Authors Who Lead - Learn to write a book from bestselling authors and leaders

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One of the most difficult parts of writing a memoir for an author is being vulnerable and honest on the page. We worry about how many details to add and whether our story will hurt others, so we tend to edit ourselves. I was impressed with how vulnerable and open Laura Whitfield is in her memoir.

In this episode of "Authors Who Lead," I talk to Laura Whitfield about her journey writing her memoir, Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground, and how to be vulnerable on the page.

Timestamp:

01:02 "Excited to talk with the honest author about memoir."
04:17 Honesty in writing, serving the reader.
08:57 Interesting life inspires women to write memoirs.
12:32 Writing about my younger self brought compassion.
13:43 Grateful for Grace and the importance of stories.
17:07 Grateful for my parents; telling their story was painful.
20:32 You can only control your writing.
24:22 Imagine, go, tell the truth, and use your senses.
29:40 Women participating in the strike. Intriguing and inspiring.
31:07 Passion and emotion bring universal truths to writing.
34:39 Team members specialize, giving me the confidence to write.
39:01 Keep creating and sharing your truth.
40:16 2 years writing, needed encouragement, connected on Instagram.

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Kevin Kruse is a New York Times bestselling author who was on our podcast Episode 56. Although he celebrates his bestselling status, it’s his self-published books that make him more money. This is why I encourage authors to prioritize writing an impactful book and focus on what they can control rather than becoming overly fixated on bestseller lists.

On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about the elusive nature of the Bestseller Status and what authors should actually focus on.

Timestamp:

00:00 Podcast dedicated to inspiring authors and leaders.
04:52 Factors for New York Times bestseller list.
07:49 Focus on reviews and target audience award.
10:22 Focus on writing a great book, not lists.
14:30 Learn how to write a book here.

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In this episode of "Authors Who Lead," I talk to Deb Schell about her book, “Creator to Community Builder: Find Calm While Building an Online Community”, and the art of community-building, book writing, and the challenges authors face in today's landscape.

Timestamp:

00:00:51 Appreciates work building community in calm, strategic way.
00:05:28 Feeling disheartened, found community, learned valuable lesson.
00:06:46 Striving for connection over mere content creation.
00:10:05 Event in Portugal with community, retreat, Pictionary.
00:14:49 Decided to write a book not a course.
00:16:34 Overcoming mental blocks in writing process.
00:20:23 Clear, actionable steps and community building insights.
00:24:09 Community members share experiences and support each other.
00:25:39 Achieving milestones in reviews for Starbucks reward.
00:30:57 Write what you know, use community for support.
00:32:53 Expand writing from client to personal stories.

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There are times when I sit down to write, or create anything, and I just get stuck. I get stuck in my head. I get stuck in the past. I get stuck on how good it should be or would be or if I could do it better. 

On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about the common struggle all of us authors have at one point or another of getting stuck in a creative funk and how to overcome these blocks and reignite your writing.

Timestamp:

00:00:36 Struggle to let go, start creating again.
00:05:20 Funnel blockage: forgive, let go, start small.
00:08:26 Create new space, ritual; don't be conventional. Invite coworker for collaboration.
00:11:46 Fear of praise and being seen and promoting work.
00:14:49 Community for leaders and aspiring authors, only $90 for 90 days
00:16:09 Celebrate authors. Let's connect on socials.

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November is NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month. You can join thousands of other writers all over the world to write 50,000 words in one month. Are you ready to take on the challenge of writing a book in thirty days?

On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about the benefits of joining NaNoWriMo and share my top tips for getting ready for this challenge.

Timestamp:

00:00:02 NaNoWriMo: Write a novel in 30 days.
00:06:30 Write more every day, to avoid negative accumulation.
00:09:04 Be present, take deep breaths, feel it.
00:10:55 Settle into the ground, relax, and breathe.
00:14:12 Book unknown, use meditation, calm, write. Good luck.

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I hate to admit it, but oftentimes when I start writing a book, I think to myself, I sure hope this doesn’t suck. What if people read it and don’t like it? What if it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done? This is permanent; it goes out into the world. 

