The Memoir Diagnostic

Service Description

You’ve written the pages. Now you need to know if they’re working. Maybe you have 25 pages. Maybe you have 250. You know the story matters, but you’re too close to the material to see what’s taking shape on the page. What is this memoir really about? Where does the writing come alive? What’s pulling the reader forward—and where does the story lose momentum? What should you develop, rethink, or let go? The Memoir Diagnostic is an intensive, one-time consultation designed to help you step outside your own pages and see your book more clearly. Before we meet, you’ll send me up to 25 double-spaced pages, a brief overview of your memoir, and a short questionnaire about your goals and where you’re feeling stuck. I’ll read your work closely, paying particular attention to: • The deeper story beneath the events themselves • Narrative tension and momentum • Structure, scope, and focus • Where the manuscript comes alive—and where it stalls • The balance between scene, reflection, and exposition • Patterns, questions, or ideas that could give the book deeper shape • Your most important priorities for revision You’ll receive a personalized written diagnostic memo, followed by a 60-minute private Zoom consultation to discuss your pages, ask questions, and identify a clear path forward. This is not a copyedit or line-by-line critique. We’re zooming out to answer the bigger questions: What book are you writing? What’s keeping it from becoming that book? And what should you do next? I’m Abby Maslin, Washington Post bestselling author of Love You Hard (Dutton Books) and a longtime educator who has spent more than 15 years helping writers find the story they’re trying to tell—and the tools to tell it well. $395 | Up to 25 pages + written diagnostic + 60-minute Zoom After booking, we'll meet for a brief 15-minute welcome call to discuss your goals, answer any initial questions, and make a plan for scheduling and getting the most out of our work together.