by Ann Evanston | Mar 14, 2012 | Influence Factor
This has been my screensaver!
I finished my book today! Well, the manuscript! It’s off to the publisher for the next phase of analyzing, fine-tuning, and perfecting those words on paper.
Some of you have been with me on this journey of writing. Last fall I started a personal 30 day writing challenge. I wrote every morning for 30 minutes whether I wanted to or not! That writing led to the self-discovery of why I have not published my own book yet.
Yes, I know there will be critics of my book. Of all kinds. Some would say the first level of critic will start in this next phase with the publisher. My guess? Critics will be everywhere, heck they always are huh?
I am publishing with a company called Our Little Books. I am confident some will say I didn’t not write a REAL book! So what if it’s only 8000 words! It’s thoughtful, provocative, and something that I have talked and believed in from many, many years of my work.
This book for me will lead to a series of books. It has allowed me to take my formula, clearly define what I do by writing this first book, and apply it to other situations in the world. As a matter of fact, I am already using it while I speak again (Did “The Influence Factor in Social Media” last week- rav reviews! That will be one of the future books for sure!). This is helping me help my clients like I used to in the old days! I truly owe that to this process.
I cannot say enough about the 30 day writing challenge. Now this idea came from Dan Kennedy who writes every day for an hour. I continuously meet and work with clients in my one on ones, who struggle with getting content out. If they would just write for 30 minutes a day, I think they’d be blown away. Honestly, without that, I am not sure I’d be saying I wrote a book.
I believe they would find the power of their voice. They would discover that they have quality content to post in social media regularly. They would realize how influential they are when they just get down and write from their heart. They would develop the Influence Factor, and increase success in so many ways.
Every person I interviewed for my book writes regularly! Now doesn’t that say something about how to create influence in your life? It definitely worked for me! Now it’s time to go celebrate that manuscript.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
by Ann Evanston | Jan 25, 2012 | Influence Factor
For years as an international speaker I have had colleagues, participants in my classes and presentations, family, friends and even publishers tell me I have a book or two I should be writing. I have continuously said: “I’m a speaker, not a writer.”
Seth Godin called me out on that limiting belief! He said that no one says they have talkers’ block; they just say they have writers’ block. Anyone can talk out what they want to become their published book. Heck, that is how I wrote this blog post!
Recently, a great friend and publisher of Our Little Books approached me again (yes again, I backed out once before) with a great opportunity. My chance to become a published author is in my lap again! And I got scared.
Honestly I didn’t fully understand where this was coming from. What am I so afraid of? Why is it that when this huge opportunity presents itself I panic? I have a 40 page undergraduate thesis that is published! So what the heck is my problem?
This weekend I had an epiphany as to why. In graduate school I took an adult development course. This class was run by two professors widely known in the Puget Sound Region as women you wanted to learn from. I was so excited about being in their class. One of our assignments was to create a ritual or write a fairytale that described how we became the adults we are today.
Excited, I wrote a fairytale about how I became who I am and what allowed me to heal to become who I am. One of these professors actually ripped apart the paper. She said that I didn’t know myself and I failed the assignment. The other teacher disagreed, but guess what I held onto?
The rejection.
Now I have to get over that fear of rejection so I can write my book. It’s not so easy when people say just write it. Some of you may relate to this form of rejection and if you’re not willing to deal with it, how will you ever get to a place where you create what you’re meant to create?
So I am working to overcome this fear. The fairytale I wrote in 1994 was on a typewriter. In 2010, I had it typed so it could be shared, but still held it away. Part of me realized that sharing is how I heal. Putting this on my blog will help me heal. Sharing my fairy tale will help even more, even in its raw unedited form. It’s not about having people tell me it’s good. It’s about being ok with putting myself out there further even again.
I have to let it go, and know it doesn’t matter what others think, as the story will touch who it is meant to touch.
You can download and read Ann’s fairytale here.
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
by Ann Evanston | Dec 8, 2011 | Business Strategy
I love this tool and I give a few tips to really make it work! (more…)
![30 Day Writing Challenge: part 7]()
by Ann Evanston | Aug 30, 2011 | Business Strategy, Mental Mind Shifts
Do you really know your voice?
I recently had the honor to meet a woman that took on the 30 day writing challenge in person. We have been “facebook friends”, not super close, but this challenge created a connection. When she signed up for the challenge I went to her profile, realized she was local and said “let’s meet”. I think the universe tells me things, and I always listen. Beautiful, smart and savvy, we shared our businesses with each other. She asked great questions. We talked a TON about the 30 Day Writing Challenge and what it has meant for each of us. As we spoke I realized that the reason I do what I do, the reason for my book, is even more important.
You cannot see your audience, your market, the people you lead differently than you see yourself. It’s your true voice that will attract them to you.
Since I created the Social Networking Coaching Club in 2008 I have told clients that doing that coaching online (versus a conversation on a call, or in person) is important because they have to learn to communicate in writing. Now I realize the depth of this importance. I realize how hard it is for many to shift their voice to the written word even when they feel they know it vocally. I realize that so many lose who they are as they write their blog posts or facebook marketing tips. I realize that knowing who you are isn’t JUST telling your story, or what happened to you today. It’s about energetically connecting.
And if you don’t learn how to write from that space your online marketing falls flat.
The hardest part is that you often don’t see it in you, but others do. Face it, I bet there are things online that you read and you think to yourself: “Interesting. But so dead.” Other things you read and think: “Interesting. And I’m inspired.” The latter is because the person truly knows who they are and writes in that voice.
I was already planning a major strategy upgrade for The Social Networking Coaching Club this fall; now it’s getting a deeper upgrade. See, SNCC isn’t just about “how to tweet”; it’s about finding your unique and compelling voice.
I am honored to have the hour with this amazing woman that joined the 30 day challenge. And for the gift she and the universe provided me. I know I am supposed to teach this to my clients. I always have. It’s just grown in depth over the years and continues to do so.
Will you join me in the next 30 day challenge? It starts Thursday Sept 1st!
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
by Ann Evanston | Aug 23, 2011 | Business Strategy
What discipline did you make to yourself?
Three weeks into this 30 day writing challenge and I noticed a huge shift in my writing from day 14. My focus has clarified into writing I need to do for my business. I have written presentation copy, sales copy, marketing copy, newsletter copy. I have always put this stuff off, telling myself lies (oh geez, loose a piece of me when I do that, remember what a wrote a few weeks ago!)that I had enough for now, or that other things I’m working on were more important.
But, this 30 minutes a day has carved out a sacred space that gives me permission to write. It gives me the space to add new copy into my business, to write things that have been on this list, but not getting done, because I could always make an excuse not to do it.
And yes, I have a successful business, the things I do and have done, work. Imagine though, having new gifts to give, new eBooks to sell, blog posts that don’t feel strained to write, fresh marketing content? I realized today why Dan Kennedy writes for one hour every day, even on the day of his mother’s funeral:
- Because writing feeds the business
- Because writing nurtures who you are
- Because writing comforts you
- Because writing cleanses you
- Because when your business is thriving, your family has the best of you.
I feel that Dan knows that not writing can create a cycle back to things we don’t want in life. So there is never an excuse for him not to do it. It only takes one day. I am also confident his mother was proud that he did write that day.
So I have decided that the30 day challenge will continue for me, EVERY30 days. I have even (through my writing every day!) created a “30 days writing challenge newsletter.” 30 days of inspiration sent to you if you join me. Official challenges will start the first of every month, but you are welcome to join any day that fits for YOU.
Sign up is on my facebook pages, under “The Challenge” tab.
Will you be a part of the challenge?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
