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Whether you’ve dreamed of being an author for decades or you’re just starting to put pen to paper, there’s one constant truth: writing—and finishing—a book is no small feat. On this episode of the Authors Who Lead podcast, I want to dive into the hidden obstacles that prevent most aspiring writers from becoming published authors. Drawing from my own journey (including a 24-year gap between my writing dreams and writing reality!), I lay out three major reasons books go unfinished—and what, exactly, you can do about it.

Timestamp:

00:00 Why your book won’t succeed
05:10 Discovering a teaching career
07:12 Struggling with writing a manuscript
11:32 The impact of a book
14:00 Letting go of writing perfection
18:02 Understanding intrusive thoughts
20:12 Encouragement to subscribe and review

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📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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Publishing a book is often seen as a milestone—a badge of honor for accomplished leaders and coaches. But as I reveal in my conversation on the Authors Who Lead podcast, writing a book does more than boost your authority. It can crystallize your message, become a launching pad for new opportunities, and ultimately serve as a powerful legacy that outlives you.

Timestamp:

00:00 Discussing Mark's leadership book
06:01 Impact of publishing a book
07:02 Seeking publishing validation
12:54 Writing process and early feedback
14:11 Discovering my writing passion
17:00 Discovering the TED Talk idea
22:36 Turning book into Kindle edition
25:07 Crafting a clear book message
28:27 Writing my first book
32:40 Choosing between fame and fortune
33:51 Using visual models for writing

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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Writing a memoir is never an easy feat—especially when the story being told explores the deeply personal terrain of trauma, healing, and the reclamation of one’s agency. In this episode of the "Authors Who Lead" podcast, I sit down with Chelsey Valeri—licensed clinical social worker, trauma therapist, and debut memoirist—as she offers an honest glimpse into how she crafted her book, Healed Enough. Through our conversation, you'll get a multidimensional understanding of complex trauma—from both clinical and lived perspectives—and what it takes to turn such experiences into a story that resonates.

Timestamp:

00:00 Deciding to write a memoir
05:12 Complex PTSD not in DSM
07:08 Understanding trauma's impact on mental health
10:29 Discussing personal healing journey
14:45 Feeling vulnerable but understood
19:34 Writing during health challenges
21:29 Navigating a patriarchal society
26:06 Healing Foundation and trauma care
29:12 Editing process for publishing
33:12 Discussing book feedback and approach
37:18 Writing a clinician's hand guide
39:40 Challenges in trauma therapy training
43:36 Discussing a valuable trauma book

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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For many of you, the journey from idea to manuscript can feel daunting and filled with self-doubt. In this heartfelt solo episode, I share personal insights and experiences from a life devoted to writing, coaching, and the pursuit of dreams. This post explores key takeaways from the episode, offering both encouragement and practical wisdom for anyone standing at the threshold of their own writing journey.

Timestamp:

00:00 Deciding to write a book
03:38 Pursuing travel through writing
07:23 Importance of finishing your book
11:55 Writing and living in Spain

Full show notes

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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Behind every aspiring author I meet is a burning question: “Does what I have to say really matter?” I want to shine a light on this today, urging you to look beyond the mechanics of writing and toward the deeper reason you write at all. Writing a book is about so much more than perfect prose or bestseller status—it’s about sharing your unique message, stepping into leadership, and leaving a mark on the world that only you can.

Timestamp:

00:00 Discussing the book's narrative style
04:02 Navigating medical language barriers
09:24 Beginning memoir research process
11:02 Crafting an engaging memoir narrative
14:52 Balancing honesty in writing
18:58 The impact of Blue Fairy
19:56 Reader feedback on helpful book details
23:06 Teaching 12-year-olds memoir
28:10 Discussing future writing ideas
30:26 Starting to write a novel
36:19 Dealing with a friend's grief
39:03 Writing a fictionalized series
41:04 Preview of her art journal
44:14 Advocating for your message

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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Behind every aspiring author I meet is a burning question: “Does what I have to say really matter?” I want to shine a light on this today, urging you to look beyond the mechanics of writing and toward the deeper reason you write at all. Writing a book is about so much more than perfect prose or bestseller status—it’s about sharing your unique message, stepping into leadership, and leaving a mark on the world that only you can.

