Earlier this week we went to Washington, DC with the kids. I am not exactly a confident traveler. My anxiety tends to peak thinking with all the uncertainty around what we’ll be doing or how to get from here to there or when and where we’ll be eating.
But this trip, I was totally comfortable.
Why?
We lived in DC right after I graduated from college. I navigated Metro before maps on our phone were a thing. I walked everywhere. I learned neighborhoods and how the city connected.
It was familiar. And so even when we were headed somewhere new (the Nationals ballpark), I didn’t spiral into my typical angst.
As we traversed the city, however, I pointed out places to my kids that held memories. And, looking back, lots of them were scary. They were the things I did as a young professional when everything was outside my comfort zone. The jobs I interviewed for and didn’t get. The places I got lost. The meetings I walked into feeling unprepared. The pitches I made when I felt insecure. The spots I interviewed really important people for video news releases knowing I was responsible for making them look good.
And yet, I had walked into each of those spaces despite the fear and survived. Maybe even thrived at times. Taking professional risks early in my career was scary, always, but I had support. Folks who wanted to see my succeed. Colleagues who were there to catch me when I failed or back me up when they knew I was right. Bosses who advocated for me and held me accountable. Mentors who answered my questions and imparted the lessons they’d learned on their own journeys.
Taking a risk on our creative dreams can be super scary, like starting a new job or moving to a new city.
And, due to the solitary nature of writing, we are often doing it without the safety net of colleagues, bosses, and mentors.
That’s where I can help.
I want to see writers succeed. I am trained to catch you when you fall by giving you feedback and back you up when you’re right so you can learn from your own successes. I will advocate for your creative goals and hold you accountable so you can finish what you’ve started. I can be the mentor who offers craft tips, answers your questions, and shares the hard-earned lessons I learned in the beginning of my writing journey.
I can make the unfamiliar familiar as you write to make the process a little less daunting at each step. I can light the way and show you a path forward. I can be there for you when the mistakes are made or the doubts creep in.
Don’t let the unfamiliar keep you from experiencing the joys and satisfaction of living a creative life.
Take a risk.
Write the book.
Honor the creative in you.
And when your’e done, it will feel more familiar the next time. And even more familiar the time after that.
The beauty is there are always new things to explore no matter how familiar a place is, just like when we went back to DC this week. It just feels less scary to try them when we already feel safe.
My goal as a book coach is to help writers feel safe so they can tell their stories.
If you want more information on how I can do this, check out my webpage.
And if you’re a PR professional who has always dreamt of writing a book, check out my Start Your Novel Boot Camp this August designed specifically for you. You’ll gain clarity on your story idea so you can write forward with confidence and be part of a community of PR pros who also want to write creatively. Plus, I will be with you every step of the way.