Your story has the power
to disrupt the world

People gather around a white wooden table with a large bowl filled with colorful rose petals, with some petals scattered on the table. Two small cups and a glass pitcher are also on the table.
A person with tattoos on their arms is sitting on the floor, holding a mug of tea and an open book, surrounded by a wicker tray with white roses, a candle, stones, crystals, an orange flower, and tarot cards, on a beige fabric surface.
Seven women gathered outdoors in a garden with orange trees, smiling and socializing, some holding mugs.

Rise Courses

Rise Courses are a series of in-person and virtual workshops that guide you on the path to publishing, helping you to take your story to the shelf. Each retreat is structured to help you wherever you are along the path.

Red circular overlay on a photo of knitting supplies and people in cozy sweaters, promoting a five-month group coaching program called 'Five Months to Memoir' focused on finding, telling, and selling your story.

A gentle approach to sharing your story, Five Months to Memoir guides you through the process of writing the first draft of your memoir.

Over the course of five months, we will go through the craft, the community, the challenges, and the true joy of finally sharing your truths. We will work through developing your themes, tactics, and writing techniques to create a story which not only shares your intimate truths but which entertains and inspires your readers. Course includes nine 2-hour group sessions, which are held on Zoom bi-weekly, and three 30-minute private sessions with New York Times bestselling editor and bestselling author Kristen McGuiness.

Five Months to Memoir is more than just a retreat or a course, it is about building a relationship with your book, helping you to create the story you need to write - and a book that the world needs to read.

Next workshop begins on Sunday, September 21, 2025.

    • You've been wanting to write the story of your life but you don't know where to start...

    • You have always known you wanted to write a memoir but were afraid to do it...

    • You know what your story is but don't know how to tell it.

    • A total of 9 bi-weekly Zoom sessions and 3 private sessions with your book coach to help you develop, write, and share your story.

    • Classes will be held every other week on Sunday, from 10:00am-12:00pm PST/1:00pm-3:00pm EST.

    • Classes are recorded and private sessions are offered between live workshops.

    $1499

Decorative wooden shelf with potted plant, books, candles, and small statues in a cozy interior.

Upcoming Workshop

Five Months to Memoir - Group Course with Two Private Sessions
$1,499.00
One time
$329.00
For 5 months

In this five-month course, we will work through the building blocks of developing and writing your memoir. Five Months to Memoir begins on Sunday, September 21st and goes through January 11th. Sessions are from 10:00am-12:00pm PST every other week with a total of nine bi-weekly Zoom sessions and three 30-minute private sessions with your book coach to help you develop, write, and share your story. Classes are recorded and private sessions are offered between live workshops.

Five Months to Memoir - Enhanced Hour-Long Private Coaching
$2,499.00
One time
$549.00
For 5 months

Upgrade for more private coaching and five one-on-one hour-long sessions with NYT-bestselling editor and LA Times bestselling author Kristen McGuiness. Five Months to Memoir begins on Sunday, September 21st and goes through January 11th. Sessions are from 10:00am-12:00pm PST every other week with a total of 9 bi-weekly Zoom sessions to help you develop, write, and share your story. Classes are recorded and private sessions are offered between live workshops.

Book titled 'Five Days to Celebrated Author' displayed on a shelf, with decorative items and a candle nearby.

Are you tired of dreaming of being a writer but are now ready to become one?

Do you wonder about self-publishing, indie-publishing, or even where to begin—let alone what kind of book you want to write? Do you have a lot of questions but aren’t sure where to find the answers? Five Days to Celebrated Author is a self-paced deep dive for those who are ready to start on the path to publishing.

Because we have all been there. We have had the great idea, the brilliant inspiration, the dream of being a published author. This is a self-guided course with five-taped modules, multiple worksheets, prompts and resource. Five Days to Celebrated Author will get you started on your path to publishing, but more than that, it will show you how to fulfill your creative dreams.

Whether you’re looking to write fiction, nonfiction, memoir, or poetry, Five Days to Celebrated Author is really about understanding who you are as a writer, and who you can become as an author.

    • If you have a book idea but don’t know how to write it - yet alone publish it.

    • If you’ve been working on a book for a while but are unsure of how to get it done and out there.

    • If you’ve finished your book and are ready to get it published but don’t know what to do next.

  • ✓ Self-guided - Five taped modules to help you develop your content, credentials, and creativity.

    ✓ Interactive - Resources, worksheets, and prompts.

    ✓ Strategic - Guides on Substack, AI, and pitching practice.

    ✓ Insider - Includes query letter samples, chapter trackers, and pitching lists.

    Cost: $39.99

Five Days to Celebrated Author (Self-Paced)
$39.99
One time

Book proposal guide titled 'Five Weeks to Book Proposal' on a wooden desk with a notebook and pen, surrounded by books and plants.

Five Weeks to Book Proposal shares the basics of writing a book proposal—but also, what it takes to become a published author.

Are you ready to write your non-fiction book proposal? Have you begun to build a platform but aren’t sure which direction you want your writing career to go? Do you have an idea for a book but need help organizing your content?

Awesome. Five Weeks to Book Proposal is here to lead you through the intimidating process of taking your amazing ideas, story, and energy, and turning it into a traditional book proposal that you can use to sell your story. But this retreat isn’t just about the proposal, it is about the blueprint for your life as a published author.

Through five weekly Zoom sessions, and one private session with bestselling author and NYT-bestselling editor Kristen McGuiness, we will help you develop, write, and query your book proposal.

Next workshop begins on Saturday, November 15, 2025.

    • You have been working on a draft but now it’s time to write the proposal.

    • You started the book proposal process countless times, but have never achieved your goal of finishing, let alone submitting it.

    • You're overwhelmed by the idea of creating a book proposal, so you haven’t even started.

    • Five (5) live weekly Zoom meetings on Mondays from 12:00-2:00pm PST

    • Feedback on your proposal throughout the course, working through the five elements of the book proposal:

      • Write an overview that grabs the attention of agents and editors

      • Build a marketing plan that is aspirational but realistic

      • Create the structure and chapter summaries to sell your book

      • Choose your sample chapters and organize your content

      • Write a query letter that lands you an agent

    • Writing prompts to guide you through each section of your proposal

    • Lifetime access to all materials, including the online course and workshop recordings

    Cost: $999

Kind Words

Kind Words

A woman with short dark hair, wearing a navy blue dress, sitting on a black rocking chair, smiling and posing with her right hand on her chin. She has a tattoo on her right arm, a watch on her left wrist, and a necklace with a butterfly pendant. The background shows white siding and a window with green shutters.

“Kristen has a REAL TALENT for this work. I was amazed at how well she pulled ideas and coaxed our stories forward. Seeing each of us have lightbulb moments in real time, the chill bumps, the tears. It was all beautiful magic!”


— Maggie Boxey, author of The Three Things (Rise Books, 2024)