Timestamp:

00:00 Seeking significance through writing
04:34 Message beneath the words
09:31 Small ideas spark big impact
10:54 Small ideas, big impact

Full show notes

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

CONNECT
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I often feel we take communication for granted, assuming it’s just about relaying information. Yet, in my latest conversation, I sat down with Sage Hobbs—author of Naked Communication—to explore how communication rooted in authenticity and curiosity can radically alter our relationships at work, at home, and within ourselves. Our talk was a candid look at what it really takes to write a book, launch it (twice), and confront your own vulnerabilities.

Timestamp:

00:00 Writing to connect authentically
05:28 Reflections on teaching and growth
08:18 Writing reveals self-discovery
11:30 Loss, reflection, and renewal
14:01 Reflections on growth and change
17:02 Curiosity can transform the world
22:17 Facing fear through writing
24:13 Merging grief and professional growth
28:57 Connection over job titles
30:13 Who is this not for?
33:56 Connecting with the author

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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In this episode of Authors Who Lead, I sit down with Samantha Sweetwater to discuss how her book True Human: Reimagining Ourselves at the End of Our World evolved from scattered ideas into a cohesive manuscript through patience, humility, and honesty.

We explore what it means to write during a time of ecological, technological, and cultural transformation—and why authorship requires more than inspiration. Samantha shares the four-year journey of shaping her ideas, letting go of what didn’t belong, and allowing the book to mature into its final form.

Timestamp:

00:00 Reimagining humanity in the Anthropocene
04:10 Writing to reveal oneself
08:56 Guide to radical civilizational transition
10:13 Responses to the personal transformation chapter
13:24 Navigating a transcontextual crisis
16:34 Patience nurtures ideas into form
20:49 Why this book resonates
24:56 AI cover art collaboration
29:09 Authors’ long-term success plan
32:35 Regenerative devotion and resilience
35:01 Books thrive through community
38:03 True Human: the author journey

Full show notes

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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If you’re waiting for a surge of confidence before you start writing your book, you’re not alone. I’ve spent years hosting the Authors Who Lead Podcast, talking with authors at every stage of the journey, and one belief comes up again and again: “I just need a little more confidence before I begin.”

Here’s the truth I’ve learned—confidence rarely shows up first. Action does. And waiting for confidence is often the very thing keeping us stuck.

Timestamp:

00:00 Confidence comes through action
05:14 Embracing change and self-expression
08:13 Take action, publish your book
10:47 Purpose drives creation

Full show notes

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book
🤫 Secret Podcast: Born to Write, Scared to Start
⭐ You're Allowed to Write This Book

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In this episode, I sit down with Barbara Caver, a film and television production executive, passionate traveler, and first-time memoirist. Her debut memoir, A Little Piece of Cuba, weaves together Cuban heritage, family memory, and a life-changing trip in a way that resonates far beyond cultural boundaries.

In our conversation, Barbara and I talk openly about the creative process, emotional roadblocks, and how lived experience slowly becomes a finished book. What emerged is a powerful reminder for aspiring authors: memoir isn’t about recording everything that happened — it’s about listening to what memory insists on telling.

Timestamp:

00:00 Cuban heritage memoir journey
06:15 Writing progress through collaboration
06:56 Writing, reflection, and evolving stories
12:17 Overcoming challenges to keep writing
16:26 From idea to published book
18:49 Second-generation language struggles
22:51 Memoir and memory’s subjectivity
23:46 Cinder Bottom: a fictional memoir
27:13 Unintentional intimacy in writing
33:05 Daily writing builds momentum
35:00 Seeing and describing deeper
37:32 Author updates and Substack content

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book

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What if grief wasn’t something to get over, but something that could teach us how to live?

In this deeply moving conversation, Azul Terronez sits down with executive, speaker, and author Kathryn Henry to discuss her memoir, A Dime to Say I Love You. After losing her wife Lisa following a decade-long battle with cancer, Kathryn began writing not just to remember, but to heal, to listen, and to live more fully.

This is a conversation about love, non-attachment, forgiveness, and what happens when writing becomes a spiritual practice. It’s also about trusting the story that wants to be written and letting it change you in the process.

Timestamp:

00:00 Lessons through loss and healing
05:31 Unexpected endings and acceptance
08:18 Rediscovering our true essence
09:49 Forgiveness: a gift to yourself
16:28 Memoir writing and reflection
17:19 Intentional introspection and spirituality
22:17 Honoring experiences amid challenges
24:57 Living a life I love
28:52 Peaceful passing and dime moments
31:16 Audiobook out now: Katherine Henry

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COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
📚 Write and Publish your book

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