Beyond Words: Free training, turning your expertise into something useful and meaningful + lessons from published authors

Hello, Reader,

I hope this email finds you warm, bright, and merry this holiday season.

I’m officially out of the office today, and as you’re reading this, I may be at the airport picking my parents up. It’s the first holiday we’ve had together in more than seven years, and I can’t wait!

Holidays are tough when you live abroad. This time every year, I start questioning our decision to move abroad. I wonder if it’s worth it to have so much distance between me and the people I love most, aside from my husband and kids.

But I am encouraged every season by the people I’ve chosen for my community here and the love I get to experience with my little family. And this year, I’m excited to get to share Portugal with my parents during the winter, since they’ve only traveled here during the summer. I think they’ll be shocked at how calm and quiet it is when the tourists leave!

I know that not everyone has the same cozy holiday, and if this email is reaching you during a sad or lonely period, I hope you feel encouraged knowing that people around the world are reading this message at the same time as you, and that together, you’re having a shared experience of warm holiday wishes.

Whether you’re surrounded by loved ones, separated by states or oceans, or alone, I truly hope this holiday is the best one yet. I am wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season, friend.

With cheer,

Stacy

New Year, New Book: How to Write Your Nonfiction Book in 2026

If one of your goals is to finally write your book in 2026, I’ve got you. Come to my free annual training to help you understand the steps to finish your nonfiction book in 2026.

Bring a friend, an accountability partner, or your bestie, and come ready to lean into your goal of authorhood in 2026. 🎉

How Writing a Nonfiction Book Unlocks Impact, Influence, and Freedom

Many business owners and experts have the idea of writing a nonfiction book lingering at the back of their mind. It feels meaningful but also a little overwhelming. Where do you start? What should you write? And how can you make sure it genuinely supports your reader?

I joined Melitta Campbell, for The Art of Value Whispering podcast, and together we looked at the writing journey and how you can turn your expertise into something useful and meaningful.

Listen to this episode here.

From the writer’s room

Top 5 Writing Retreats for 2026

Leading With Purpose and Care

Listen here.

How to Organize a Think Week

How to Build a PR Plan for Your Book

Listen here.

Lessons from nonfiction authors who published in 2025

A message from our wonderful editor, Kim Foster inspired by the insights of two newly published authors.

Whenever an author publishes for the first time, there are a few things you, as an aspiring author, would like to know about. What did they learn? What advice do they have for aspiring authors? And how did publishing a book impact their lives?

We asked these questions of Hady Méndez (Calladita No More) and Arivee Vargas (Your Time to Rise), two of our authors who successfully published their book this year, and we’d like to share their thoughts and advice.

Writing a book can reveal much to an author. It’s a time of pushing back your self-limitations and discovering unexpected lessons. You will discover things about yourself. Perhaps you will find courage that wasn’t there before. In times of reflection, you may experience a deeper sense of joy as you savor the quiet moments. You’re giving space to creativity, and you will be transformed in the process.

Something shifts along the way. As you walk through the process of honing a message through deep reflection, you are creating an inner alignment with values. Unexpected healing can happen, you become more firmly rooted in your purpose, and deeper connections are made with your community.

You also face challenges. As you are writing to help others, suddenly you are confronting voices that can try to drown out your dreams—that you aren’t good enough, or your writing isn’t good enough. The growth comes when you can recognize the message and move past it, keeping your goal on track and moving forward.

You won’t reach everyone, but you will reach those you’re supposed to reach. There will be days of doubt, but if you know your why, your purpose for writing, you will stay grounded and motivated when doubt tries to creep in.

Is one of your goals to write a book in 2026? It’s possible! What are you willing to invest? Be prepared to be extremely focused, protect your energy, and gather your resources. It’s all worth it once you are finally published. In fact, one of the most rewarding outcomes is hearing how your book has inspired others. Your goal is to impact your reader, and to know that goal is being realized is very fulfilling.

Publishing a book leads to many opportunities for expanding thought leadership and business growth. Once doors are opened, the possibilities grow: expanding your thought leadership in your space, bigger stages for influence, or maybe even more books. Your goals and values are aligned, and being seated within that alignment brings a sense of fulfillment and a deeper confidence and understanding of the unique space you as an author hold.

And when we operate from a deep alignment with our values, readers are inspired to do the same.

💫 Your writing inspiration

💡 Writing tip: Don’t wait for perfect writing conditions.

If this is your first book, you have a skills gap—you haven’t learned the skill of writing a book. Isn’t that great news? Because you can learn how to write a book.

Just like any other skill, whether playing the piano or learning to make a mean soufflé, you can study the skill of book writing. Best of all, once you develop this new skill, you can deploy it as many times as you want. This is why many of my clients write multiple books. They have a new skill, and they know how to use it! Plus, they see the incredible results a book has on their business, brand, impact mission, and life.

As a nonfiction book coach, I teach my clients the skill of writing a book in a step-by-step process that drives clarity. My goal: They engage fully in the transformative journey of authorhood and have a new skill they can use time after time, book after book.💭 Writing quote by Jodi Picoult

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”