Today on More to the Story Podcast: Talking Writing, Meditation, and the Long Journey of Memoir with Lori Wald
This week I’m joined by my former client Lori Wald, mindfulness meditation teacher, personal essayist, and author of the Substack newsletter Tuesdays with Lori. Lori and I worked together back in 2020 on a full draft of her memoir, and in this conversation she shares where the project has taken her since then, what she’s learning about structure, and how meditation is woven through both her life and her storytelling.
We talk about the nonlinear nature of memoir, what it means to trust your material, how to keep writing even when the book still isn’t “there yet,” and the surprising ways Substack helped Lori find her confidence and her audience.
This is a generous, honest conversation about writing through grief, identity, faith, and the practice that helped Lori find her voice.
About Lori
Lori Wald is a mindfulness meditation coach and writes “Tuesdays with Lori, Musings on Life, Loss and Everything In-Between” at loriwald.substack.com.
In today’s episode:
how Lori juggles life between Cleveland, Ohio and Florida
her shift from fiction to personal essay
the messy truth of a first memoir draft (and the second…and the third)
why memoirs are often not chronological
the challenge of structure — and the moment when you know you’ve landed it
how meditation helped Lori reclaim her voice after profound loss
the intersection of mindfulness, storytelling, and healing
writing about widowhood, divorce, remarriage, and becoming “more me”
the difference between teaching meditation and writing about meditation
how Substack is building her confidence and helping her grow her readership
her experience writing op-eds about her Jewish identity since the war in Gaza
why being seen as a writer — regardless of a book deal — is deeply meaningful
Links mentioned in this episode:
Lori’s Substack newsletter — Tuesdays with Lori: loriwald.substack.com
Under the Gum Tree – submit and subscribe
Book a 15-minute book diagnosis call: moretothestory.co/bookdiagnosis
Download the Book Outline Formula worksheet: moretothestory.co/bookoutline
Caffe Santoro – get 10% off your first order: caffesantoro.com/janna
Follow & Connect
Follow me on Instagram: @jannamarlies
Follow Under the Gum Tree on Instagram: @undergumtree
Show notes & episodes on Substack: moretothestorypodcast.substack.com
Question for you:
Are you working on a nonlinear memoir or essay-driven narrative? What helps you trust your structure (or keep going until you find it)? Share your experience in the comments — or leave a question for a future episode.
Thanks so much for listening and for being here.
(AI Disclaimer: These show notes were generated by AI using the transcript of this episode.)
