The Page & Podium Podcast with Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar

An outline isn’t a boring pre draft chore—it’s the backbone that keeps your memoir from collapsing under the weight of endless pages or endless restarts. In this episode, we dig into why outlining is the most powerful antidote to two of the biggest memoir killers: lack of structure and perpetual puttering. You’ll learn how a solid outline becomes both the spine of your book and the map that keeps you moving forward, no roman numerals required—just a clear understanding of what an outline is for and how it supports your writing momentum.

🔗 You've got the story. You've got the idea. You just don't know the steps in the process. If this is what's holding your memoir back, I have got the solution for you. The memoir method checklist is going to take you through every single step you need from idea to published marketable book. You can download it now at pageandpodium.com/checklist.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

0:00-Intro

6:26 - Working title

8:02 - Topic

9:53 - Message

12:18 - Skeleton outline

13:10 - Chapter Breakdown

21:01 - Getting feedback

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Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

A polished, professional book doesn’t happen by accident, but it doesn’t require a traditional publishing deal, either. As more authors bring their work to market independently, the old assumptions about what counts as “real” publishing are quickly fading. Today’s self published books can match the quality of major houses, and readers are responding with the same loyalty and excitement. In this conversation, we’re exploring the myths that keep writers from considering self publishing and walking through the essential steps to produce a book you can be proud of.

🔗 You've got the story. You've got the idea. You just don't know the steps in the process. If this is what's holding your memoir back, I have got the solution for you. The memoir method checklist is going to take you through every single step you need from idea to published marketable book. You can download it now at pageandpodium.com/checklist.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

0:00-Intro

1:30- Reaching for quality

4:00- Publishing Paths

5:30- Fears about self-publishing

12:10- Research components

17:34- Setting a plan with dates

21:20- Balance cohesion and the details

23:50- Form your own imprint

26:390 Publish across multiple platforms

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- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

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License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

We talk a lot about “gatekeepers” in publishing—agents, editors, critics, readers—but the most powerful one is often the person staring back at you in the mirror. In this episode, we explore how writers unintentionally block their own progress by judging their ideas, their voice, and their worthiness long before anyone else ever sees their work. If you’ve ever felt like you’re standing in your own way, this conversation offers four essential questions to help you recognize and dismantle your inner gatekeeper.

🔗 You've got the story. You've got the idea. You just don't know the steps in the process. If this is what's holding your memoir back, I have got the solution for you. The memoir method checklist is going to take you through every single step you need from idea to published marketable book. You can download it now at pageandpodium.com/checklist.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

0:00-Intro

7:19 - Are you comparing your first draft to someone's polished and published book?

9:43 - What scares you about publishing?

11:55- Are you jealous when others publish?

15:05 - Who will you be when the book is finished?

👉 **Follow Us:**

- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

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License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

Writing a memoir isn’t about waiting for the perfect stretch of free time. It’s about building a writing rhythm that fits your real life. In this episode, we dig into why “write every day” is often unrealistic, why relying on rare big blocks of time keeps you stuck, and how to create a sustainable routine that actually supports finishing your book. If you’ve struggled to stay consistent, this conversation will help you rethink what a writing practice can look like.

🔗 You've got the story. You've got the idea. You just don't know the steps in the process. If this is what's holding your memoir back, I have got the solution for you. The memoir method checklist is going to take you through every single step you need from idea to published marketable book. You can download it now at pageandpodium.com/checklist.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

0:00-Intro

6:45- Connect Writing with something already in your routine

12:43- Don't copy other timetables

15:37- Create a chain effect

19:40- Make a full book plan

22:31- Do not punish yourself

👉 **Follow Us:**

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- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

🎵 Music I Use: Bensound

License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

If you’ve ever stumbled through the question “What’s your memoir about?” you’re not alone. Even though memoir springs from lived experience, you can’t—and shouldn’t—try to fit your whole life into one book. Instead, choosing a clear central topic helps you focus, refine your message, and create a more powerful reading experience. Today’s conversation explores three essential reasons to define your memoir’s topic early and how that clarity transforms your writing process.

Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

2:00- The difference between message and topic

14:17- Topic reins you in

14:06- Topic defines your audience

19:41- Topic helps choose your starting point

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- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

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Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

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Writing a memoir stirs up a whole mix of emotions—excitement, fear, anticipation, and the quiet urge to wait “just a little longer.” Many writers worry about starting too soon, but waiting too long carries its own risks. Memoir is deeply personal, year long work, and stepping into it can feel vulnerable.

