On beginnings and endings

Where do you start?

I’ve done enough transformational and self-development work to know that beginnings—the roots of things—aren’t always what we think they are. 

Is it mom, dad? Ourselves? God?

Was it when we were 3, 5, 7? Or did it happen in the womb? What about generational trauma?

Fortunately, the beginnings of books are easier to solve, and remedy.

In medias res is the term used when a narrative work begins in the middle of things—when it opens in the middle of the plot.

And that’s certainly a solid place to start your book.

In Little Fires Everywhere, it’s a house fire. 

In Fight Club, the protagonist is being held hostage with a gun in his mouth atop a building rigged with explosives. How’s that for attention grabbing?

But it’s not always the loudest beginnings that make the most impact. I worked with a writer once who was telling his own story—his life story—and he couldn’t figure out where to start the book. We workshopped some scenes and one memory he shared was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

“That’s the beginning of your book,” I told him. 

I can’t tell you what the beginning of your book is from here, but I can tell you that when you find it, you’ll know it. Until then, keep seeking. Keep writing. The answer is there, waiting for you to catch up.

Opening and Closing Loops

What’s so great about foreplay?

The tease.

Writing a book is like that. Luring the reader in with enticing questions that they want answered, and delaying the answer.

No matter the book, no matter the genre, consider the loops you’re opening and closing.

Have you planted enough questions? Have you answered them too soon? Is there a compelling reason for the reader to read on? Does your story/book follow through on its promise?

Creating open loops can also help you maintain momentum as you write your book—making note of the things you get to come back to and figure out later so you can keep writing now while you’re in the zone.

Just be sure to come back to those points after first draft and close the loop 😉

Mindset Mastery

They don’t call it a “head game” for nothing…

How do you run the race? Do you start strong and fizzle out from there? Are you a strong finisher? Or are you someone who has a bunch of half-started/half-finished projects lying around?

I’m asking because writing a book is a lot like running a marathon…only with your brain.

In fact, I would chaulk up 50% of the effort that goes into writing a book, especially for new authors, to be about mastering the mind…

The self-doubt (“I’m not a good enough writer”)

The fear of rejection (particularly you memoir writers/life story tellers out there)

The scarcity (“I don’t have the time/money to invest in writing a book”)

Writing a book, I feel, takes more mental endurance than anything else—more than writing skill, proficiency with language, professional expertise, etc.

One of the ways I make writing a book manageable for my clients is breaking down the writing into regular, small increments. (“You mean, all I have to do is write 500 words/one hour a day? Five times a week? I can do that!”)

I tackle the easy/fun stuff first. (Hence writing the beginning, middle and end—or any of your favourite scenes/chapters—early on, if not first.)

So that I’ve got major momentum by the time I hit my first wall—which is much smaller now that I’ve already clocked in 25K-plus words and written the beginning, middle and end of my book. At this point, I’m so invested in my book I CAN’T NOT write it.

You feel me?

A word about feedback

A word about feedback…

First I love it. I mean, who loves any feedback that equals rejection? Me neither.

But feedback as in INFORMATION. Now that, I adore. Giving and receiving it.

Now like any game, I like to have some ground rules. Boundaries. Parameters. ESPECIALLY when it comes to writing.

Personally? I love feedback that looks for the opportunities. What’s working? What do I want to see more of?

I love feedback that’s exploratory, curious: What would it look like if —? Have you ever thought of —?

Ultimately, you’re going to resonate with whomever you’re meant to resonate with. Some people are going to like you/your book, some people just won’t. And that’s okay. We’re not out to please everyone.

We’re here to reach the people only you can reach. And to do that, we get to ask questions. To make sure everything you want to say, make your reader feel, is landing on the page.

So choose wisely: Someone you know who has your best interests at heart, but who is also curious, adventurous and willing to go on the self-improvement journey with you, which also includes acknowledging everything you’re doing right.

Walking the (through) line

Sometimes the answer to our questions, our problems, is sitting right there in front of us…

Sometimes we look all over the place, turn ourselves inside out upside down, seeking love, confidence, knowledge, when everything we need is right here.

