From Trauma to Triumph: How to Write Your Healing Story in 3 Days

Join Jessi Holley and Melissa Thomas as they discuss the upcoming author activation weekend, focusing on healing, mindset, and practical steps to publish your book. Learn how environment, emotional healing, and clear purpose can accelerate your journey from aspiring to published author.

Get tix now at MyAuthorWeekend.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

You don't know about the clever, but I'm gonna do that anyway. Happy laugh. Happy Wednesday and welcome to another Everybody Can Go Pavo. I'm your host, Jesse Holly, and as you can see, we have one of our fan favorites, not just a favorite of mine, but a favorite of yours as well. So many of you guys have reached out to me anytime we have had her on. So at this point, I mean, if she's over, I'm Gail, I'm over, she's Gail. I bring back to you guys Melissa Thomas, my Melty, who is a nine-time self-published author, deprocrastination bully, and author guy. Or if you'd like to say author coach. When you're talking about me, am I writing? This is my coach.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Welcome back, Melti. I am doing a okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

Very, very glad to see you again. Glad to have you back on. So, this podcast, we are going to take it in a little bit of a different direction, and not too far off of our norm that we have around here. So, today I have a ton of questions for you concerning your author activation weekend. So, last year I know that you had your Spring Forward Writers Retreat. And this year you're bringing a writing and sense of prominence to our authors in things. So I have a ton of questions. I, of course, I'm coming because you know I'm going to support you 100%. No matter where you go, I will be there. So I'd like to get some of the things that I'm able to, I can just send you a text, send you an email, get you on the phone and say, hey, I got a question about this, got a question about this. All of the same things that I wanted to know, I am uh going to just rapid fire off a bunch of questions so that you're able to let our listeners know as well what you've been up to with curating this event and what people can expect to see the outcomes and all those different things. So we'll just start. Oh, it looks like we got a lag. My bad.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

Okay, uh oh, you go ahead with uh with what you were saying.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

That sounds amazing, and I really can't wait for the session where I get to learn some tips, techniques, tools for how to do that. So when we're getting into some of the questions that I have for you today, you're known as a procrastination bully, and you did just mention that trauma is one of the people, one of the things that can like stop people in their tracks, one of the things that can keep people from sharing their story with others. So with the title of Procrastination Bully, what is one of the things that you think secretly keeps aspiring authors stuck, in addition to kind of just holding that trauma into themselves? What would be another thing that you think keeps them stuck?

SPEAKER_01 7:50

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

So not running away from that trauma and working on that mindset. So you yourself are nine times a published author, and so you know that pretty much everybody has a book inside of them. You are helping people to release that book and to uh actually put pen to paper or voice to note fingers to keys, all the things so that that book can come out of the person. So, what do you think is the real reason why most people they never finish the book?

