There is only one thing that ever changed the world: A NEW STORY.
So if you want to change the world, you must begin to tell a new story.
Stop repeating the stories created by the info-advert-tain-u-ment industry.
Instead:
Look closely and notice something remarkable about the world.
Be still.
Listen.
Ask a question you’ve never thought of before.
Tell a new story.
Stop repeating your old stories about yourself and what you are and are not capable of.
Instead:
Look closely at your life and notice something unusual.
Be still. Do not rush to judgment.
Listen.
Ask yourself something about you that no one has ever asked before.
Tell a new story.
Stop rehearsing stories about the future.
Instead:
Look closely and notice that which is the same as it ever was. (#sameasiteverwas)
Be still.
Listen to the rhythm of history as it meets a new beat.
Tell a new story.
I talk to people every day who say,
“I’m not sure what to write/create…”
And I say,
“Of course you don’t.
You haven’t done it yet.”
Luckily, it’s not too late.
And the world is desperate for your story.
Please –
Tell us a new story.
What if the opposite is true?
This is a question I ask myself all the time.
For example, you say, “Oh, I don’t have time to write a book.”
What if the opposite is true ?
What if the truth is, “I don’t have time to NOT write a book.”
In other words –
Life is fleeting. The future is uncertain. You can’t afford the luxury of believing that you will have a chance to write this book in the future — you MUST write this book right now.
Interesting, huh?
Or maybe you say, “Everyone is already writing a book.”
When the truth (the opposite) is, “No one is writing my book.”
Or you say, “I don’t know how to write a book.”
When the truth (the opposite) is, “I know enough to start. And I know enough to get help and guidance.”
Speaking of which, I’m putting together a small group of smart people who want to write a GOOD book for a day-long event that will end with you having:
🧐 Perfect Clarity on which book you are actually writing (style, structure, genre, format)
🤓 A Solid Decision about which publishing path is right for you (self-, hybrid, or traditional)
😎 Created a joyful, workable plan for you to get the whole thing done by the end of April. F’reals.
This is a small-group, heavily interactive, online event.
This is a small-group, heavily interactive, online event.
Let’s do this thing.
If you are interested in finding out more, please write me back and we’ll see what’s what.
No pressure.
No sales.
And, actually, it really helps me to hear directly from you what you’re up to, so you’d be doing me a favor.
If you are thinking now, “I don’t think this offer is for me….”
I encourage you to consider:
What if the opposite is true?
What if this offer is the absolutely most perfect thing you could do to bring your book to life in 2025?
Happy New Year!
P.S. This year alone I’ve helped dozens of writers get their books and book proposals out into the world in a fun, holistic, gentle, and creative way.
Oh, and I also wrote and published my own award-winning book. I think it would be fun to work with you, too : ) – S.
OK, look – I didn’t want to be the first one to mention it….
but you’ve got a Hot Pink Octopus
and it’s wrapped all around you.
You can’t get away from her.
You can pry off one arm, but she’ll wrap it somewhere else.
Maybe somewhere that tickles.
You can try to hide from her…..
but you know a 600-lb Hot Pink Octopus can fit through a hole the size of a quarter…
so she follows wherever you go.
She’s been with you forever.
She’s your creativity.
She’s your stories.
She’s the uncanny sense that you have been put on this earth in this
incarnation to
share your words
share your vision
share your voice
She’s the part of you that knows better than you —
and the less you try and manhandle her, the better.
Babe, you were put here to share your octopus.
And when you share her,
and people love her or don’t,
you can know that it’s not You that they love or don’t,
it’s your Hot Pink Octopus.
Your Hot Pink Octopus might even win awards
or make you a fortune
or connect you with other Cephalopods
And together, you can do great things.
Quit fighting her.
Quit trying to ignore her.
Quit pretending like she doesn’t matter,
or that you can only make time for her once everything else gets done,
which never happens.
