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Valerie Ihsan, Story Analyst and Author Coach specializing in Memoir.

I've been working in this field, helping authors, for seventeen years. My favorite thing to do for writers is a story analysis, and I love coaching. I run a small writing retreat every summer in Oregon, and I podcast with author Erick Mertz on the Writer Craft Podcast.

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Last day to use the discounts, get the bonuses, and fulfill your dreams.

This is it! I don't want you to be disappointed you didn't utilize the sale prices and get all the awesome bonuses. They're pretty amazing, and the discounts are the highest they've ever been. Last 24 hours and the prices go back up. Click here for all the Black Friday Deal details Aligned Author -- Dream big, finish your book, and intuitively work in alignment with your values and core-desired feelings. 4 months 1:1 weekly book coaching: Now $1472 ($750 off), plus 3 bonus video trainings,...

Click here to browse the Black Friday Sales. Only two days left to participate. Click here What Superpower Do You Want? Lately I have be attempting to simulate those superpowers that my neuro-divergent spouse has. The ones that involve focusing on one thing for hours and blocking all distractions out. I can't do that. It's not just noise that distracts me. It's the obligatory distractions that slay me. It's not the tippy-tippy tap of Radar's feet that bothers me. It's the "If I can hear them,...

You guys. I've never done this before. It's a Black Friday deal. I never thought to do it. Honestly. But these are for real the coolest deals I've ever made. I made a special webpage that highlights the THREE services on sale this week. Go check it out. Sale ends on Cyber Monday. That's only one week. I won't make this email long, but go check out the amazing crazy sale prices on: Aligned Author 1:1 Book Coaching (Only 8 slots available!) $750 off! Focus and Finish Group Coaching (I haven't...

The special live rate (and this REPLAY video) from last night’s masterclass expires Friday, October 10 at 11:59 pm PT. Where Ego Meets Soul—final hours for live pricing For the next 24 hours, you can join Aligned Author, my 1:1 coaching container for soul-led experts, at the special live masterclass pricing. The rate expires Friday, October 10 at 11:59 pm PT. What is Aligned Author? How we work (structure + spirit): 60–90 min strategy immersion to clarify your core message and story...

Writing a life story that isn’t linear? Join me, Valerie Ihsan, for The Alchemy of Memory: Writing the Hybrid Memoir—a free masterclass on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Learn to braid personal narrative with research, family history, and big ideas—plus a brief meditation to meet the heart of your story. Save your seat at valerieihsan.com/hybrid. Upcoming Free Event Hi Writers and Crafters, If a traditional memoir doesn’t feel like the right shape for your story, you might be writing a...

I first bought a lot of land in a Costa Rican jungle eco-village with my then-husband sixteen years ago for Reasons--some of which no longer apply. As a harried young mother, I wanted more community, companionship, and time spent together with our little family. Even more, (even sixteen years ago), (even as a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces), I felt little connection to my country of birth. Especially after watching Michael Moore's Sicko in 2007, eighteen years ago. Especially now, with the...

I felt compelled to come on here and tell you about this soul-felt clarity that I just experienced in my meditation this morning. I’ve been wanting to breathe some element of healing back into my service to my clients. I used to be a massage therapist and a Reiki practitioner, and I felt such peace and fulfillment and soul connection when I worked with my clients. I was always grounded before I began my work and I created a sacred space for each client, so that we could co-create their...

Dear friends and fans, I've been absent for two years. Much has happened, and not all of it ...comfortable. (I was going to say "good." Not all of it was good. But I'm trying to find the good in everything these days.) This will take a couple of minutes to read, but I hope you will. It would mean a lot to me. On the cusp of publishing my last book (March 2023), I quit my job at the bookstore to write full time and edit manuscripts for clients. The change in jobs, the hard push of publication...

Hello my friends, I wanted to let you all know about a new video series that I'm running on Patreon, starting next week. https://patreon.com/valerieihsan It's called EMBODY, and it's all about living a more fit and intuitive life. My personal goals for this project: lose weight, gain strength, balance, and flexibility. To feel connected to spirit, expanding my intuitive practice with tarot and oracle cards, with channeling through automatic writing, seeing signs in the universe, like...

Writer Craft Writing Retreat and Workshop Hello Writers! The retreat is coming up in just two weeks. We still have a few three-day tickets left, and there are Day Passes, as well. You can get the final details HERE, and buy the tickets HERE. One last announcement: In case you were on the fence about coming to the retreat, I've decided I will not be hosting one next year. Our Costa Rica move is finally slated to happen next year, and I'll be focused on coordinating that. (It sounds like a...