On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about how to make sure you write a book that doesn’t suck and the three things (and one bonus one!) you can do today to win the confidence you need to get writing.

Time Stamp:

00:00:19 Content creator teaching small business owners writing.
00:05:11 Writing to help people find their purpose.
00:08:05 False beliefs about money hinder purpose-driven writing.
00:10:14 Young writer curating media, feeling trapped creatively.
00:15:25 Writer receives an unexpected call from an FBI agent.
00:17:00 Fraudster promised to help, lied, and stole.
00:22:17 Writing book: finding worth through personal experiences.
00:26:22 Discovering my voice, writing with purpose
00:28:43 Embracing writing journey, exploring, and publishing.
00:32:49 Writing takes unexpected steps, unlocking opportunities.
00:35:22 Traditional, self, and hybrid: Writing publishing options.
00:39:29 Susie, thank you for bringing my book to life. Writing with purpose gives me joy.

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Suzi Hunn only found her love for being an entrepreneur after her entire savings from her job as an educator was stolen. Through her journey of healing afterward and the process of writing her book, she realized her own worth and her true mission to help people bring together their own worlds of mission and money.

In this episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk to Suzi about her book-writing journey and how it helped clarify the message she shares with others.

Time Stamp:

00:00:19 Content creator teaching small business owners writing.

00:05:11 Writing to help people find their purpose.

00:08:05 False beliefs about money hinder purpose-driven writing.

00:10:14 Young writer curating media, feeling trapped creatively.

00:15:25 Writer receives an unexpected call from an FBI agent.

00:17:00 Fraudster promised to help, lied, and stole.

00:22:17 Writing book: finding worth through personal experiences.

00:26:22 Discovering my voice, writing with purpose

00:28:43 Embracing writing journey, exploring, and publishing.

00:32:49 Writing takes unexpected steps, unlocking opportunities.

00:35:22 Traditional, self, and hybrid: Writing publishing options.

00:39:29 Susie, thank you for bringing my book to life. Writing with purpose gives me joy.

Full show notes

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📚 Write and Publish your book

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One question I am asked quite often is "Is writing a book worth the time, money, and effort?" Authors want to know if they will earn back everything that they invest in it: their time, the cost of editing, designing, and launching their book. The truth is, it depends. 

On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about why it depends whether it’s worth writing a book, the role of big publishers, and the importance of long-term commitment and marketing.

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After writing a book at age twelve, Travis Cody went on to establish himself in Hollywood at twenty-four and is known for his speed in writing scripts. Now, he helps other writers write, market, and consult in their book launch journey.

In this episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk to Travis Cody about his insights and experiences with finding success as a writer and screenwriter.

Full show notes

TIME STAMPS

00:02:26 Writing in blood, discovering passion at 12. Youngest journalist, making a living creatively.
00:04:01 Joined writing team, became department head. Self-published.
00:08:29 Hollywood mentor's death derails film fund.
00:10:18 Complaints about talk show hosts causing pressure.
00:15:26 Book connection led to $1 million revenue.
00:16:20 Book as key to unlocking unforeseen opportunities.
00:22:03 Insecurity about success: New York Times bestselling.
00:25:30 Musician's approach to writing challenges societal norms.
00:27:22 Editors' brains think faster than they type.
00:31:34 Screenwriters in Hollywood rewrite their screenplays multiple times before showing them to anyone. This applies to writing a book as well. Filmmaking has three phases: preproduction, production, and post-production.
00:32:55 Movie creation involves pre and postproduction steps.
00:39:16 Hire an expert editor for best results.
00:39:40 Editing ensures unbiased and thorough content.

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So how do you get rid of that feeling that you feel like you’re naked in public? You know the one you get because you're writing a book and you dare to start telling someone that you’re writing a book. And then you start wondering, what was I thinking?

On this week’s episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk about imposter syndrome, writer’s block, and owning the authorship journey and all the fears and feelings that come with it.

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