Thank you for listening to the episode! I had a great time chatting to Kate and am honoured to be part of the Midlife Unlimited family. If you’re here for my memoir recommendations, scroll to the end of the page.
To celebrate, I’m offering Midlife Unlimited listeners a block of 5 private mentoring sessions (60 minutes per session) at a discounted price.
WHY BOOK TIME WITH ME?
I’m an author, editor, journalist and writing mentor with more than 30 years’ professional experience. I’ve written for national newspapers and magazines in the UK and the US, lived and worked in Hollywood, taught journalism and magazine publishing at various universities and run successful writers’ groups both in the UK and Los Angeles.
In 2020, I published my celebrity journalism memoir Ryan is Ready for You Now (number 1 in Amazon’s Pop Culture category), and now work with clients who want to tell their stories with honesty, care and confidence. I also run memoir writing courses for beginners (more on that at the end of this page).
I understand how vulnerable memoir writing can feel and will never push you beyond your limits. My aim is to create a safe, encouraging and bully-free space where writers feel supported, heard and motivated.
THE SESSIONS WILL WORK FOR YOU IF:
- You’re stuck, overwhelmed or unsure where to begin. Our one-to-one sessions will provide the encouragement, structure and accountability you need to keep you moving forward.
- You want to learn more about the craft of memoir writing and are looking for a trusted professional to brainstorm ideas with and help shape your vision.
- You’re looking for a way to uncover the themes, moments and emotional threads of your life that will transform a collection of memories into a meaningful, engaging book.
- You need to be held accountable. Like a personal trainer at the gym, I will be by your side to keep you inspired and motivated.
- You need to build your confidence. I will always champion your writing and your goals (whether you’re planning your book, refining chapters or preparing your manuscript for publication). Our lives can be messy and often we second-guess ourselves. One-to-one sessions gift you the time, space and permission to finally tell YOUR story.
To take advantage of this exclusive offer simply follow this link or scan the QR code.
https://buy.stripe.com/9B6fZg6k5gJ73zX3G26Zy0d
WATCH KATE AND I CHAT ON THE MIDLIFE UNLIMITED YOU TUBE CHANNEL
THE OFFER
This 15% discount on a block of five private writing mentoring sessions is offered exclusively to the Midlife Unlimited audience.
My regular fee is £60 an hour but with the discount applied you are paying for five sessions (60 minutes per session) at a lower cost of £255 (instead of £300).
The sessions must be used within 6 months of purchase and paid in full, in advance.
Once payment has been received, we’ll get our first 60-minute session in the diary.
Sessions are held via Zoom.
To take advantage of this exclusive offer simply follow this link.
WHAT LISA’S CLIENTS SAY
“Lisa believed in me when others did not and helped shape my journals into what became my memoir. She guided me with skill, integrity and sensitivity, always knowing when to challenge and when to step back. Her experience was invaluable.”
— Darren Ryan, author of Lifeline
OR… ARE YOU READY TO GET YOUR MEMOIR WRITTEN – BUT NEED TO LEARN THE BASICS?
SIGN UP TO MY FOUR WEEK MEMOIR WRITING COURSE FOR BEGINNERS: FROM BLANK PAGE TO MEMOIR
LIMITED PLACES. THE NEXT COURSE STARTS SEPTEMBER 25.
A friendly, supportive online memoir writing course for beginners. Click here to find out more.
NO EXPERIENCE? NO PROBLEM!
Have a story to tell but don’t know where to begin? I can help you with that.
This four-week online memoir writing course will help you find your voice, shape your story and start writing with confidence – even if you’ve never written creatively before.
You’ll be guided by me, step-by-step, in a small, supportive group, with plenty of encouragement, structure and accountability (and yes, some laughter along the way too).
What’s included:
- Four live online memoir writing sessions
- A follow-up group session one month later
- One private 60-minute consultation with Lisa
- Writing prompts, templates and support materials
AUTUMN OFFER: £329
Small group, capped at 6
👉 BOOK NOW BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK! OR USE THE QR CODE.
