Welcome to

The Recollective

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If you’re struggling to make real progress on your memoir and craving guidance, accountability and a community of memoirists who get it…

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  • Without an external deadline or motivation, you could easily go months or years without writing.

  • You’ve never been a part of a writing community — or not one that lasted anyway — and you crave connection from others who get it.

  • You’ve taken writing classes and workshops, maybe even worked in an adjacent field, but writing your memoir still feels like an overwhelming undertaking.

  • You’ve been working on your story for years but still feel unclear on what you’re trying to say or how you want to say it.

  • You’ve started drafting, then second‑guessed every sentence. You worry that you’re a terrible writer and wonder if your story is worth telling.

    If so, I designed The Recollective for you.

Pssst! Hey, memoirist. Does this sound like you?

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Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary adventure.

Imagine this instead:

  • You’re writing regularly, at a pace that works for your life

  • You have a safe space to brainstorm and problem solve as you write so you're never going at it alone

  • You’re surrounded by a small, trusted group of memoirists who get what you’re doing and want to help you achieve your dream

  • You have clear direction for how to write your memoir. You know the heart of your story, the structure, point, and story arc that resonate.

  • You’ve committed to your book and yourself for the next six months and you have the tools and support to make real, lasting progress.

That’s what you get inside The Recollective!

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Meeting Dates

February 5, 2026 - July 2, 2026

For six months, we’ll meet via Zoom on the first Thursday of the month from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. PST

Our meeting dates are as follows:

  • February 5

  • March 5

  • April 2

  • May 7

  • June 4

  • July 2

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Who It’s For

This is for you if:

→ You identify as female and are ready to finally hold yourself accountable to your memoir

→ You want to plan, write and/or revise your memoir with the support of a community

→ You want clarity, not more confusion

→ You value the unique nature of women and non-binary folks in community

→ You need structure that respects your life

→ You’re tired of doing this alone


This is not for you if:

🚫 You are not writing a book based on personal experience

🚫 You are not open to verbal feedback or emotional honesty

🚫 You expect fast results without the work

🚫 You are not interested in the group nature of the program

Choose Your Path

RECALL

  • 6 monthly cohort check-ins with time in the hot seat (mastermind style)

  • A community platform for regular accountability check-ins, celebrating wins, asking questions and more

  • A celebratory open-mic night 

  • Optional peer feedback

  • Optional cowriting sessions 

  • Option to add 1:1 clarity calls for $150 (no feedback on pages) 

  • Ideal for those who are simply looking for a container and a community to stay accountable to their memoir (no matter where you’re at in the process)

$200/month for six months

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REFLECT

  • Everything in RECALL, plus:

  • A Story Strategy Session (memoir map + 90-minute 1:1 clarity call with Jessica)

  • Ideal for those who need help identifying the heart of their story, the best structure, and clear direction for how to write forward but aren’t yet ready for regular feedback on their pages.

$300/month for six months

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REIMAGINE

  • Everything in REFLECT, plus:

  • One 1:1 coaching session with Jessica each month (including editorial feedback on up to 20 double-spaced pages) 

  • A discount on future retreats

  • Ideal for those who are in the drafting and/or revising stage and looking for regular feedback from a knowledgable guide, story strategist, developmental editor, and super fan.

$600 / month for six months*

*Only 4 3 spots left!

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Meet Your Coach

Hi, I’m Jessica! I’m a book coach and strategist helping inspired writers shape their experiences into books others want to read.

I started The Recollective because I know what it’s like to try and write a memoir without a community. While in school for my master’s in creative nonfiction, I was surrounded by writers. I had ample guidance and support. I was held accountable to my deadlines. I was encouraged to continue learning from books, instructors and my peers.

But when I graduated, all of that went away. The friends I stayed in touch with stopped writing and — no longer having a community to lean on — I stopped writing, too.

It took me years to realize what I was missing, exactly. I’d always thought I was self-motivated. I always believed writing was a solitary endeavor.

Girl, was I wrong!

After recreating a writing community for myself, I knew it was the key to my continued success as a writer. In less than a year, I finished drafting the book I’d started ten years before. I also discovered the many unique benefits that come from being a part of a group of other memoirists. As a genre that often lies in the gray area between fiction and nonfiction, it’s incredibly valuable to seek and share insights with those who are walking the path with you.

I can’t wait to cheer you on as we embark on this incredible journey together!

What My 1:1 Coaching Clients Are Saying

  • "Jessica's heart-centered approach was amplified in the way she delicately held the hard parts in a nonjudgemental and beautifully objective way while I sifted through the pain points. She has given me the gift of believing in myself as a writer, again. There is something undeniably healing in that.”

    KATHRYN VIGNESS

  • "Jessica has the compassion to not overwhelm, the tenacity to go the distance, and the bandwidth to hold your vision with you, and for you when needed.”

    PAIGE BRADLEY-PECOUL

  • "If you’re thinking about writing a memoir, you want someone like Jessica by your side. I swear my memoir would not exist without her.”

    JESSICA LEIBE

  • “Jessica is a master at this process. Working with her helped to untangle the yarn in my head and pull the threads 🧵 into a methodical order that I can knit into a cohesive narrative."

    LESLIE B. SCOTT

  • “She’ll put you at east even as she encourages you to take bigger, braver writing risks.”

    NATALYA SAVKA

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The beauty of a cohort like this is the overall goal of group momentum.

    It's specific to memoirists because writing a memoir is uniquely difficult and personal, so it will be a room filled with writers who get it.

    And, since bringing women together is a particular love and specialty of mine, my rooms tend to be filled with like-minded folks who end up feeling like they've finally found their people.

    My hope is that people will create bonds and writing partners long beyond the six-month container.

    But, if it helps, everyone will be at some point in the drafting or revising stages. Some might even be pitching (which still requires, more often than not, it’s share of revision).

    Writing a memoir is typically a non-linear process. We draft, revise, revise, draft, revise, seek feedback, revise, draft again. We might then pitch, and revise, and revise, and draft and pitch again. It’s cyclical!

    I think everyone has something to learn and something to gain from a group that is in different parts of the cycle (and often, people think they're farther along than they are!).

  • I thrive on bringing women together. One of my superpowers is attracting women who, when they get into a room, feel like they’ve found their people.

    So, the application process is to:

    A) ensure you have a solid memoir idea and you intend to work on it (because the group doesn’t work unless everyone is in it together)

    B) make sure you are a good fit for the group dynamic I’m building (for both your success and everyone else’s). I’m putting the right people together so the group is not only a safe, cohesive one, but so it allows for the best chance of group success — momentum and progress on our memoirs!

  • Only those who opt into REIMAGINE will get monthly editorial feedback from Jessica, but there will be opportunities for peer feedback for those who want it.

  • That’s entirely up to you! I can’t promise anything but everyone who enters The Recollective will create their own goal, and together we’ll help each other stay accountable. You’ll find that sharing your weekly and monthly goals with the group will motivate you to stick to them, but we’ll be here for you when life gets in the way, too.

  • Absolutely not! I wish I could, but nobody can promise that. The publishing industry is very subjective, and there are no guarantees even for already successful authors.

    However, I can promise you that through dedication, guidance and a lot of heart, both your writing and your confidence will improve. And both are key ingredients to publishing.

  • Yes! You can add 1:1 clarity sessions with Jessica if you need help getting out of the weeds. These are $150 each but do not include feedback on your pages.

Apply Today