SPEAKER_01 11:49

Let's don't.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

Now, another thing that I notice from deciding the purpose of your book is also we have so much information on the internet, so many writing coaches, editors, everyone has a service that has something to do with uh authorship, book writing, publishing, all those different things. And deciding the purpose of the book from the beginning, it helps to be able to weed through whether or not the information that you're reading, it's not whether or not it's right, it's is it right for you? Because there can be a set of information that it's it's amazing, it is awesome for someone whose intention is to be a New York Times bestseller. There is a set of information that it is awesome, it is amazing for somebody who would like to make a few thousand dollars from their book and they would need to go more of a bootstrapping route with self-publishing. There is a difference between someone who would like to write their book and have it published in in bookstores on bookstore shelves. So knowing what your book is for, that is one of the determining factors that outset also it will let you know whether or not this writing intensive is for you, so that you can find out why you're doing this book, and also while you're participating, you'll be able to be headed in the right direction so that you aren't just writing the book, but writing the book is is one step. Actually, getting that thing published, whether it's through a publisher or self-publishing and having the thing in your hand, having the book in your hand and available for purchase, there there's a whole journey to get from start to finish. And this program itself, the writing and sense of it's gonna take all of those questions and bump in your head by going down aisle B when for your purpose you needed to be going down aisle F. So that type of guidance is one of those things that it's able to help you to go from aspiring author to published author in a shorter amount of time. We're talking about turning years into months for you with the way that the program has been curated and the expertise that you guys will be able to have access to. I think we counted it out. We have uh almost a hundred years or more than a hundred years worth of uh writing and publishing experience in the room combined through all of the uh the coaches, uh the authors, everyone who is participating in the weekend. And we haven't even dropped all of the people who are coming through when you guys click in the show notes below. Of course, I was plug so that you can check out the website and see who some of the other speakers are, who some of the other coaches are who are going to be coming through, and we'll be continuing to add to that list as time goes on and we get closer to the date of the uh actual weekend itself. So, moving into getting a little bit deeper into this thing, with every author having a journey, what was the moment in your own life where you realized that writing was more than a hobby and that you would take that leap to actually become an author, not just think about becoming an author? So I'm here at obedience and so when we're talking about writing a book, it's not just about discipline, it is about other things as well. Can you talk about the healing and the soul work? Like, why is emotional healing often a hidden part of becoming an authority? Now, with that being said, I know that the certain kinds of trauma or internal barriers show up for people when they finally sit down to write their story. Now, what do you say to people who they aren't fully healed yet, but they've maybe started, they picked up the pen or started typing, and it was a little too painful for them to progress forward? Or, you know, someone who they're like, well, I'm not healed yet, so I'm not gonna write the book. How does the uh active author activation weekend? How does the program help people to navigate those kinds of feelings? Oh, it sounds like you are able to walk people through. There are a ton of cliches to describe it, that it's all over hip hop, all over social media. You are actually walking people through the process of finding the blessing in the lesson of actually reframing and looking at that L that they took is not just a loss, but they're looking at it as a lesson. And I think that that that in itself, we hear it so many times and so many bars repeated so many times that there is a there's a space between just saying it because, oh, that's what Cardi said, that's what Meek said, that's what you know, insert rapper's name here said, and actually doing that for yourself with actually finding those things and pulling those things from your own experience, from an L that you took, from a trauma that you may have experienced. And that same thing is able to be applied to like issues or challenges in life, both big and small. Again, it's about how you wrap your mind around it and doing that reframing that she's talking about. And so, of course, I mean, we have about 45 minutes to an hour here. We're just cramming a bunch of information in, but that's part of the purpose of the weekend is to actually walk you through step by step the how you get that done, not just telling you a bunch of good stuff because it sounds good. You can hear that on the radio. You can scroll on social media and you can see that part, but it's the actual application of it and the finding out step by step how are you able to get from that L to the lesson in it? And then from there, how are you able to take that information to transform yourself, renew your mind, transform your mind, and also impart that wisdom now, because now you move from just knowledge to imparting wisdom because you are able to reframe it, communicate it in a specific way, and get it out to other people. And so walking you through that whole process step by step, so that you don't just come away with a book that is like, okay, yeah, you wrote a book because let's let's be for real, y'all. It's a bunch of people with a book, and y'all know it's a whole bookshelf behind me over there, full of books, okay? So I read, and that is just one of many. That's the bookshelf that's cute. Now, you're talking about the number of books that are all throughout my mother's house and also all over my own house. The number of bookshelves, like I need a beauty and a beast library for how much I read and how many books that I collect. And let's just say all of the books that I've collected and all of the books that I've read, they weren't always worth reading. But if I start, I'm gonna go ahead and finish it and then put it on the shelf. Some to never pick them up again. So, what we're talking about is making sure that you're producing a quality book, not just writing, just to be writing and then yeah, KDP. I'm on Amazon, y'all. Like, I mean, shout out to the authors that's the type of time they are. But um, if you know anything about me, we're not just like, yeah, just make it look good and it's some trash. I love glitter and butterflies and unicorns, but if you put some glitter on poo-poo, it's still poo-poo cacao. So, and that's not what we're serving up over here, and that's not what we want for you as an author. So, when you were talking about um uh I think earlier in the beginning, we uh talked a little bit about the uh the environment. So we've gone over like uh recreating and and and doing things to the mental environment as far as the physical environment is concerned, like where we'll actually be before the author activation weekend. What elements make this space powerful for creativity and vulnerability? And in answering that, we could talk about some of the things that were done environmentally last year and some of the things that we have planned for this upcoming weekend as well. That's a that's a really powerful uh life lesson in itself, like beyond your book, being able to reframe that reliving or re forgot what the right word is, yes, revisiting the story in your head, because you're able to look at things totally different when you have the right set of tools, and it's a freeing experience, it really is. And I have to remember sometimes that I've gone through this process time and time again. And so when like there's something that happens with me, I'm like, okay, did that happen to me or did it happen for me? And I'm honestly able to live in that because like with talking to people, they're like, Well, why didn't you why didn't you just or this this happened? And I'm like, well, you know, I was able to consider insert set of things that I would say as a coach. And I'm like, you know what? Sometimes even when I'm coaching others, I'm still amazed at how far I've come and the way that I'm able to look at situations. And when people say, like, you used to be