Kind of like your book’s through line ;)

The people who come to me to help them write their book often can’t see the forest for the trees. There’s so much they want to say, so much they want to achieve, that they literally lose the plot.

(FYI, this happens to me too.)

As an outsider, though, in an instant, I can see it plain as day—their hero’s journey, 3 act structure, 5 act structure and Save the Cat beat sheet, regardless of genre.

And so what I’m telling you today is YOU already know what your book is about. You might not have it all figured out, certainly, but you know what journey you want to take your readers on.

THAT’S your through line.

Trust it. Follow it. Write it.

Go there.

Give Yourself Permission to Play

I’ve pretty much quit everything that isn’t fun to me, so I consider myself kind of an expert at this…

While I’m 100% a doer, I’m also a huge advocate for following your fun radar.

And that goes for writing too.

If it’s not fun, don’t do it—until you absolutely have to.

That messy middle? That can absolutely wait.

The end of your novel calling your name today? Go there. Why not?!

There will come a time when you will have to link up all the pieces together, smooth out transitions and edit, edit, edit, polish, polish, polish…but that time isn’t now.

For now, as you move toward a finished first draft of your manuscript, follow your fun, take risks, play and dare to make mistakes.

You have my permission.

Find Your Magic Portal

The stories we know and love are full of magic portals…

Forests and lakes, basements and attics, closets and wardrobes. Places where magic happens, where reality as we know it crosses over to other worlds and dimensions.

What isn’t talked about so much, are the magic portals writers use to get INTO their writing and the worlds they are creating.

For some people it’s writing shrines, crystals and candles. For others it’s a walk in the park, or sitting down by the lake. I even had a writing mentor who used to dress in head to toe costume to get in the zone.

As for me, I wrote my first story playing holiday movies on a loop on the living room TV.

Now I don’t know what I would do without my Spotify playlist.

I seem to be drawn to certain songs and genres as my books evolve. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they don’t, but either way, it gets me there—in the mood and faraway in time and space so I can connect with my characters and the drama that they’re facing.

That playlist becomes my reset button, that I press each day as I open up my manuscript. I hit play, and I’m locked in and ready to write, back in the mood and flow I was in yesterday.

So if you don’t have a magic portal yet, and you’re struggling to find the words, or pick up where you left off, consider making this part of your new writing habit.

It’ll help you keep up the momentum, stay in the zone and propel you toward your finish line.

Tee Up Tomorrow’s Writing Today

Oooh boy, I love a happy ending.

It’s so tidy and neat, offering a satisfying sense of completion. Everyone all tucked away, snug in their beds, knowing the worst is behind them and tomorrow is going to be brighter than ever before.

And yet…and yet…when it comes to writing your book, it can support us writers to leave the end undone.

I like to think of it as leaving bread crumbs. So I can find my way back in tomorrow.

That’s why as my How To Write A Book In 30 Days tip of the day, I recommend teeing up tomorrow’s writing, today.

That means that once you’ve finished your writing for the day, whether that’s one hour or 500 words, before you snap your laptop shut and move on to another task, plan where you’ll pick up tomorrow.

1. It’s going to make it so much easier to get writing tomorrow, knowing you’ve already figured out what you get to write about,
2. It presents an opportunity to check in with your outline, beat sheet or whatever notes you’ve used to sketch out your book, and reconnect with your overall story arch and structure so you don’t stray too far from the through line and point of your story.

I like to jot down some notes of where I get to go tomorrow in my story, but I know other authors who actually start their next chapter and stop mid-way.

Personally I find that kind of cliffhanger excruciating—see note about happy endings above—but if it works for you, go for it!

PS: Head over to my new YouTube channel where I’m sharing tips and inspiration daily to help you write your book.

Give Up On Trying To Get It Right and Just Get It Down

There was a time I was so shy, I wouldn’t post my face on Instagram.

And speak? In front of other people? No way, nope, nada, not happening.

