What’s a question you would ask an author with a newly launched book? “When did you find yourself needing courage?” “How did you get the courage you needed?” “What’s the bigger conversation you want your book to be part of?”
Those are the questions I’d like to know, as a start. That’s because as a writer, author, publisher myself, I’m curious to know about the inner journey a person takes on their way to expressing their voice out loud with a book.
What book(s) are you reading these days? Do they resonate with your own life even if the circumstances seem totally different? My cat, Tom Jupiter, sees his namesake in a children’s book I bought at a library sale recently. I love recognizing myself in a book, or seeing the self I’d like to be. It’s not always the hero we resonate with. It’s how we resonate with the struggles that are so universal, and celebrate the joys as well.
Next to my cat on the coffee table is Becky Robinson’s new book, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause. It’s releasing April 19, 2022 and I’ve invited Becky for a conversation that I’m calling Creative Courage Live! We’ll be on Zoom and you’re invited to come listen and ask your own questions. That’s Friday, April 22 at 4-5 pm ET / 2-3pm MT, or 9pm in British Summer time, or bright and early in Australia on 4/23.
Two big reasons I’m supporting Becky is because (1) her new book is fantastic — I requested an early copy so that I could be on her launch team and (2) I experienced her expertise firsthand. Becky and her team at Weaving Influence were indispensable in the launch of The Courage Way, and she hosted a book-launch webinar with me and Parker J. Palmer. Both our books were published by Berrett-Koehler.
How do we fortify ourselves for “going public” — going from writer to author to publishing partner? Or going public with your own ideas, work or worthy cause. For me, it was a bit like going from being pregnant to new parent, meeting a new soul you’ve created, feeling tender and protective about introducing her to the world. It can also feel overwhelming to know your one book is joining thousands of others.
When there’s all so many Life & Death events happening in the world right now, it might be easy to say, “Oh, my book isn’t as important as that…I’ll just lay low instead.” But no, your voice deserves to be heard and add to the light that this world so desperately needs.
It takes courage to write a book and then more courage to put yourself out there to interact with readers. As Becky writes, when you think of it in terms of the value you’re creating, of generosity and service to your readers, and do it with consistency and the long-view or longevity in mind, you’re able to reach more people with the ideas you’re passionate about.
We are each born to be brave in our own ways, with our specific gifts and limits that make the challenge interesting and uniquely our own. We’ll need all kinds of courage along the way—and the people we meet will show us how it can be done. Exemplars in all walks of life are those people who may not even call themselves courageous, but by taking action from the heart, they create courage in the spaces between us. If they can do it, what can we do?
You can buy REACH at https://amzn.to/3rUWIk0 or wherever books are sold. You can learn more about Becky Robinson at her company website, Weaving Influence.
Feel free to share this with other aspiring authors you know, or anyone ready to take their voice to the next level of reach!