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Elizabeth Wilson chats with memoir writer Anna Dao about the rich oral storytelling tradition that shaped not just how she writes, but why.

They talk about what it really takes to find your authentic voice on the page, what happens when fear and people-pleasing get in the way of your truth, and what marketing a memoir actually looks like when you're a first-time author doing it all on your own terms.

About our guest, Anna Dao:

Born in Paris, raised under many skies —

from Bamako to Brussels, from Dakar to New York — Anna Dao carries the songs of her ancestors in her voice.

Her teachers were the elders of Mali,

the storytellers who gathered under the moon to share the wisdom of the Good Path.

Through her journey — across continents and through her own heart —she became a

bridge between the seen and unseen,

the modern and the ancestral.

In her words, “the world is nothing but conversation —the world is nothing but storytelling.”

A storyteller. A spiritual advisor. A daughter of tradition and transformation. Anna Dao invites us to listen —to remember —

to become the story we were always meant to tell.

Website: ​https://thehouseoflalla.com​

Facebook: ​annadao2​

Instagram and Threads: ​@annadao7467

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

Apply to join the Finish Your First Draft in 90 Days program here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever tried following someone's writing advice? You've read all the books with guidelines for getting your outline done or advice about setting up your writing schedule, yet you're still feeling like something's not quite right. Like maybe the problem isn't your commitment to the process, but the fact that the method itself was never designed for the way YOU actually think and create? On this week's episode of the Inspired Writer Collective, we welcome editor and writing coach Cynthia Merrill who completely reframed Elizabeth's thinking about the writing process. Cynthia has developed something called the Authentic Writer Archetype Assessment, and in this conversation she walked through Elizabeth's results live. Here's what came up in the conversation:

• Why writing advice that works well for one writer can actually sabotage another
• Insight into why many memoir writers quit before they finish (hint: it's not what you think)
• Figuring out the support systems you actually need before spending money on programs, editors, or writing groups

Give it a listen and let us know what resonates.

About our guest Cynthia Merrill:

Cynthia Merrill is a developmental editor, writing coach, and creator of the Authentic Writer Archetypes—a system dedicated to helping writers understand their creative needs and build a sustainable, authentic, and joyful writing practice. While she holds a BA in Editing and Publishing, her real education has come from years of working side by side with writers in the depths of the creative process. Cynthia hosts The Way You Write podcast and lives in Phoenix, AZ with her two kids and a dog named Jasper.

Connect with Cynthia Merrill:

Website: ​cynthiamerrillediting.com ​

IG: ​https://www.instagram.com/cynthiamerrillediting/​

Free Author Archetype Assessment: ​https://www.cynthiamerrillediting.com/assessment

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

You’re invited to connect with us by joining our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. Whether you’re working on a memoir, a novel, or journaling for yourself, this is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

Apply to join the Finish Your First Draft in 90 Days program here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads

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Our Memoir Summit was absolutely incredible! You’ll hear more about the experience in this week’s episode. We’re joined by Allison Lau & Sharissa Bradley, who not only brought incredible value as panelists but hopped into the webinars as attendees, so we sat down to chat about what we all took away from the experience. If you missed the Summit, you can order the replays here. When you watch the replays you’ll experience the incredible community we’re cultivating at the Inspired Writer Collective. Writing and being a writer does not need to happen in isolation. You want to find the people who are champions for your work. We had 9 women join us to share their brilliant insights about varying aspects of the writing journey. If you’re curious about them, you can find details here. (And trust us, you want to get to know them). Our hearts are so full!

 Welcome to the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. If you've ever felt the pull to write your truth, to shape the chaos of real life into something meaningful and to share your journey with the world, you're in the right place. We're your hosts, Elizabeth and Stephanie, writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs who believe in you and know how important it is to find a writing community to guide you on your path to self-publishing.

Stay until the end of the episode to learn about our Virtual Memoir Summit on March 14, 2026.

Join our Embodied Writing Experience where you’ll get a writer’s retreat directly to your inbox on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays each week. This is an invitation to slow down, tune in, and write with embodied intention.

Get on the waitlist for the Memoir Master Plan cohort here.

Apply to join the Finish Your First Draft in 90 Days program here.

If you prefer to watch our conversations, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

You can find us on Instagram and Threads