But writing? I could shoot magic out my fingertips for days without fear. On page, I was big, bold, badass.

Until one day, when my vision became bigger than my fears.

The reason I’m sharing this with you now as part of my How to Write a Book in 30 Days challenge is because when you can give your ego the ol’ heave ho, get lost, scram, and be willing to be vulnerable, you become a clear channel for whatever is authentically bubbling up inside you.

And that is beautiful.

In fact, I don’t even consider myself a writer anymore so much as a channel. A medium for muse, creativity, God, source, the universe to move through me.

Which is why for my tip of the day, I say that if you want to create the kind of momentum it takes to write a book in 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, you have to give up caring about how good you look on page and just get it down and out.

No one nails the first draft. No one gets away without editing. The first draft is just about accumulating enough material so you have something to work with when the editing process begins.

And that, friends, is when the magic happens.

PS: Head over to my new YouTube channel where I’m sharing tips and inspiration daily to help you write your book.

How To Make Time for Writing Your Book

“I don’t know how you do it.”

People say that to me ALL the time.

The 4 kids.

The business.

The volunteer work. (I help out from time to time as a transformational coach and that’s as much about serving humanity as it is about levelling up my own.)

The hot bod. (Okay, that part is just me LOL)

The truth is, I’m a beast when it comes to productivity.

Some of it comes naturally (nature & nurture). Some of it I’ve worked really hard at. Some of it I just had to become to survive (see note above re: 4 kids).

But in my life’s journey, I’ve learned many ways to create time out of thin air. To bend it and make it work for me, so I could be/do/have everything I ever wanted.

And now I’m sharing that with you. Hop over to my brand new YouTube channel to see how I’m writing a book in 30 days, and for tips and inspiration so you can write and finish your book too.

PS: If you want some 1-1 support with this, feel free to reach out and DM me and we can set up a call. Xo

Do It Messy

I am doing it all wrong.

I'm doing it upside down, inside out.

Driving on the wrong side of the road (really not really).

Using my left hand (I'm right handed).

Falling on my ass, only to pop back up and fall again and again.

It's scary AF, humiliating and...exhilarating.

Wait, did she just say "exhilarating"?

Yes.

Throwing out the script, starting from nothing, letting go of people and things I was deeply attached to--it's freeing.

And know what else it is?

It's working for me.

So well, in fact, that I'm on track to finish my next book in just 30 days. A record for me.

How am I doing it? Stay tuned. I'll be sharing my tips and journey *daily* (big gulp.)

So meet me here again tomorrow, and I’ll share fresh tips for how I’m pulling it all off.

And if you want to write a book in 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, message me and we’ll hop on a call. I promise I’ll have some golden tips for you. And if I don’t, I sure as hell know someone who does 😉

Fall in love with your story

Through story, I found joy, purpose and love. Story has always been a way for me to connect with the deepest parts of myself, and now it’s connecting me with others in ways I could never have imagined or hoped for.

I want this for you too, which is why I’m bringing you my FREE interview series THE POWER OF STORY, where 21 expert guests will share how to craft the perfect story, get noticed and even use story to design the life of your dreams.

Through this series, I hope you’ll learn to fall in love with your story, and even begin the task of writing it down, be it for a book, a Ted Talk, or simply a letter to a loved one.

These interviews will show you how to create a deeper connection with your audience and customers, and how to use story as a way to inspire and encourage you both to thrive.

And for you fellow writers, speakers and leaders reading this right now, this series will also show you how to go even deeper in your work, and how to create powerful stories that unite and elevate humanity and our collective story.

These 21 experts have stepped up to share their time, knowledge and love with you. I feel so blessed to have had the chance to share this space with them. I hope you’ll take me up on my free offer, and give them a chance to share what they have to say, with you.

Here’s what else we’ll be covering in these interviews:

• What businesses can learn from Hollywood

• How the internet is changing storytelling

• What we can learn from science to tell better, more effective, stories

• How stories can increase courage, resilience and innovation

• How story can save the world

These are just some of the questions we’ll be answering in my upcoming FREE interview series THE POWER OF STORY.