In this video, we’re breaking down the four foundational steps that help transform early anxieties into creative momentum. These are the same shifts we see again and again in our group program—where writers discover that once they move past the initial hurdle, the process becomes clearer, steadier, and far less intimidating.

If you’ve been imagining your book but hesitating to begin, this episode will help you understand why those feelings might actually be signs that you’re ready.

Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

1:30- Where the fear of starting comes from

4:30- Tell your story!

9:00- Speak to professionals

14:30- Make a budget for your support

17:30- Establish a support system

👉 **Follow Us:**

- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

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License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

Unlock the craft behind the memoirs you love.

Last week, we explored why reading like a writer matters: how it sharpens your instincts, deepens your craft, and reveals the invisible architecture that makes a story work. This week, we’re going behind the curtain. Whether you’re drafting your first chapter or revising a full manuscript, reading like a writer is your most reliable training ground. We'll explore how you can shift the way you read to analyze what you love--and don't love--about what you read and apply that to your own writing.

Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

3:00-Decisions

4:00- There is no "right" way

6:00- Examining structure

9:00- Using reverse outlines

14:25- Considering yourself as an audience

15:15- Recognizing show versus tell

16:30- Understanding scene versus exposition

21:30- Reading for details and style

23:00- Guessing at the author's why

👉 **Follow Us:**

- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

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Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

If you’re writing a memoir, here’s something essential to remember: you can’t write well if you’re not also reading well. And I don’t mean reading more — I mean reading with intention. Reading with your writer brain awake.

It’s easy to fall into a book and assume it arrived in the world fully formed, but every memoir you love is the product of choices, structure, and revision. When you read like a writer, you start to see the scaffolding behind the story: how tension is built, how timelines are woven, how meaning is revealed without ever being spelled out.

Over the next two weeks, we’re diving into why this practice matters so much for memoirists and how to use it to strengthen your own manuscript. No matter where you are in your draft, learning to read like a writer will change the way you write.

Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

1:30- Why we read

3:00- News about our book club

4:00- How reading like a writer is different

7:30- Reading won't stifle your unique voice

10:00- Reading doesn't take away time from writing

13:20-- Identifying writer's choices

15:07- Trust yourself

👉 **Follow Us:**

- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

🎵 Music I Use: Bensound

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Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

The New Year always brings a wave of reflection and big promises — and 2026 is no exception. If writing (or finally finishing) your memoir is on your heart this year, you’re not alone. The trouble is, most of us focus so much on the distant finish line that we burn out before we ever build momentum. In this video, I’m breaking down five simple, repeatable habits that will help you make real, steady progress — and finally finish your book in 2026.

Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

3:14--First Habit: Block off writing time

8:50--Second Habit: Read other memoirs

13:23-- Third Habit: Think about journaling practice

16:59-- Fourth Habit: Plan your next writing session before ending one

19:38-- Fifth Habit: Talk about your book

👉 **Follow Us:**

- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

🎵 Music I Use: Bensound

License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal

For our last video and podcast of 2025, we are reflecting on the biggest mistakes we've seen (and made) over this year, often over and over again. These aren't mistakes like putting a comma before every "and" regardless of whether there's a second clause, but the kind of mistake that drags down your progress, gets your whole project off track, or just sucks the fun out of writing itself.

Watch now to avoid carrying these six mistakes into 2026!

Part of the process of becoming a writer is learning how to read like a writer--to see the bones of structure and past the words to what choices the author is making and why they are (or aren't) working in the interest of the story. That's why Page and Podium is excited to announce our upcoming new Memoir Method Book Club, where each month we will be reading and examining a memoir with a writer's eye to learn more about what we can apply (or avoid) in our own work.

📅 New videos every Tuesday - subscribe and never miss an update!

Timestamps:

0:00-Intro

4:51 First mistake: Rushing

9:10 Second mistake: Clinging to what you've already written

15:15 Third mistake: Getting stuck on right vs wrong

19:19 Fourth mistake: Not trusting your intuition

23:12 Fifth mistake: Getting stuck in your audience's head

27:37 Final mistake: Not celebrating all your wins

👉 **Follow Us:**

- **LinkedIn:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.linkedin.com/company/page-and-podium-press/)

- **Facebook:** [Page and Podium Press](https://www.facebook.com/pageandpodiumpress)

- **Instagram:** [@pageandpodiumpress](https://www.instagram.com/pageandpodiumpress/)

🎵 Music I Use: Bensound

License code: FZ3LM4DGUTQYKAES

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more writing tips and strategies. See you next Tuesday!

Hashtags: #WritingTips #FirstTimeAuthors #ManuscriptRevision #BookWriting #AuthorAdvice #PageAndPodiumPress #memoirwriting #memoir #journal