such a firecracker, you will be so upset, you will pop off, you will be mad, all of this other stuff. And it's like, how are you so calm now? And I'm like, you know what? There's actually an answer to that. So that I will uh I can walk you through it step by step, and along with some other coaches and and some other people of the team that that just that process in itself that took me years to get to a certain point, we're going to be able to fast track a lot of this stuff for you guys so that you don't have to go searching high and low, near and far, going to and fro bars, and all over the place gathering all of these bits of information that through our we'll just say a century of combined experience, we're able to remove all of that extra time that it takes because we've done the research for you. And like, let's be real, within an age of AI, and can't nobody look at this point, a bunch of people can't even properly cite their sources. Oh, in the whole nother conversation, but like just the the time that it takes to be able to cite your sources and to be able to bring that knowledge and compile it in a way that we're creating a linear path for you. And the the way that Melissa has curated the entire weekend, she's created a flow so that she's literally taking you from one step to the next. And you're and really, I shouldn't say one step to a next coming one, two, three, because what she's done is built a system for you so that you're one, two, three, four. You're building up based upon the foundation that she has set for you guys, and she's literally taking you from this is what you need to do first. You don't have to figure out what you need to do first because she's literally going to walk you through and for all of the other coaches that she has involved. We pop in at the time that through that linear process that she's built with the F5 framework, with the entire itinerary for the weekend that has been created. She has everything laid out for you. You don't have to worry about it. You just have to come and then do. You just have to come and be. That's it. Don't you don't have to you don't have to figure out nothing because everything's figured out for you, even the food. Even the food. Only thing you're gonna have to figure out is how to not count them calories and not overeat. But if you don't want to figure that out during the weekend, you don't gotta figure that out either. So, yes, I can and I can definitely attest to the environment that was created last year in terms of doing all of the like having the the being out in the elements. And I'm not talking about out in the elements in a sleeping bag in a little camp tent or nothing like that, but just having the sounds of the wind and the leaves in the trees, having the sound, the faint sounds of like little birds and different things in the woods, having the sounds of water being around. It was something that I was able to previously take for granted until I actually sat in the atmosphere and actually sat in that physical environment and began to write. It was a different type of calm and also a different space from the calm, the quiet, and the peace that I've created for the writing spaces in my own home. So even some of the work that I'd done before I'd gone, where I'm like, okay, yeah, I'm gonna write this chapter, I'm gonna start on such and such idea. Sometimes for you to be able to get that book out, you have to be in a different environment physically. Sometimes going to your quiet corner or your peaceful place inside your home is not enough. Sometimes putting in some headphones and blocking out the world at your local Starbucks, sometimes it's not enough. And so that was another one of those things about being a writer, being an author that was put into mind when choosing the location, choosing the state, the city, choosing the background environment, choosing all of those things, all of that done different, everything done different. So I want you guys to like really embrace that part of it, think about it, think about it. And if you haven't experienced being able to write in a space that is like completely new, completely removed from where you usually write, I can tell you from my own experience that it does like it gets your creative juices flowing, it gets your thoughts flowing. And when I tell you I was thinking faster than I could type, I had to just stop and take notes, like, no, what are the things that I need to say? And I was going back and forth between physically writing and between doing my vote voice note writing because being in that environment, the the downloads were coming to me so quick. And and I'm talking about my Jesus downloads, okay? With the this is what you write, this is the lesson, things that the the what I thought my topic that I was gonna write on, my topic started like this. But once I started to write in that environment, it became this, and the book became a whole nother project. That in when I walked in with my intentions, really what I walked in with was a seed. And through Mel's program, I was able to leave with a nice little plant in a pot under my arm by the time we were done, and by the time we were like, look, she cultivated that thing that she definitely did. And so uh I can't stress enough that that that in itself, it was it was so inspiring for me, as you can tell. I speak about that portion of it so passionately because the like the giving the information, that's one thing. It's that's all well and good, that's great. But having the information and the environment and the place where not only do you have the information, but that information is activated and it activates you to be able to like, and that is how you get to the point where you're able to finish that entire rough draft in one weekend. And I know it may sound impossible, but I'm telling you, there several people actually finished their book in that weekend. I was able to get about halfway done by the time we left, but that was because of how my writing idea, my topic developed. If I stuck with my little seed that I walked in there with, I would have been finished with my whole rough draft in that week. I'm sorry, in that weekend. But because of the additional things that I learned while I was there and what I wanted to add to it. My what I thought would be maybe a 120, 150 page book. The idea grew to over two, well over 200 pages worth of writing, additional research, things that I needed to do to enrich my message, the lessons that I was able to extract. It was more than what just came to the top of mind after I went through her program and was able to come out with a book that that's that's where I got that moving from taking the loss, turning it into a lesson, but that lesson becoming wisdom to impart on other people. I walked in thinking that I was just gonna do turning my ill into a lesson. But what I was able to expand into was being able to take that lesson so that I was able to articulate it into that wisdom to impart on other people. So of course, you know, I don't tell y'all to do nothing that I haven't already done. I don't tell y'all to do something that I haven't already tried and make sure it works because even though it may be frowned upon, y'all know I'm gonna tell you the truth and I'm gonna tell you what I'm talking about means. Um if uh y'all already know, I just be like, no, don't come be on my pod, talk to me for what? Because last time it didn't work. If that was the case, so y'all know I do not be up here gassing stuff that it's like, yeah, that's cute. So keep it, keep that in mind. And what they're gonna do, they're gonna offlee. They're gonna come find me. The truth is the truth. So look, if the service, if the product, if it is top tier, I'm gonna let you know. And the results that I got from it, I'm going to let you know what those things are. Okay, now um, let me get back off my soapbox because I swore this was gonna be interview style today, but you can't have everybody can't go combo without me comboing. Um let's see, what is uh or who is the type of person right now this uh that could be listening or that they're hearing a clip that you believe needs to be in this room the most? Like, who really needs to get in the room? That they could be sitting here like she ain't talking about me, or they might be on the fence, or they they're like, uh, I mean, I I might have something to say. Who needs to be in this room the most? Okay, so if listeners are like, okay, I gotta go, she's talking to me. If they got that little unsettled rumbling in this spirit, or if they just on the hype joint, they like, you know what, yeah, I already know. That's me, I gotta get up in there. Where can our aspiring writers, our aspiring authors, where can they go to get activated with us for the author activation weekend?