Starting October 11, 2022, I’ll be sharing my interviews with 21 storytelling masters, motivational speakers, transformational leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and neuroscientists, who will show you how powerful storytelling is in all areas of your life, and how to do it masterfully.

Discover how to use the power of storytelling in your relationships, in your business and to create the impact and legacy that you want in the world, and gain the tools and strategies to make your storytelling experience a success.

SIGN UP NOW to get access to THE POWER OF STORY and let’s dive into the magic of storytelling together.

Cat xo

PS: Remember, this series is totally FREE! All you need to do is register to get access to THE POWER OF STORY and we can explore the magic of storytelling together. CLICK HERE to sign up now.

The real secret to success

What are the keys to crafting a great story?

How can story help us create the life of our dreams?

What kinds of stories are audiences craving today?

How can we use story to stand out and get noticed?

These are just some of the questions we’ll be answering in my upcoming FREE interview series THE POWER OF STORY.

Starting October 11, 2022, I’ll be sharing my interviews with 21 storytelling masters, motivational speakers, transformational leaders, artists, entrepreneurs and neuroscientists, who will show you how powerful storytelling is in all areas of your life, and how to do it masterfully.

They’re going to share the tools and strategies to use the power of storytelling in your relationships, in your business and to create the impact and legacy that you want in the world.

Through this interview series, you’ll see not only that your story matters, but that it matters in everything you do—from your relationships to your business to the lasting impact you make in the world. And you’ll also have the tools and strategies to make your storytelling experience a success.

So join me and my 21 expert guests and learn how to craft the perfect story, get noticed and even use story to design the life of your dreams, as well as:

• What businesses can learn from Hollywood

• How the internet is changing storytelling

• What we can learn from science to tell better, more effective, stories

• How stories can increase courage, resilience and innovation

• How story can save the world

This series is totally free. All you need to do is SIGN UP NOW to get access to THE POWER OF STORY and let’s dive into the magic of storytelling together.

Cat xo

PS: Remember, these interviews are going to unlock the key to success in all areas of your life. Your story matters, and it is the difference between you and everyone else. It’s the thing that connects you to other people in your life, to your clients and audiences, and that will help others get passionate about you, your brand and your mission. CLICK HERE to sign up.

The key to everything you want

I got some coaching last week and it changed my life.

I was doing my typical A-type, doing-all-the-things-all-at-the-same-time maniac thing, reading all the books, consuming all the videos, joining all the Zooms and getting NOWHERE FAST.

Until my business coach ordered me to stop. All of it.

“Wha? You mean ALL OF IT?”

“Yes.”

Since I’m a good student, I did what he said.

And you know what happened?

I met my dad for lunch (dim sum, our favourite!).

Had Indian for dinner with my mom (at my second favourite place!).

Enjoyed a date night with my hubby that was, oh, months overdue.

We even went on a double date with some friends the next night!

And I still hit my business target for the week.

Point is, sometimes doing all the things starts with focusing on JUST ONE thing at a time. There’s even a book about it: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results.

What’s the one thing you get to focus on this week to ultimately create the results you want in your life? I’d love to hear.

Cat xo

PS: If one of your goals for your life is writing a book, join me for my 6-week INTRODUCTION TO WRITING class starting September 7 where we’ll explore your story together and help you move forward with your passion project, one step at a time. Click here to sign up.

How to be a writer: Start this unstoppable writing routine to write your book faster

Like everything else, writing begins with good habits.

I recently hosted a workshop where my friend Arline Malakian talked about the creative mindset. During her presentation, she asked everyone to close their eyes and choose a colour. Sure enough, when she asked them to open their eyes, they saw that colour everywhere.

Writing a book is like that too.

When you create a writing habit, you’ll start to see your book everywhere you go, throughout your day, especially if you start your habit in the morning. Soon your book will take on a life of its own, and will begin to write itself. This is called “being in flow.”

