TRUE STORY:
Memoir
Re-imagined

with Valley Haggard

April 13 - June 29 2026

Mondays 6-8PM EST

—LIVE ON ZOOM—

Intimate group (max 6 participants)
—No class Monday, May 25—

Book a free 20-minute discovery call to find out more!

A Different Way Into Memoir

True Story: Memoir Re-imagined is a safe and sacred space to begin, continue or reimagine your memoir. Diverging from the traditional memoir path, we will excavate and embrace our writing, our stories, and our lives from a transformational perspective. 

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Focusing on the process rather than the product, we will play with form and allow the structure of our stories to reveal themselves in an organic narrative that feels aligned with our unique writing styles rather than trying to mold our lives into rigid and traditional narrative arcs. 

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Delving into prompts that explore our ancestry, our creation stories, the archetypes we’ve embodied, the casts of characters in our lives, our personal plot twists, recurring patterns and themes, our dreams and our shadows, we will embrace meaning, myth, and mystery rather than polished or perfect products. 

True Story: Memoir Re-imagined is for people who feel called to write their stories in a supportive, nonjudgemental, strength based environment free of critique, pressure, homework, or performance anxiety added to already-full lives. Instead of chasing a finished product, we create a safe, trauma-informed, creatively generative space where the story can unfold in its own time.

You can repeat this course more than once. Each round reveals something new.

Just imagine…

Over 12 weeks, in an intimate group of writers offering each other support, positive feedback, and accountability, we'll weave together the disparate stories of your life into a meaningful and cohesive whole. While incorporating trauma informed, practical craft instruction and intuitive guidance into your writing practice you'll receive validation and support for your most vulnerable experiences in a safe and sacred space.

This Course Is For You If…

  • You feel the pull to write your life, but the idea of “finishing a memoir” feels overwhelming

  • You want structure without stress

  • You are navigating grief, recovery, transition, illness, identity shifts, or reinvention

  • You want writing to be supportive, not depleting

  • You long for creative community that is kind, honest, and non-competitive

  • You want your writing practice to care for you, not cost you

You do not need:

  • A clear plan

  • A publishing goal

  • Homework time

  • Confidence in your writing

You do need:

  • Willingness

  • Curiosity

  • Gentleness toward yourself

What We’ll Do Together

Over 12 weeks, we’ll explore memoir as a living practice, not a product.

Each session includes:

  • Arrival + grounding

  • A short contemplative or embodiment practice

  • Guided writing (multiple timed writes)

  • Optional sharing (always invitational)

  • Gentle integration and closing

Themes include:

  • Intention setting

  • Ancestral lineage

  • Birth + creation stories

  • Personal timelines

  • Plotpoints + plot twists

  • Maps and blueprints

  • Scene creation

  • Characters + archetypes

  • Point of view

  • Exploring the senses

  • Writing the body

You’ll leave with:

  • Confidence in your unique voice

  • A new perspective on your lived stories

  • An outline and structure for your memoir

  • A fresh portfolio of original writing

  • Up to the first draft of your manuscript

  • A cache of prompts to further your writing process

  • Writing rituals and energetic tools to further and sustain your practice 

  • An opportunity to connect with accountability partners and a supportive writing community 

  • A lit flame for your Writing Fire

    Optional Add-Ons (Available Separately)

    For those who want additional individual support:

  • 60 minute 1:1 Writing Fire sessions (special course rate $200) Discount_ code available

YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF…..

  • Your story is simultaneously universal, and completely unique to you. Writing the truth about your life is healing and your healing has a ripple effect on the world. There are already a million love stories, coming of age stories, addiction stories and on and on-but we will never stop writing them. The world craves new art made specifically by you.

  • Discipline isn’t rigid structure, it’s remembering what you want. When you make a commitment to yourself while others hold sacred space, the dedication, strength, and commitment needed to follow through appear as if by magic. When you invest time and money in yourself within a structure of accountability, you have fostered the environment in which to realize your wildest dreams.

  • As you release control, judgment, and criticism the truth and story will rise to the surface. As you release control, trust the process, and let go of judgment your subconscious will guide you to write the stories that are most vital, vibrant, and close to your heart.

  • This is an excellent question, but not one you need to ask just yet. This is a SECOND DRAFT question.

    The FIRST DRAFT is for writing the unfiltered truth. FIRST DRAFT writing s raw and real, unedited and uncensored. It is vital that you write your first draft from your right brain, a place of pure creativity. Save your logical left brain reasoning for your second draft when you will make thoughtful decisions, deciding what works best for you.

How is True Story Re-imagined different from other online
memoir-writing workshops?

+Emphasis on the process rather than the product
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+Writing time in class without the stress of homework

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+Live sessions rather than pre-recorded videos

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+An intimate class size + supportive community

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+Personalized guidance + strength-based feedback

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+A model of encouragement rather than critique

About Valley:

The traditional writing workshop critique-based model had left me paralyzed with compare and despair from the patriarchal old-school sense of “how stories should be told.” I was heartbroken about the possibility of losing the art I loved the most.

So, nearly 20 years ago I started teaching the workshops I would want to take. Leading with gentleness, compassion, and strength-based feedback, I allowed craft to take the back-burner while letting the truth led the way. The stories began to spill out.

Since I started teaching, I have borne witness to the transformational journey of hundreds of students, I have helped students publish their books, and I have published 3 books of my own.

When we write within the safety of sacred space and our stories are received with tenderness and compassion, the obstacles in our path slip away. Guided by the wisdom of our right-brain creative subconscious rather than the rigidity of left-brain logic, our stories pour forth, taking on structure and shape in a beautiful and organic way. We mine our lives for memory and experience, gathering the raw ingredients we need to make the full meal.

I am passionate about helping people write their stories, and continuing the ever-evolving journey of writing mine. When we write our memoirs, regardless of the outcome, the process changes us, helping us heal our past so we can arrive more fully in the present and create blueprints for our future.

I would love for you to join me on the adventure ahead.

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As an award winning creative writing teacher, 3-book author, and certified spiritual coach, I am uniquely qualified to guide you on your transformational memoir journey.

Once upon a time, I was desperate to write my own story but had no idea how to start and little faith I could get there. I had little self-discipline but a lot of self-criticism, self-judgment, and shame.

Is True Story the right fit for you? Book a free 20 minute discovery call with me to find out!

Questions? Email: valley@valleyhaggard.com

What’s it like writing with Valley?

  • Valley has such a gift for creating safe, sacred spaces where students can hear their soul speak through the ritual of writing. Her ability to listen and respond with compassion to the words each individual shares is nothing less than healing and therapeutic.

    Kristen

  • Valley is absolutely wonderful & her writing groups are amazing!! I will be taking more of these group sessions & anything I possibly can that Valley offers. I highly encourage anyone to join in, you will be very happy you did!

    Susan

  • A safe loving space with insightful reflection and authentic celebration of the unique writer in all of us!

    Erika

  • I’ve taken several of Valley's workshops and all of them have been inspiring, motivating and life changing. Valley does an amazing job of creating a space that encourages digging deep and sharing in vulnerability. That’s a gift beyond measure.

    Deborah

  • Always the best of hours! I am so grateful for the time given and writing shared and the wonder of this, Valley.

    Mary Jo