four months | one focus | online group program for new memoir writers
I'm so excited for you!
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You are about to learn all the things I wish I knew when I started out writing back in 2008.
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You'll learn my best tools for finding the perfect theme for your memoir
You'll learn my core strategies for creating a writing journey you genuinely want to show up for.
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I'm going to help you be ridiculously kind to yourself as you hone your craft and practice writing (it is a practice). ​
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And you'll learn my very best, hand-selected editing tools that will make your beautiful story even more amazing.
You don't need a big breakthrough or wake up with a fully formed idea. Writing is The Path of a Thousand Yesses. Yes to the seed of an idea. Yes to learning. Yes to showing up. Yes to setting time aside to write. It all adds up.
There is so much good news here!
When you say YES to writing. . . .
You'll feel more energized and alive.
"I'm finally doing it!"
You let go of the illusion of 'finding' the right time.
You no longer dwell on, 'Why me? Who cares? What's the point?'
You will ask yourself, 'Who will I become if I pursue this?'
You don't need to know everything about your book up front. . .
....you will pick up creative ideas, clues, insights, and learn new skills along the way.
THIS IS YOUR MOMENT. ​
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Over a period of four months, I'll help you bring your skills, ideas, talent, and inner treasures into the memoir only YOU can write. ​
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So whether you've started a million times, or your book is a big fat mess, or you haven't written a single word, this is where you go from feeling frustrated to planning your book-launch party.
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Translation: you (and your book ) will love it here.
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Plus, every creative idea you receive is a gift, and spending time with that gift is too life-altering, too beautiful, and too magic-generating to be put on hold.
Pssst, what gets in the way of writing? ​
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Oh geez! So many things! ​Feeling like your book idea is too small, too stupid, too vague, to complicated, plus you don't know the ending.
No system in place to organise creative ideas. Overthinking.
Nitpicking everything to death.​ Being so concerned about the outcome of the book that the writing part never happens. ​
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And. . . ping-ponging between wanting to write and actively avoiding anything to do with writing.
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Plus, writers of personal stories and non-fiction also have questions like: ​
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- How do I write about other people without offending them or making them ill at ease?
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- Will I be able to do this story justice?
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-Wondering how much to share. Will people think I'm a lunatic? ​
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( Not to mention, a lot of female writers feel (unconsciously) that their book needs to be helpful and wise, and at the same time not feeling profound or good enough to write such a book. . To you I want to say: you don't need to put wisdom-frosting on your book. Telling your story is enough.)
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All of the above has a funny way of turning into: ​
Taking one step forward and five thousand steps back. ​​Eating all the chocolate. Waiting for inspiration to drag you out of stagnation, like the last helicopter out of Saigon.
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It's easy to get discouraged and run in the opposite direction.
I get it. Same here.
After watching countless writers struggle to give their book the time and the energy it needs and deserves - and after overcoming oh-so-many obstacles myself - I'm excited to show you a different approach. ​
A 'breath of fresh air' approach to writing. ​​
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BLOOM is a dream come true for budding writers who:
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Are ready for an approach to writing that is powerful, practical, and entertaining —instead of feeling you have to become more author-esque, or 'write through the pain' (oh boy).
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Like the notion that writing is something you get to practice and become better at over time, like learning how to play an instrument.
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Want to get into the habit of showing up consistently for your book, even if you don't know what that looks like right now. ​
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Love the idea of blending the ultra practical (like learning robust writing and editing tools) with spending time in the invisible realm (where creativity, wisdom, insights, and inspiration live).
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​​​And of course, everything is better when you do it IN GOOD COMPANY, sooooooooo . . .
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I'm THRILLED to invite you to this 4-month writing extravaganza.The ripple-effects will be TO DIE FOR.
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A brief introduction.
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Hi! I'm Inger. So glad you're here!
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When I was in my early twenties, one of my Buddhist teachers told me, "Inger-la, you have to develop a mind that works for you, not against you." That sentence changed my life.