So how do you get there?

First, start with writing every day. I recommend 20 minutes of journalling. This is a great way to get your creative juices flowing, plus it’s a beautifully cathartic and reflective exercise.

Don’t be discouraged if you feel clumsy with this at first. It’s like riding a bike—you might feel the words are slow to come, and like you might fall over.

Keep going.

Eventually, you’ll catch momentum. The words will flow and your book will begin to emerge. And before you know it, your book will practically write itself.

But that’s not the best part.

Once you’ve mastered 20 minutes a day, begin to increase your writing time. That’s where the gold is.

Really that first sprint is just the fluff of your consciousness, the debris from your day and to-do lists, surface-level feelings and concerns.

What comes next is like a yoga pose when you hold your position just a little bit longer—it’s the stretch, the growth, the deeper awareness, the subconscious.

The longer you can hold that pose, the more precious the material you will mine for your book.

So start with 20 minutes a day, lean in and grow from there.

Cat xo

PS: I’m hosting a 6-week INTRODUCTION TO WRITING class starting September 7 where I’ll share the fundamentals of writing a book. It’s a chance to explore your story, get feedback on your idea and writing and create some accountability to help you move forward with your passion project. Click here to sign up.

Is the thing you’re getting stuck on keeping you stuck?

I was chatting with my business coaching program accountability buddy (I have one for my business because accountability helps me commit to the things that scare me), and she remarked how quickly I jump on the training.

I already know this about me—I love shiny new projects and have a ton of energy when it comes to starting things. My growth has been in FINISHING STRONG.

But what struck me today thinking back to our convo yesterday, is that for my buddy this was a phenomenon. She couldn’t see how this was possible, how I got where I was and had made so much progress, without getting all my ducks in a row first like she was doing.

I’m sharing this with you because 1) Yes, I’m in a business development program and I have a business coach, where I have an accountability buddy. I can spend days, weeks or years trying to figure out everything by myself, or I can hire someone who’s already been there/done that to teach me the way to get where I’m going faster.

And 2) Because if, like my buddy, you’re missing out on momentum because you’re trying to get it right before you even get started, you get to stop that. Like now.

Think about riding a bike: When you start pedalling, you’re slow and clumsy, right? But as you get going, you get momentum, and then the bike practically starts riding itself!

That’s just like pretty much everything else in life.

If every time you get in front of your book, your business, your passion project, it feels like the first time, you’re missing out on the gifts of momentum. Momentum creates momentum. It’s fast and it’s easy and you get to get on it.

All you have to do to catch some momentum, is start and keep going. Regardless of whether you know where you’re headed. Regardless of whether you’ve figured it all out—the business plan, the book outline, the strategy.

Start anyway. Then figure it out as you go along.

Now the figure-it-out part can look like a lot of things: It can be an hour you set aside to do just that. It can be a day in the week. A retreat. A skills development course. A coaching program.

But be mindful that too much planning can keep you stuck too. It can be a false illusion of progress and stop you from moving forward in your goals. Having an outline is not the same as having a 60,000-word first draft. A business plan does not equal money in the bank.

Planning, strategy, is great, but it shouldn’t replace the day-to-day task you get to complete that moves your project forward.

Don’t let planning disrupt your momentum. Or you’ll have to start all over again.

So today as you approach your day, tasks and to-do list, I invite you to ask yourself: Is the thing you’re doing right now creating momentum toward reaching your goal? Is it words on the page? Calls made? Emails sent?

Or is it keeping you stuck in the figuring-things-out part?

If so, stop it. 

Start. Figure it out along the way. And keep going.

Cat xo

PS: I’m launching two programs in September that will create a ton of momentum for you book writers out there. Click here if you want to hear more.

Have you heard this before?

This morning I woke up to this message:

“Cat, people keep telling me I need to write a book, but I don’t know what that book is or how to go about writing it!”

Then I met with a prospective client, who said the same thing:

“Cat, people keep telling me I need to write a book, but I don’t know what that book is or how to go about writing it!”