The world needs your Hot Pink Octopus:
Her shape-shifting wisdom…
Her gift of camouflage…
Her endless curiousity….
Her remarkable ability to adapt and learn…
She’s been on this planet for almost 200 million years.
Let her speak.
Funny how we let ONE casual remark derail our dreams, isn’t it?
That one thing that one teacher said that one time has kept you paralyzed since middle school.
That callous remark from a casual acquaintance stopped you cold.
Even after all the smiles and support and even REQUESTS (!!!)
“Say, when are YOU going to write your book?”
“Do you have a book?”
“If you wrote a book I would totally buy it.”
just one discouraging word….
and you retreat.
You tuck your book dream back under the mattress where it continues to invade your nightly reveries.
I get it.
Book writing is:
complicated – where to start?
creatively confounding – what to write?
confusing – who would read it?
I got you.
I’m leading Figure Out Your Book In One Day on Jan. 4th for the third or fourth time, and if you show up, we will banish those clouds once and for all.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
(I mean, obviously, if it’s perfect for you, I will sell it to you – but I won’t be pitching you. I’m only interested in working with people who are a great match and are willing to invest the time and money to see real progress. Because let’s face it, your diet of free stuff and pdfs and salesy webinars is just NOT moving the needle for you, correct?)
Plus it really helps me to hear directly from you what you’re up to, so you’d be doing me a favor.
Let’s go hang out together where the the heavens are bright/with the light of the glittering stars, and where those deer and those antelope play, shall we?
I’m going to tell you the truth:
I did not love this book while I was writing it.
I did not love this book while I was editing it.
Mostly because I was so ill with long c0vid that it was hard for me to love anything at all.
But I had faith.
And by the time I was in the booth recording the Audible version, I loved it.
I tell you this to underline this truth:
YOU ARE TERRIBLE JUDGE OF YOUR OWN WORK.
So judging
Stop evaluating.
Start writing.
The world needs your book – more than you even know.
If you would like to share some about your book project with me in a small group (no sales – just wisdom and mutual support) – please find a time here.
| Hi Charlynn –
Sweetheart, I think you know in your heart that there is no such thing as a “good” idea or a “bad” idea.
There are only IDEAS.
And the ideas that occur to you are so special –
Because they are yours alone.
It’s all been said before….but not by you.
I mean, if I told you that I had an idea about a postage stamp artist and a postcard artist who have a mysterious love affair and the whole book is made of removable, readable letters between them — oh, and it’s a trilogy….
You might scoff, but the 90s sensation Griffin and Sabine series have sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
Or what about the innovative Choose Your Own Adventure Books?
Those have sold —
wait for it —
250 million copies.
(Oh, and I happen to be friends with the editor of those books. She’s awesome. #hairtosshairtoss #iknowthecoolestpeople)
What about a poorly-reviewed, self-published series of erotic novels loosely inspired by Twilight fan-fic that set a record in the UK for best-selling paperback fiction book of all time? The 50 Shades series has earned over HALF A BILLION DOLLARS in book sales alone.
Not to mention the movies, merchandise, etc….
I mean.
Seriously.
You cannot judge a book idea before you write it.
And – take it from me – sometimes you can’t even judge it even after you write it.
(I was so convinced that The 15 Minute Method was a terrible idea that I actually looked into cancelling my contract with the publisher. #truestory)
So quit asking yourself this unanswerable question.
And quit letting that question keep you from writing.
If you would like to share some about your book idea with me in a small group (no sales – just wisdom and mutual support) – please find a time here.
By the way I’m offering Figure Your Book Out In One Day AND Super-Secret Book Writing Club starting in early Jan — if you’re interested in more info, please email me back here. – S.
P.S. And if you DO NOT want to hear any more about book writing, you can opt out of this 21-day series about the creative and professional process of book writing and still stay on our regular list by clicking here and we’ll take care of it within 24 business hours, OK? Thanks. – S.
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