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So did the sentence: create more than you consume.
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Now I'm passionate about helping people like you develop a mind that makes it fun, rewarding, and doable to write and get your stories down on paper.
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I have published two books (memoirs) and have two others in the works. I'm known for creating page-turning strategies and structures, but my biggest gift is to help you see and take advantage of all the things (treasures) that are already working in your favour. You have more talent, relevant experiences, and resources than you think. ​
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That is a fact. ​
(All writers need a strategy for saving their work. This is a photo of me after locating a writing file I thought was lost forever. . . . four months of work down the drain. . . almost.)
Get in the Creative Zone
​To bubble all of your ideas, skills, creativity, and stories to the surface in the best possible way, there are two parts to this program.
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PART ONE: We'll start strong with a four-week intensive where you will create the perfect outer and inner environment for your memoir. Excuses melt away as you highlight everything that works in your favour.
PART TWO: Next, prepare yourself for a three-month deep dive. You'll write, write and write, show up for your book in a way that works for you + you'll allow yourself to have FUN along the way.
This process works. This is where you to go from feeling frustrated to thinking, 'Wow! There is an actual book here!"
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All the practicalities (overview)
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This program will run from November 13th to March 16th.​
Price: 595 pounds/ approx 750 dollars
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Here you will write the first draft of your memoir, and I will be with you every step of the way.
Your memoir can be a collection of short stories.
A tiny book.
An epic three-part saga.
Only include random snippet of your life.
Span decades.
Include family history.
Anything goes.
Bye, bye, writer's block. Hello, jumping into the creative flow and write your book with the life you have right now.
PART ONE | HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING
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On November 13th we'll gather for a Lay of the Land session.
Then, over the following four weeks, we'll hit the ground running with weekly Zoom calls that will take place on November 17th, November 24th, December 1st and and December 8th.
The calls will start at noon Central Time/6 PM UK time and last for 60 minutes. If you can't be there live, we'll send you the recordings the very next day. In between calls we'll stay in touch and cheer you on in our Facebook group.
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FROM DECEMBER 9TH -JANUARY 4TH WE'LL BREAK FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON. YOU WILL KEEP WRITING, BUT THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES TO KEEP UP WITH.
WORD ON THE STREET.
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"Say yes to everything Inger offers! She is fabulous!"
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"If Nora Ephron and David Sedaris had a love child, it would be Inger Kenobi. She's a brilliant writer."
PART TWO | DIGGING DEEP
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You'll be excited to know that for the next three months, we'll dive deep and shift gears into monthly Zoom calls that will take place on January 5th. February 9th, and March 9th.
The calls will start at noon Central Time/ (USA) and last 60 minutes. If you can't make it to the live sessions, we'll send you the recordings the next day. We'll also stay connected in our FB group.
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In short, during these months we'll focus on writing, writing, writing. Did I mention all the writing? By now you have your writing nook, your journals, your hand-crafted routine, your tools, and your supportive community. It's time to really go for it.
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And! Since I know how powerful it is to come together and write, I'll host pop-up writing sessions where we will get together on Zoom and just. . . . write. There will also be 'office hours' sessions where you can ask questions and learn new tools. I will announce the dates well ahead of time so you can fold them into your schedule. I will take into account people's different time zones and schedule accordingly.
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WAIT! DID ANYONE SAY WRAP PARTY?
On March 16th well have a Zoom WRAP PARTY AND CELEBRATE ALL THE THINGS YOU'VE DONE. You will have grown so-so much, guaranteed. You will have sweated through the messy middle. You will have wanted to give up. You kept going. You've become a lot kinder to yourself. Writing is now a natural part of your life. Imagine that! And here we are! Here YOU are. Just wow.
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Helpful timeline for you visual people
November 13th: Lay of the land session. Welcome! Meet your fellow writers.
. Part One: Four weekly sessions starting November 17th and ending December 8th.
Holiday break. No classes between December 15th and January 4th.
Part two. Monthly sessions starting from January 6th to March 9th.
