Across from her I stood. Watching as she carefully arranged the papers for delivery. Unknown to her was the intrepid fact that her department would be cut the next day. No amount of hard work could Criticizeor change that fact. Decades ago who would ever have thought that society would change. Newspapers were no longer being read by the mass and the company had to cut back. Sad as it was the staff had to be reduced to save what little of the company that could be salvaged to its new online medium.
Peter Drucker was wise when he said there is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all. Tempted? Let’s examine our lives today. What are we doing so well that should not be…
Writers Write. Readers Read. Together they are one
I am always intrigued by stories, especially those told by others about new beginnings. Here I share as writers told how they writing journey was inspired.
I wrote to escape the loneliness of my husband who had to work away from home as we transitioned to the cold north.
When I moved away from my childhood friends
My short essays and fiction have all been written from my life.
It must have been engrained in my blood
A nosey irritating neighbor who believed I needed company
Daydreaming during a long commute that had dialogue and scenes that demanded to be written down
26 months solitary confinement with short stories from my childhood as a start
A terribly boring book I read to my son at age 6. I knew I could do better
God gave me the desire to write
The pandemic and Quarantine made me take the plunge
A dare from a neighbor
Getting into trouble for talking in the study hall and being assigned to write a 500 word theme to write on anything I wanted as punishment. Next day I turned in a 13 page short story.
My first novel resulted from an ugly divorce
The loss of my beautiful baby boys.
The ideas and content come to me in dreams. I have to just put them in order.
Car accident that left me disabled for a while
A dream and three nouns
My right (creative) side of the brain dying a slow death in a left side dominant (rational) job
My imagination
Sitting in the airport for a 2-hour-layover, waiting on a flight to hunt with my kids. The rest is history
Nature walk with just me and headphones
Interesting new beginnings! How about you? Do share how your own writing journey began. Here’s mine.
You’ll never be brave if you don’t get hurt. You’ll never learn if you don’t make mistakes. You’ll never be successful if you don’t encounter failure.
Unknown
My daughter’s Little 9-year old team lost the game in the basketball finals. Naturally, he was disappointed. Sulked all the way home. But later he came to me a little brighter, and said he remembered a Quote:
“You will never succeed if you don’t encounter failure”.
Then he walked away. I know his future’s bright because that’s what you do when things go wrong, You get back up and try again.
So today I encourage you to never give up on your dreams, goals and aspirations.
2020 The year of the pandemic which shocked many. There is hardly anyone left untouched. Rich, middle class or poor. The lives of many were turned upside down as lives were lost, jobs cut, business closures as the world simply stopped. As the year draws to a close in this fourth quarter, a social media tribe was asked the question:
What’s the best thing that 2020 has taught you?
Susan Ancillotti
2020 Learnings
Here I share excerpts captured as entrepreneurs chimed in:
Always have more than one income
Be willing to pivot rapidly
To love peace and calm over a frenetic stress filled life
Building a completely online business around your purpose is pandemic proof
Just get it done
Be true to yourself while honoring others to do the same
The need for true leaders to step up
That so many people put ‘fear’ in the gas tanks instead of filling up everyday on ‘love’
Take full self-responsibility for health and spending time with loved ones
Doing nothing differently
Containment
Plan B
Don’t book a holiday until the last minute
I can rebound
Be yourself. Don’t follow the crowd
What is your opinion of the year? Any omitted from this list? Do share. We would love to hear!
Actions are visible, motivesare secret. ~Samuel Johnson
Affluent, distinguished, go-getter one day she suffered a stroke. In an instant Alice’s life changed. Weekly physical therapy became routine to return to normal. Sadly, the job she previously had also left her.
Despondent she wanted to know what to do. She decided to search before the end came. Sad and down she called. We talked and talked for days, weeks and after several rounds of coaching she excitedly announced to her peers that she got another job….one directly related to her dreams. She felt alive again.
Sheryl, a journalist for well more than a decade was tired of her job. But each time we talked about her career change… it seems she got pregnant. Two children later she decided she had enough. It was time to take the leap. She acted. Today she’s excited about her new job and her career change.
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
― Maya Angelou
A public writers forum asked the question “what is the single biggest challenge you as a writer face?” Here I share responses as writers chimed in:
Writing everyday
Marketing
Not enough erasers
Find an agent
A full-time job that isn’t
Learning all the required skills – writing, editing, cover art, publishing, marketing, salesmanship, accounting …
Identifying my audience
Details
Time
Reviews
Getting books sold
Selling myself
Lethargy
Butt in chair
Discipline
Marketing costs. Dispite what some may say, it is expensive to self-publish. Editor, copy editor, cover design, copyright, ISBN numbers, authors copies, advertising, website, domain name, contests, give-aways, and on and on it goes
Self-Doubt
Stay Motivated
Writers block
The list goes on. Are you a new or published author? Is anything missing? Do share. We would love to hear.
My writing journey began when I was 10 years old doing an important entrance exam to enter high school. I wrote a fiction story and was so engulfed that I did not realize I was doing an exam. Suffice it to say, I excelled. I went on to writing policies and procedures in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in my International Human Resource Leadership Career.
Finding Meaning
My journey found meaning during my dissertation writing process as I pondered what to do for a 3-year writing project to meet the requirements for my doctoral studies. I wanted to do something that would make a difference to society. After deciding on researching the topics of Leadership and Success, my dissertation received outstanding recognition.
Challenges Along The Way
I was thrilled to have achieved my personal goal and Published my first book from my dissertation title Success Strategies of Leaders. The process was longer than anticipated and challenging as it involved translating the research from academic writing to storybook form in anticipation of public readership.