For more information email Lisa: lisamarksmedia@gmail.com
WHAT LISA’S CLIENTS SAY
“I very luckily came upon Lisa’s memoir course at the absolute right time. She brought together a small group of writers, dealt sensitively with some delicate subject matter and also provided an appropriate level of humour, whilst outlining the nitty gritty of how to get the thoughts out of my head and onto the page. I’m now nearly two chapters in, have a solid plan of how to proceed and have benefitted from Lisa’s experience, talent and genuine interest in the journey of others, as well as the other participants on the course. I highly recommend the course and having Lisa as a cheerleader is a priceless experience.” – Jennifer B, February 2026 course attendee.
If you want to chat about whether any of these sessions or courses will work for you email me at lisamarksmedia@gmail. com.
SEVEN UNMISSABLE MEMOIRS!
I really enjoyed curating this reading list for the Midlife Unlimited audience. I’ve chosen not just great reads but examples of all types of memoir to demonstrate how there’s more than one way to tell your story.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, by Anthony Bourdain. Possibly one of the greatest memoirs of all time. This razor-sharp and unapologetically honest memoir lifts the lid on life in professional kitchens. Through a series of vivid episodes from his culinary career, the late chef, author and TV presenter reveals the chaos, camaraderie and colourful characters that shaped him, blending personal storytelling with witty observations about the restaurant industry. An absolute must-read.
Bluets, by Maggie Nelson. A lyrical and deeply contemplative memoir that uses the colour blue as a lens through which to explore love, loss, longing and the creative life. It’s a wonderful example of what is known as a ‘fragmented’ memoir, telling a story in a sequence of short reflections. Blending personal experience with philosophy, literature and art, the author crafts a series of interconnected fragments, inviting the reader to make their own emotional connections.
Toast, by Nigel Slater. I recommend everyone who signs up to my Memoir Writing for Beginners course read Toast. It’s a deeply thematic and incredibly sensory memoir of childhood told through the esteemed food writer’s memory of cooking. Using the tastes, smells and rituals of eating to unlock memories of growing up in the Sixties, he builds a rich portrait of the people who were key to his young life, and to those he tragically lost.
Ryan is Ready for You Now, by Lisa Marks. I would be remiss not to include this absolute gem of a memoir! It’s an entertaining (so I’ve been told) and educational account of my life as a journalist, from trainee reporter on the Southend Evening Echo to the glamour of Hollywood, interviewing a slew of A-listers, from Charlize Theron to Hugh Jackman. My story is told in chapters outlining the ‘how to’ of celebrity journalism, covering everything from how to make a good first impression to red carpet interviews. The question remains though: did I get to interview the famous Ryan mentioned in the title?
I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy. This compelling memoir, from former child actor McCurdy, took me completely by surprise. It’s so well written, darkly funny and emotionally honest, that I was blown away. The Nickelodeon star (iCarly, Sam & Cat), recounts her controlling upbringing under an abusive stage mother, her struggles with eating disorders and identity, and her eventual journey towards independence, healing and reclaiming her own voice. Even if you’ve never heard of her, it’s well worth your time.
Becoming, by Michelle Obama. This is a great example of a chronological memoir. Former first lady Michelle Obama, traces her journey from a working-class childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years at Princeton University, Harvard Law School, her career as a lawyer and time in the White House. But it’s so much more than a story of public achievement, as she beautifully explores identity, ambition, family, motherhood and the ongoing process of discovering who we are.
Just Kids, by Patti Smith. While Just Kids follows a broadly chronological journey, Smith, an artist, musician and writer, weaves the story together with flowing, reflective passages that explore memory, creativity, love and loss. Chronicling her early years in New York City and her deep, creative bond with the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, it’s also a wonderful portrait of the vibrant counterculture of Sixties and Seventies. A leftfield read that won’t disappoint.
WRITER EDITOR MENTOR 