March 16th: Zoom Wrap Party. Time to Celebrate!
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Praise from other creative programs:
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"This is some next level shit."
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"I would go to the opening of a head wound if Inger was in charge."
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"I endorse this workshop. My memoir is now published!"​
"This group has been a turning point for me."
"As soon as I entered the session I felt fresh. The fun, the excitement, and the freshness of connecting with the creative forces, it all came back to me."
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"I'm LOVING the memoir storytelling fest. I spent over an hour on my chapter. You are an alchemist!."
"I'm starting to write my story! It wants to be told."
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"That was SO great! I learned a lot. LOVING the process!!!!!"
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"Thank you, as always your workshops are such super fun."
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"I'm beyond excited about this workshop. You always make everything so fresh and fun!"
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"Your workshop has freed up endless possibilities for me! Thank you!"
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with the dates taken care of, here is an overview of some of the:
SUPER USEFUL WRITING TOOLS YOU'LL LEARN
Listening
Writing becomes a whole lot easier when you learn to listen to (and trust) your most interesting ideas, instead of your worries and all the thoughts that have you second-guessing yourself.
Structuring
Structuring your memoir around a theme (we'll find it together) will shave months off your progress. It will put an end to questions like: what stories to include, who is your audience, and what's the tone of the book?
Creating:
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-A writing space that feels like a warm hug.
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-A writing routine you want to show up for.
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- A system for capturing and running with insights and fresh ideas.
During our sessions, you'll also (finally!) learn:
How to keep going when everything feels like a big fat mess.
How to avoid over-editing along the way.
How to figure out who you're writing this for (and why it makes a HUGE difference.)
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We will also look at:
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Hollywood script-writing tools that fits the memoir format like a glove.
What it means to 'steal like an artist' (this one is a life-saver when you feel stuck and flat.)
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How to pull creativity out of thin air (easier than you think.)
Why spending time in nature will fuel your progress.
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And. . . how to plan when you can only see three steps ahead of you.
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Last but not least: how to TEAM UP with your book.
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+ so much more! ​
In conclusion: this is where writing becomes a no-brainer.
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OMG! I am so ready for this!​
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Good! Because you're about to make your inner author insanely happy. ​
​​​Our first Zoom call will take place on November13th, and the last one on March 16th.
9 calls in total.
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If you can't be there live every time, no worries. I'll email you the recording.
Also, we'll have our own Facebook Group.
But the power of this program is linked to neither Zoom nor Facebook. This is all about listening to the voice that says, 'It's time to write.' It's about doing it just because you want to. It's also about feeling less alone and being in a setting where working on your memoir feels as natural as breathing.
And above all, it's about shaking things up a bit and really going for it.
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Come! Alone we get distracted and discouraged.
Together it's easy to keep going + it's more fun to team up with fellow writers.
Writers are the best!
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It doesn’t matter if your book lives in your head or you’ve already started.
Either way, you'll get something out of this program.
Everything you learn here will be useful.
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Register below.
FEEL FRESH AND GROUNDED. DROP OVERWHELM. WORK ON YOUR MEMOIR CONSISTENTLY FOR FOUR MONTHS.
A smart and refreshing approach to writing.
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Creative tools and strategies that will help you scoop up the magical energy that will get your memoir out of your head and down on the page. ​
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A private Facebook group where you'll find inspiration and make new friends.
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Exclusive access to our live Zoom sessions.
Support, playing with creative forces, and writing-all rolled into one.
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Translation: you will love it here!
595 pounds/approx 760 dollars
This program is non-refundable, so please invest with intention and enthusiasm.
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But wait! What if I want private coaching during this program?
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Glad you asked! For 400 dollars more you get two 60-min sessions with me. ​
What's NOT included + Some common questions
​​​In the history of writing, people have written books as a hobby, as a calling, as part of their healing journey, out of desperation, and just for fun.
