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You want to share your truth. You also want to avoid hurting parents, children, exes—or being further hurt by them.

How can memoirists handle the paradox? The more broadly your story spreads, the more people your words help … the more likely it is that your book will be seen by someone who is hurt by what you wrote. Putting other people in your memoir and revealing their bad behavior can threaten your relationships and stress you out. Revealing your own bad behavior can be just as challenging—how can you truly show what happened without making everyone hate you when they find out?

Your story matters, and you get to write it the way you remember. But you can take steps throughout your writing and publishing process to minimize fallout and family strife. In this 90-minute live webinar, taught by Allison K Williams, you’ll learn tools and skills for sharing your truth on the page without retraumatizing yourself as you write. Discover the counter-intuitive interview style that gets you closer to the truth and uncovers insight for your pages, even with prickly or estranged relationships.

We’ll cover key strategies for avoiding legal action and hurting feelings while writing truthful characters and scenes. And you’ll discover how to navigate real-life relationships with tact and confidence while feeling good about bringing your words into the world.

This workshop will cover:

• What to do when your mom/sibling/child “forbids” you to write about them
• Defining your own ethical practices for privacy and safety without compromising your creative flow
• Identifying who in your life needs advance notice—and how “giving awareness” is different from “seeking approval”
• 5 strategies for telling the bitter truth on the page without ruining fragile relationships
• When and how to disguise medical professionals, fellow patients, notable people and your own family
• Actual legal issues to consider versus amorphous fears of “being sued”
• What makes a protective and useful disclaimer for your book (including sample disclaimers to copy and adapt!)
• How to build audience and platform for controversial and/or very personal topics
• Dealing with social media trolls (and sure-fire scripts for deflecting real-life busybodies!)

Who should take this class

• Writers who want to honor their family’s privacy and their personal boundaries while telling important truths
• Writers ready to burn it down (but who don’t want to look like an a-hole in their own book)
• Book coaches and editors working with timid memoirists
• Memoirists who want to finish their book, but fear or reluctance is blocking their creative power
• Essayists working towards a unified collection, or pitching personal essays with privacy concerns
• Writers approaching the submissions process and nervous about family reactions to their published work
• Authors worried about online comments while building platform and publishing in commercial media
• Creative writing students and MFA graduates who need more specific guidance on how to tell their own story with maturity in their writing

Note: Allison has presented in this class several times with us, most recently in 2023. The substance of the presentation has not fundamentally changed, so anyone who attended in the past will not necessarily gain new understanding from this iteration.

What you’ll receive

How do I attend the live class?

This class uses Zoom webinar technology (see system requirements). You will join through your Internet-connected computer or mobile device. When you register, you will receive information via email on how to join the class. If you don’t receive it within 1 hour of registering, please contact us.

• When: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
• Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time / 10:00 a.m. Pacific
• Fee: $25 through April 5, 2026 / $35 if you register after April 5, 2026

The webinar is broadcasted via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer or mobile device speakers. The visual presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

Closed captions are provided during the live class. We use Zoom’s automated closed caption service, which is about 80%+ accurate. We use ElevenLabs to generate a lightly edited transcript, provided with the recording.

Refund policy

If you attend the live class and/or watch the recording, and it does not meet your expectations, contact us for a full refund, no questions asked.

Testimonials

Event Attendance & Anti-Harassment Policy

We strive to provide an environment where all present—whether attendee, presenter, or staff—can feel supported. In order to ensure a welcoming event, here is what we expect from all who participate.

• That the presenter and the presenter’s work be treated with respect by attendees and that all attendees treat each other with respect and a generosity of spirit.
• That attendees will refrain from harassment of any sort including (but not limited to) comments or questions of a racist, homophobic, sexist/sexual, or threatening nature. This includes actions that disrupt or interfere with anyone’s ability to participate. Offenders will be disconnected from the live event.