through every step live, so you can follow along in real time or use the replay to build your Substack at your own pace.

Part 1: Before You Set Up 

What to think through before you touch your account—your name, your niche, your content focus, and who your audience is. Getting clear on this first saves you time and confusion later.

Part 2: Setting Up Your Account and Profile 

I'll share my screen and walk you through the entire setup process from scratch, including Substack account creation, profile, publication name, about page, and the settings that matter most for memoir writers.

Part 3: Creating and Publishing Your First Post 

We'll go step by step through writing, formatting, and publishing a post in Substack. You'll learn what kinds of content work best for memoir writers, including how to turn short memoir segments or topical essays into compelling first posts that introduce you and your story to new readers.

Part 4: Promoting Your Posts and Growing Your Readership 

The basics of getting your Substack in front of people, including what to do right after you publish, how to share across platforms, and simple strategies for growing your subscriber list from day one.

REGISTER NOW for $29

Saturday, June 27 | 10 am–12 pm CT | replay included

WHO THIS IS FOR

This workshop is for you if: 

  • You're writing a memoir (at any stage) and haven't started building a readership
  • You've heard of Substack, but don't really know how it works or where to begin
  • You know you should be building your readership now, but tech setup has felt like a barrier
  • You want a simple, clear, start-to-finish walkthrough you can actually follow
  • You'd rather watch someone do it first before you try it yourself

This workshop is NOT for you if:

  • You already have an active Substack you're publishing on regularly
  • You're looking for advanced Substack growth strategies or monetization tactics

ABOUT THE FORMAT

Live on Zoom · Saturday, June 27· 10 am - 12 pm CT (replay included)

This is an "I do, you watch" style workshop. I'll share my screen and walk through every step live so you can see exactly how it's done. The replay will be available so you can pause, rewind, and follow along at your own pace when you're ready to build yours.

You do not need to have your Substack set up before the workshop. You don't need any tech experience. You just need to show up. A replay will be available afterward so you can walk through the steps at your own pace when you're ready to set up your Substack.

NICE TO MEET YOU

Hi, I'm Marian.

I've been making a living as a writer and editor for nearly 40 years. I've written (and ghostwritten) and edited books and articles, guided authors through their manuscripts, and edited countless personal narratives. But the work I'm most proud of? It's the years I spent uncovering and writing my own story.

I know firsthand how daunting it can be to transform your life experiences into a compelling memoir. The blank page. The vulnerability. The fear that you'll never finish. I've been there.

That's why I created Write Your Own Life—to walk alongside writers like you as you uncover your most important memories and learn how to shape them into a powerful story of transformation.

REGISTER NOW for $29

Saturday, June 27 | 10 am –12 pm CT | replay included

Your readers are out there right now, looking for a writer exactly like you.

Every week you wait to start your Substack is a week they don't find you.

This workshop is two hours and costs only $29. It will change how you think about building your audience—and give you a live Substack to show for it.

REGISTER NOW for $29

Saturday, June 27 | 10 am–12 pm CT | replay included.