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Had these people started out being overly worried about things like spelling, grammar, not being a good writer in the 5th grade, and not having anything original to say, a fair amount of nothing would have happened. This is why the following will NOT be included in this program:
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- I will not edit, read, or critique your work, but you can ask questions about your book in our sessions.
- I will not ask you to share your work with the other people in the group, unless you want to.
- I will not have you read anyone else's work.
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This program is all about getting you from 'Once upon a time' to 'THE END'. After you've reached that magnificent milestone, you can seek out all the editors, proofreaders, and beta-readers you want. Or not! Up to you.
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And in case you were wondering, you won't have to fill out a gazillion workbooks or watch pre-recorded videos. Finding time to write is challenging enough. This is why ALL writing tools and exercises are designed to be directly applied to your book, not fluffy-good-for-nothing writing exercises.
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WILL THE MEMOIR SCHOOL MAKE ME A BETTER WRITER?
Yes and yes. But it's not my main focus. Here is why:
. . . when you learn to show up for your writing day after day, week after week, month after month, you'll become a better writer. You just do. It will feel absolutely magical, but it's actually quite logical. When you do something repeatedly, progress is inevitable.
WHAT WILL I LEARN AGAIN?
💡How to create time for your writing with the life you have right now
💡How to structure your memoir
💡 How to avoid the most common writing traps all budding memoirists fall into
💡 How to melt away writer's block
💡 How to talk with your book (yes, that is a thing)
💡 Tools and tricks for when your writing feels like a big pile of shit.
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In short: you will learn how to create a writing journey that draws you in like a red carpet event, so that you can write the first draft. . . .
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HOW MUCH TIME WITH THIS REQUIRE OF ME?
Direction is more important than speed, and quality is more important than quality. . . but I do recommend setting aside SOME time for writing every single day. I like to play with flexible times, like: minimum 5 minutes and maximum 10 hours.
Hint: it's better to start small, gain momentum, and increase the time over time.
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WHY ARE WE TAKING A HOLIDAY BREAK?
This break will accomplish two things.
1. Not doing holiday prep/traveling/wrapping up the year while trying to stay on top of classes. Aka: not feeling behind and stressed out.
2. Letting what you've learned so far sink in and percolate, so you can return in January with fresh energy and creativity.
Will you be allowed to write in this period? Of course! Yes! Sneaking in 10-20 minutes here and there is highly recommended. During this 'break' we'll stay connected in the FB group and via email. All emails go directly to me, so don't be shy. ​​​​​
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HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOINED YOUR PROGRAMS PUBLISHED THEIR BOOKS?
Yes! You can read Kim's book here, Devon's book here, Heather's here, and Niki's book here, and Mary's memoir here. just to mention a few. And while I could go on and on about these books, I want to focus on my friend John Ivey's writing. The year before he died, I helped him set up a blog so he could write down his personal stories. He published his last story two days before he died. To this day, I'm so grateful for this experience, for his stories, and for being part of his creative journey.
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That's the rewarding part. The journey. You'll see.
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WILL SHINE MEMBERS GET A DISCOUNT?
Yes, SHINE members will get 200 pounds off the regular price (395 pounds instead of 595).
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WILL YOU BE OFFERING ANY OTHER KIND OF SCHOLARSHIP OR DISCOUNTS?
Sangha members (you know who you are) get the same deal as SHINE members.
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To claim your discount code, email me at hello@ingerkenobi.com
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Ode to the memoir. . .
In case you hadn't noticed, the memoir format is FANTASTIC. You don't have to make anything up. You don't have to worry about world-building. It also doesn't have to be a big epic production starting with your birth and droning on and on and on. . .
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It can be funny and deeply moving, like David Sedaris' books.
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It can focus on only one year of your life, like Cheryl Strayed's Wild.
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It can be camouflaged as fiction, like Nora Ephron's Heartburn.
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It can be both spiritual and playful, like all of Anne Lamott's books.
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It can weave together two seemingly unrelated events, like theft and suicide, as in Sloane Crosley's book Grief is for People.​