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Hi, Reader,
My daughter recently entered a T-shirt competition at her school. While most of the other kids drew on their shirts with Sharpies—a reasonable design effort!—she asked me to print alphabet stencils, which she cut out one by one on paper, then traced felt letters and numbers, then cut out more than thirty of them. She ironed hem tape to the back of each, then trimmed the tape to fit the figure. Then she ironed each one on her shirt. Finally, she hand sewed a bead fabric garland all the way around the neck. It was fabulous.
The school put out a red carpet for the judging, and she got to walk the carpet to show off her design. She placed second out of seventy kids and was so proud! And guess what? Her prize was my favorite book in the world, The Little Prince—in Portuguese!
As I watched her work, I was reminded of myself at her age. While she is a much better student than I was, like her, I would pour myself into creative endeavors. Time would melt away. I did everything extra, putting in many times the effort on crafts and other creative projects.
What my daughter does especially well is allow herself to try. Before she started working on the shirt, she made a design, then we went to the store for the materials. She leaned into creativity for creativity’s sake and put in the work.
So many aspiring authors I meet say, “I want to write a book,” but when I ask them about what they’ve tried so far, the vast majority haven’t even attempted to write a chapter. There is zero judgment from me—I get it. Writing a book is a totally new skill, and it’s hard.
If you’ve struggled to start, here’s my advice: create a plan, organize the materials (a course, coaching, etc.), and then lean into your creative self. Keep showing up and doing the work. You’ve got this.
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This week on Beyond Better, I talk with client—and soon-to-be published author—Hady Méndez. I’ve had the honor of guiding Hady through my six-month program, Idea-to-Draft. As I’ve gotten to know her in the program, I knew I had to share her insights with you.
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In this episode, we talk about her personal story of freedom and empowerment. She shares about key themes in her book, including using your voice, championing yourself, celebrating your successes, fostering community, and practicing self-care. And of course, we talk about her author journey, and she shares how she maintained momentum during the six months of our program to not only finish her first draft but also complete editing and sign with a publisher, plus begin organizing her marketing team.
Hady Méndez is a New York-based best-selling author, Latina speaker, and ERG coach. She is the founder and CEO of Boldly Speaking LLC, a company that is transforming the professional experiences of underestimated professionals by providing them with the skills to rise and thrive in the corporate world or in whatever path they choose. I can’t wait for you to meet her in this episode!
Listen now to “Why you have more power than you think, with Hady Méndez.”
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Latest read: “The surprising benefits of writing by hand,” by Kim Foster, our editor
I sat swinging on my daughter’s back porch while my grandkids jumped on the trampoline to the music of Imagine Dragons. My youngest grandson was smitten with Believer, and it played on a continuous loop for about thirty minutes. I sat writing in my journal, recording conversations and describing the beautiful quirks and characteristics of some of my favorite people on the planet.
I notice something when I write by hand. I remember details that often escape me when I’m typing. I connect to a similar memory or related event, and my brain informs me of all the connections related to what I’m writing. As I compose, I’m not just retelling facts; when I write by hand, I tap into emotions. I process all these things as I write in my journal.
There’s a vibrant global conversation happening about bringing handwriting back into the academic curricula for children. The benefits are proven across loads of studies that writing by hand promotes learning to read, eye-hand coordination, memory, and increased brain activity. The main takeaway is that it has an important impact on children’s development.
As adults, though, what benefits can we expect from writing by hand?
[Continue reading on the blog. . . .]
Featured author: Janet Phan
I loved working with client Janet Phan on her book, Boldly You: A Story about Discovering What You’re Capable of When You Show Up for Yourself. It’s a rare treat to get to work in person with a client, and Janet and I managed to spend time together in both Seattle and Portugal—a double treat!
Janet is a powerhouse and inspirational leader, as well as the founder of the nonprofit Thriving Elements. She wrote her book to support first gen women in STEM, and it’s made an incredible impact on young women’s lives across the globe.
Boldly You is a close-up look at the hardships, life lessons, and stories of resilience of author Janet Phan. In this honest, insightful, heartfelt account of Janet’s experience as a young woman struggling to overcome the obstacles in her life, readers will find wisdom and advice to help them rise above their own circumstances, recognize their limitless potential, and achieve their goals. This book is about what’s possible in a person’s life when they recognize that they have the power to define their future.
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Upcoming in the community: Effortless Visibility: Strategic Podcast Guesting for More Relationships, Referrals, and Revenue, with Julie Fry
Being a guest on podcasts is a cost-effective way to reach targeted audiences for your book. Julie Fry of Your Expert Guest will share insider tips on how to find, pitch, and be a guest on the right podcasts to reach future readers of your book.
You’ll learn what podcast hosts want to see in a pitch, mindset strategies to pitch with confidence, and best practices for the interview to engage listeners.
Get access to this LIVE training on April 16 at 11:00 a.m. ET by joining the Author Influence Circle community.
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Writing quote:
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.”
― Louisa May Alcott
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That’s it for this week! Have suggestions? Want to say hey? Hit reply—I love hearing from you! |
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