As many inquired about how to achieve success, I wrote Success Strategies Workbook to show them how. I was then recognized by the University for writing books based on my research as an example to other doctoral students. I was later invited to advise Doctoral students on the process I followed.
Community Leadership Initiatives
Along the way, I got involved with the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC doing work within our community, and was appointed as Chief Judge for the 30 Under-30 Millennial Change-makers. It was an initiative held at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) annually.
Same Goal–Different Paths
I subsequently published Books on Motivation to encourage New Entrepreneurs and individuals along their Career Success Journey. A few years later, I went on a slightly different path and published GreenLight, a book which contains stories of encouragement, inspiration, and exhortation. In response to reader request, I obliged and converted GreenLight into my first Audiobook. A different path but the process was enlightening and boosted my creativity.
Book Coach
As my writing journey progressed, aspiring new and longtime authors reached out asking for help. It transformed by role as coach for organizational Managers, employees, and Career Changers into my most enthusiastic role as Book Writing Coach as I responded to private and public calls for help. I also became a member of the writers community of South Florida for Authors of Color.
Satisfaction From New Authors
It brings me great joy and satisfaction as new writers experience novel personal growth when their first book has been released. My greatest pride is having worked closely with Reggae Music Matriarch Patricia Chin as she wrote to leave her legacy of a lifetime contribution, initially working close to Music Icons like Bob Marley while nurturing the careers of artists, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Sean Paul and more.
With more books on the horizon, my Writing and Book Coaching Journey continues. Thanks for allowing me to share my journey with you. Do share yours.
A new writer shared her Instagram name. It was nowhere close to her real names . I beckoned to her… smile in tow…”you do make it hard, don’t you? In haste she retorted “it’s so my employer can’t find me”.
I smiled.
Our Lives In Compartments
How many of us are like that? We live our lives in compartments trying to separate our true selves from what those around us see publicly.
To Hide To Be
It’s a hard choice but sometimes you have to hide in order “to be“. I pray one day that you will be able to just be. To reveal your true identity and just be the you that you want to be.
Workation is the concept of a place to getaway for business and pleasure.
Forbes Travel Guide which gave 26 Ideas of Workations to take right now. It’s not really a new concept as I have always traveled for business. However, in my workaholic haste to return home, I regret not taking the time to chill and relax after my meetings and/or conferences….essentially, to smell the coffee.
Enter the advent of the worldwide COVID Pandemic. Hotels suffered grave hit as travel took an unfortunate plunge. As creativity stepped in, hotels have had to come up with innovative ways to stay afloat as individuals stay indoors to do the traditional yet now expanded survival work-from-home strategy. Unfortunately, as this tactic has becomes more common, misery stepped in at the end of the day. So this is a cute idea to take a deliberate action to getaway, work, relax and play after. Who can beat that 3-in-1 deal? I’d only suggest you ensure there’s WiFi! To give you a push start, here are 5 hotels that I have worked from which drove my own writing passion.
1. Disney’s Contemporary Resort
2. Sundial Beach Resort and Spa
3. Sonesta
4. GalleryOne DoubleTree Suites By The Hilton
5. Hutchinson Island
Hope these selections have opened your appetite to change things up a bit. But be very careful and disciplined with your selections. Your productivity may be compromised.
The book club. It was the first. The apologies came in droves. Oh I started but couldn’t finish. It was the kids, the husband, household chores and so much more. Who has time to read anyway?
My secret and I remained silent. I had ordered the required paperback to be read by the time the group met. But delivery time would be a few days before the meeting. For sure I would have barely started much less finished reading.
Audiobook Rescue
Then the idea came to me. Why not order the audiobook version online and start listening immediately? Then by the time the paperback arrived I could finish my reading with the hard copy. And that I did.
So as the group complained they finally asked and I told them what I did. The envy on their faces grew like a fiery furnace.
I shared that experience to acknowledge that audiobooks work. As an author of several books on Success, leadership, and career development, my last book was different. It was more inspirational. The book GreenLight is filled with anecdotes, uplifting short stories, prayers and exhortations. Readers share it’s encouraging benefits. Many inquired of its audio format. So I complied.
AudiobookBenefits
Not an audiobook reader? Here I share 5 advantages:
1. Better Time Management
2. Enjoy the convenience of multitasking. You can listen while working, commuting or running.
3. More than one one person can read simultaneously. Road trip anyone?
4. Greater reach for authors as consumers are given wider choices of eBook, paperback or audio. Whatever their reading style, there’s an option.
5. Ability to read more books in a shorter time.
So while some are skeptical, audiobooks is the fastest growing channel these days and offer great benefits to those still on the fence.
What kind of reader are you? Audio, paperback, eBook? Do share, we would love to hear!
What do I need to write my first book? That is the question I am often asked. After researching the topics of leadership and Success, I published over 6 non-fiction books, people figure that I am doing something right. Here I share 11 tips for beginners interested in starting their own Writing Journey
Aspiring Authors Writing Tips
Write. Keep writing.
Read a lot so you understand how others do what they do
Be yourself. Tell the story
It takes a lot of sacrifice so keep going.
Start writing. Just keep writing. Stand at a bus stop, look at a fence and …write. Sit in a cafe, get yourself a drink and write about the next person who walks through the door – not his description… but his life story, his family, his job. Just write
Read the classics and discover why they are rated so highly
If you don’t know what to write or have writers block, use writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.
Don’t shy away from criticism. Being critiqued doesn’t always feel amazing, but it always makes you a better writer. Every time someone tells you what they think of your manuscript, you get closer to an objective understand of your work, which is invaluable
Don’t worry about perfection when you are writing your first draft. Good writing is re-writing