SPEAKER_01 49:08

Where can they find it? That is super, super dope.

SPEAKER_02 52:01

And all I heard was built-in accountability, get your VIP ticket, you can bring your plus one for free, or if you want to partner up with your bestie, if you want to, you know, come through. Like all I heard was built-in accountability, not just while you're in the room and with us amongst community. You got somebody that you come up with and leave them with that a week after, they like, hey, so where are you at in your process? Because they know exactly what the process is, exactly where you're supposed to be. So it ain't no wonder from getting that thing finished. So you said that's myauthorweekend.com. Okay, so myauthorweekend.com, y'all know it's below in the show notes. Click the link down there. MyAuthorWeekend.com is where you can find all of the information you can experience any um any price tier level. I would definitely encourage you guys to get that VIP so that you already have that built-in accountability. Y'all know I'm about that accountability life. It's built in already when you come with a partner, when you come with a bestie, when you come with your accountability person, when you come with your spouse, when you come with your girlfriend, boyfriend, whomever it is that you spend a lot of time with, so that they know exactly what type of time you want. They know exactly what it was that you learned, and you never know. Y'all can have dual them books out here. It ain't no no healthy and friendly competition. Like we both gonna go ahead and drop it. Let's see who whoever makes the best seller list first or who sell the most in our release weekend, taking the the other one to dinner, which I mean, both of you gonna end up taking each other to dinner anyway, to celebrate your book release and friendship and just being proud of one another. So make sure that you guys get your tickets, hit the link below. And um, yeah, I'm excited. I can't wait to get there, can't wait to see you guys there. Oh, just so you know, there is a limited number of tickets available. So don't wait till the last minute. Don't wait till the last minute because we'll say gone, they gone. I've tried to talk Mel into opening this up to a wider audience, but as of right now, we only have seven more slots left. So make sure that you grab one of the final tickets that we have available. And don't worry, we did account for your plus one in those last sets of seven uh tickets that we have left for you guys, but don't delay, uh, don't wait until the last minute because once they're gone, they're gone. I've already done my due diligence and tried ahead of time so that I could try to get those extra spots for you guys if they were maxed out. And so the last few tickets that we have available, that is it. That's all. And then we will start a waiting list for the next author activation. So make sure that you guys join us in Tennessee and again go to my author retreat, my myauthorweekend.com. Yeah, y'all see how I write that part down. But um, that and that's exactly why I typed it in the show notes for you below because I already know I'm a little, and so if you guys are on audio, we've said it a ton of times. So go ahead and kick it in on your phone, on your computer, and go ahead and uh make sure you grab your ticket so that we can see you on August 23rd through the 26th. And thank you guys. What I say, August. See, I'm up here messing up the dates and everything. Y'all know it's right. She she got y'all on that too. Yeah, y'all know it's late. But thank you guys for tuning in for another Everybody Can't Go combo, and we will see you guys next.