Memoir isn’t your whole life story — it’s the story about something. That “something” is your theme, and it’s what transforms a personal collection of memories into a powerful, cohesive narrative.

In this episode, Jess walks listeners through the process of uncovering the deeper meaning behind their stories. Without a clear theme, memoirs can feel like rambling diaries. With one, they gain emotional focus, resonance, and purpose — both for the reader and the writer.

Jess reminds us: It’s not about what happened, but how you feel about what happened, and what you’ve learned from it.

Mentions & Opportunities:

• Brave the Page: How Writing Our Hard Stories Brings Healing and Wholeness by Megan Febuary
• Rising Above: Our Journey to Wholeness after Breast Cancer by Gillian Lichota and other authors — available October 23. Support these incredible women by buying the ebook for just $0.99 and gifting the paperback to a friend.
• Jess’s new book How to Survive Survival: A Guide to Turning Life’s Hardest Moments into Meaningful Contribution launches October 29. Want a free PDF now? Just promise to buy the $0.99 ebook on launch day and leave a 5-star review!
• Submissions are open for the next anthology project, I’m Still Here, beginning May 2026, with publication in January 2027.
• Join Jess in Piemonte, Italy for a 5-day international writing retreat in September 2026 — including daily writing instruction, feedback sessions, and unforgettable excursions.

Finally, if this episode helped you, please take a moment to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps this work reach those who need it most.

This podcast is hosted by Jessica Buchanan, a NYT Bestselling author, speaker, survivor and founder of Soul Speak Press. Soul Speak Press is a boutique non-traditional publishing company focused on publishing stories from women who have been through something, now they know something, and can teach us something.

Learn more about Jessica's first book: Impossible Odds: The Kidnapping of Jessica Buchanan and Her Dramatic Rescue by SEAL Team Six

Learn more about the Deserts to Mountaintops Anthologies. If you're interested in hearing interviews with our Soul Speak Press authors, check out the Deserts to Mountaintops Podcast.