Needless to say, that in 1 hour I helped her figure out that it wasn’t just one book she gets to write, but 3 different ones, for 3 different audiences!

So how did I do it?

Well, 25+ years honing my storytelling skills as a journalist certainly helps. Not just in seeing the story behind the story, but seeing how it plays out across audiences and platforms and time.

That’s a little hard to distill here into a handy tip or two to share with you, but here’s this:

If you find yourself saying:

“Cat, people keep telling me I need to write a book, but I don’t know what that book is or how to go about writing it!”

Do these 2 things:

1) Ask yourself, what was it about what you were sharing in that moment that prompted someone else to make that remark?

2) What makes you excited about writing about that?

There. Now you know what book your audience wants to read, and why you want to write it.

Cat xo

PS: I know writing a book can seem scary and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Message me and I’ll help you connect with the joy of storytelling.

Save the date for my Magical You virtual retreat!

I can’t help it. I love creating 😜

With summer solstice approaching, I was inspired to gather some of my friends to create a magical event where we could inspire and encourage each other, dream and play, and design what we want for the future, near and far.

Over three days in June, starting on the Summer Solstice, we’ll explore the creative mindset, courageous self care, the power of play, passion and purpose, and adventurous spirituality.

In this FREE virtual retreat, we’ll show you how to:

• Unlock your creativity

• Tap into your vision for your life

• Explore courageous self love and self care

• Plus! Receive free gifts and special offers

• And more!

Come join this FREE Passion Project virtual retreat to start making the life of your dreams come true!

Click here to sign up and save your spot!

Cat xo

PS: We’ll be announcing speakers and guests in the coming days, so keep an eye out for my emails and feel free to share any of these updates with the people in your life!

What I learned from 2 days in Transformational Leadership

Recently I spent two days in a Transformational Leadership training room helping to take almost 200 students from breakdowns to breakthroughs as they worked their way up in their leadership to create outstanding results in all areas of their lives.

The funny thing is, even though I was doing the coaching, I felt like I was learning and growing as much as they were.

Those 48 hours opened up a Pandora’s Box of things that continue to get in my way, that I’m ready to let go of: Fear of failure, fear of success. (Wha? Yeah. It’s a thing, and it’s for real.)

I’m excited for our final stretch and the last three weeks of breakthroughs we get to experience before graduation, as we each take ourselves on.

In the meantime, I want to share a few things that became clear for me during those 2 days:

1) Pretty much everyone has “Write a book” on their bucket list. (More on this below.)

2) No matter how much work you’ve done on yourself, there’s always more growth and fulfilment available to you.

3) It takes going beyond your comfort zone to truly level up and expand into what’s possible for you.

4) Community and relationships are how we grow and learn about ourselves and the world. Like my friend and client Robb Gilbear says in his book (which I edited, by the way): You can’t read the label from inside the jar. (And that jar of special sauce, is you.)

Cat xo

PS: If you’re ready to tackle that book publishing dream, but can’t make the dates for my next writers retreat, book a free exploration call with me. I’ve got a few other ways I can support you, and regardless, I love connecting with other writers and sharing what I’ve learned!

You’re invited!

Here we go! 🥳

My last writers retreat was so much fun, we’re doing it again!

Here’s what my authors had to say about our day together:

“Cat’s writing retreat was a great way to kick off my book-writing journey!”

“This retreat was amazing I loved that it was a small group setting and we really could get very clear on our own books and inspired by others peoples books.”

“I loved Cat’s energy and she has the greatest laugh. I’m not sure anyone has ever called me shy… but sharing an idea like this is a vulnerable thing to do and Cat made it easy! Thanks for all your help.”

“I loved the atmosphere and the open and safe energy Cat created in her workshop.”

Want to join my party? Hit reply for details and to save your spot!

Cat xo

PS: Just so you know, it’s not just a one-day retreat. I’m including 3 months of book coaching—FREE!—for anyone who signs up for my May 14 & 16 dates. Spots are limited. Get yours now!