Editor Central

Wow. 2020 has been something else, hasn’t it?

In the last several months, social media has made me want to take up drinking or send everyone to bed early without supper. Seriously. People use words in the most horrible ways.

I started to write a post for my personal Facebook, but when the word count tipped to almost 700, realized I needed to share it with you instead. The TL;DR summary I finally came up with for friends and family: “If you share original thoughts on social media, you are a writer. Don't be a jerk with your words.”

The world needs writers who can clearly and boldly present their stories and heart to influence change and healing without offending the people they long to help.

Whether it’s racism, COVID, politics, or topics of a more personal nature, we must learn to share our stories, express our opinions, and offer real answers to hard problems in a way that encourages others to listen and learn. So many people have pieces to the puzzle, but...

I’m pretty sure wishing for something, that can’t happen at this time in our life, is a hallmark of human existence. Twelve-year-olds want to be in college. Empty nesters long for the days their children were babies. And there’s always a pinch of “what-if” in every situation. Each stage and season of life has its own challenges and rewards.

For me, I spent eight months building my website, creating content, working with two of my daughters on their novels, and wishing the gnomes would pitch in a bit more with meal prep. (Sadly, they refused.) As I pushed through learning curves, long hours, and finally launched, there is a deep satisfaction that comes when the right things happen at the right time.

As much as I longed to coach fifteen years ago, I’m not sure when I would have found the time or energy. I was homeschooling two elementary age boys with a preschooler and newborn in tow. Sanity was at a premium during those years. Despite all my...

“You’re a what?”

Naturopathic medicine in the 1990s was a peculiar occupation. Few people knew what I did unless I explained. With the rise of alternative healthcare in the last decade, more people are aware of it and have strong opinions regarding the science. Back then, I spent more time writing and educating than I did meeting with clients.

After I left the health field to be a full-time mom, like many working women who give up their careers, I lost what little identity I possessed. When I started my magazine in 1998, it was easy to say, “I am an editor.” I never had to explain.

Perhaps it was the authority or prestige that comes with the title of editor that made me comfortable. Or maybe if I called myself a writer, my seventh-grade teacher would show up and publicly remind me I still didn’t know what I was doing. In any case, it would be almost a decade before I finally acknowledged I’m a writer.

As a lover of words and blank pages,...

I'm pretty sure this is the sixth "first post" I've written. New projects always get me excited, but this one in particular has me over the moon with glee. See, I've been waiting eighteen years to write this post.

If you've read My Story, you know I've wanted to coach since 2001. But life, integrity, and crazy made me pause. To share this post today brings me to what I help others achieve: living my dream.

Nothing is so sweet as success. I spent the last eighteen months dreaming and working to make them happen. (It's times like this I wish my garden gnome army did more than look cute!) With this launch today, those dreams are coming true.

Every Tuesday you'll find new content here on the blog. I'll be tackling the mechanics of writing, marketing in ways you won't feel like a pushy salesman, and helping you manage behind-the-scenes so you can focus on perfectly polished prose. It should be fun!

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