In today’s episode, host Karen Williams is joined by Sheryl Andrews. Known as the Listening Detective, Sheryl has spent over 30 years motivating, managing, and mentoring others at work, and she brings a wealth of raw, honest, and often funny insights into her journey as an author and coach.   

Sheryl shares the inside story behind her first book, Manage Your Critic, revealing how personal challenges, especially around communication and self-doubt, fuelled her writing and shaped her process.  

We’ll dive deep into her experience of making the invisible visible—transforming patterns, behaviours, and inner wisdom into practical strategies that empower others to overcome overwhelm and get clarity. Sheryl unpacks how writing her book wasn’t just a professional milestone but a transformative personal journey, recovering lost confidence and rebuilding relationships.  

You’ll also hear about her expertise in clean language coaching, the emotional ups and downs of book writing, and the powerful impact that self-awareness and managing criticism has on authors and business owners alike.   

 ** Upcoming Events **  

If you’d like to find out more about how we can support you with your book, come along to one of our free monthly online networking events, the Coffee and Connect Café, held on the first Tuesday of each month.  You’ll get learning, ideas, and the chance to connect with other authors.  

Sheryl and Karen also run an annual writing retreat and our next event in Spain is from 25 April to 2 May 2026. Join us for a week in the sun writing your book!  

You can find out more about all our upcoming events at https://www.librotas.com/librotasevents. Or contact Karen Williams to find out how she can help you via www.librotas.com.   

Key Takeaways  

Make the Invisible Visible: Writing crystallizes those invaluable but hard-to-articulate insights you use daily into tangible strategies you can share—and use to help yourself.  

Embrace Your Unique Process: There’s no “one right way” to write a book. Discovering and trusting your personal rhythm, learning style, and environment is the secret to lasting creativity and clarity.  

Turn Self-Criticism into Curiosity: Silence the inner critic with curiosity instead of judgement. Notice when you’re stuck, explore the why, and give yourself permission to get support when you need it.  

Bio  

Sheryl Andrews – aka ‘The Listening Detective’ draws on 30 plus years motivating, managing and mentoring others at work whilst also negotiating the challenges of bringing together a blended family of 5 children. Sheryl is both funny, raw and honest when sharing her own inside stories and making the impossible feel possible through practical step by step strategies.  

Website https://stepbysteplistening.com   

Book link: Manage Your Critic – https://stepbysteplistening.com/manage-your-critic-the-book and https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manage-Your-Critic-Overwhelm-Clarity/dp/0995755604   

Socials:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherylandrews  https://www.facebook.com/stepbysteplistening   

Time stamped overview:  
00:00 Why I Wrote My Book
06:33 Overwhelmed by Independence
08:25 Self-Regulation Through Authenticity
12:20 Honoring Inner Wisdom Through Reflection
16:03 Book Delay and Pandemic Recovery
17:20 Calm Unlocks Creative Flow
21:59 Getting Comfortable with Uncomfortable
24:00 Knowing and Advocating Needs
29:40 Overcoming Brain Barriers to Risk
32:00 Writing, Learning, and Memory Connection
34:47 Finding Purpose Through Struggles
37:52 Trust Yourself to Write  

Keywords:    book writing journey, book writing process, managing criticism, clean language coaching, self-help books, author journey, writing retreats, regulating nervous system, overwhelm, clarity, storytelling, business growth, neurodivergence, resilience, delegation, work-life balance, writing sprints, book writing feedback, trusting your process, mindset shifts, overcoming self-doubt, transformational change, emotional regulation, writing strategies, writer's block, writing a book, manage your critic, the listening detective, writing retreats spain