Find Your Voice: How to Write When You're Not a Writer

So many of us write for ourselves, but we wonder, “Could this be my full time gig?”Author, TED speaker, blogger, and writing coach Hannah Brencher shares why (and how) she's made "writer" her professional title. She also reflects on her publishing experience: what she learned publishing her first book and all the ways she’s writing differently now. Most importantly, Brencher demystifies what it means to write professionally and encourages all writers to fall in love with the process. Preorder: Fighting Forward: Your Nitty-Gritty Guide to Beating the Lies That Hold You Back (January 2021)Come Matter Here: Your Invitation to Be Here in a Getting There WorldIf You Find This Letter: My Journey to Find Purpose Through Hundreds of Letters to Strangershannahbrenchercreative.commoreloveletters.comIG: @hannahbrencherIG: @morelovelettersTwitter: @moreloveletters

What do you do when no one else seems to understand the story you’re living? You write your story. And, in that process, you change yourself, your community, and make space for others who, like you, feel alone. Paria Hassouri is a pediatrician, Iranian-American, and mother of three. Her book Found in Transition details her journey as a mother as her teenage transgender daughter transitioned. On this episode, Hassouri shares her wisdom on identity, healing, motherhood, and our own capacity to evolve and to love. 

Maybe some people just don’t find value in writing. Or maybe not.Matthew Ford is not a writerly type. Founder and Executive Producer of an experiential marketing agency, he always had plenty to keep him busy with work and never felt the need to process through writing.But like many entrepreneurs, he felt locked in the exhaustion of a 80-hour work week and weighed down by the relentless pressure of leading a growing business. Then COVID hit, and he lost over a million dollars in business overnight. So he turned to the tool he hadn’t really given a fair chance. And what came of it turned his life in a whole new direction.wearebonfires.comonsiteworkshops.com

Melissa Johnson, therapist, spiritual director, writer and podcaster, believes that the American version of beauty is way too small, which is why she started Impossible Beauty: an avenue for women to redefine beauty. But Impossible Beauty would never have come into existence if Melissa did not have the courage to start writing her own story. Listen in as Melissa shares with complete transparency her book-writing journey, how it changed her, and where that path has led. impossible-beauty.com

After uncovering trauma from his childhood, Robert Imbeault was set on ending his own life. But first, he felt compelled to write a letter. What started as a “goodbye letter” to his family and friends ended up instead turning his perspective around--he was saved by the very words that were meant to be his last. On this episode, Robert reflects on the power of writing down one’s story, his own publishing path, and what it takes to heal.robimbeault.com Book: Before I Leave You: a Memoir on Suicide, Addiction, and Healingfacebook.com/rob.imbeaulttwitter.com/RobImbeault

Melody Miles is an infectious disease expert. For years, she worked to end malaria with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She “had it all” by most standards: a meaningful career, a marriage, a mortgage. But when she had panic attack at work, it was wake-up call that she was ignoring the most important person in her life—herself. She “had it all” by most standards: a meaningful career, a marriage, a mortgage. But when she had panic attack at work, it was wake-up call that she was ignoring the most important person in her life—herself. She turned to writing, she made some major life changes, and, most importantly, she turned towards herself for the first time. Melody is now a coach, writer, and leading voice on rest and self care. She's coined the term "Soulcation": it's more than a vacation, it's a way to redesign your life around rest, freedom, and joy.If you're exhausted, anxious, or wondering if there’s something more, if you’re scared to live the life you actually want to live, download Melody's Soulcation blueprint: melodymiles.com

Ever said something like, “Other people are really good at this, and I shouldn’t be doing it because I am NOT.” Amy Wolff, executive coach, hears this all the time about public speaking. At Find Your Voice, we hear it all the time about writing. In this episode, Amy dives into how to speak and how, through three small words, she gained the attention of her neighbors, her state, Good Morning America, and, eventually, a publisher. Whether on stage or on a yard sign, Amy has built her life on the belief that your words matter, no matter who you are.dontgiveupsigns.comdistinctioncommunication.comIG: @dontgiveupsigns Facebook: dontgiveupsigns

Sometimes, it feels like we can’t escape from the life cycle that we’re living. No matter how much we try, we end up with the same relationships, life circumstances, or unhealthy patterns. As someone who has walked the road to recovery, writer, healer, and coach Sasha Tozzi shares her perspective on hypnotherapy and how we truly own the power to “re-program” what we believe about ourselves.Recorded in the first month of the 2020 pandemic, Tozzi and Fallon also discuss how we can intentionally bring greater creativity and growth into a time of disappointment and restlessness.sashaptozzi.com

Taylor Tippett is a flight attendant for American Airlines who started her writing journey through a project called "Words from the Window Seat." Now, she regularly writes travel guides on her website atravelinlady.com, and she’s currently working on a book.In a frank conversation with Allison Fallon, Taylor shares on her mental health journey, what words and writing have meant for her, and what it’s like to be a first time author securing a book deal. Through it all, Taylor insists, we’re the only ones that can be held accountable for creating the life that we want. Her advice? Just do it. atravelinlady.comIG: @taylortippett, @wordsfromthewindowseat

Your body might know more about you than you realize. Yoga instructor and Storybrand expert Koula Callahan describes the body as a library full of rich data on our experiences, thoughts, emotions—and the truth about our stories. This interview covers: How our body can communicate to us the truth of how we’re feelingHow a regular practice of movement—not even necessarily yoga—gives us an integrated and holistic way to move through the worldHow to tap into the rich data that our body offers for the sake of our own creativityOur favorite quote from Koula is when she says that it’s actually impossible to experience the truth of your story if you don’t incorporate the body.IG: @koulacalTwitter: @koulathanyouStorybrand: storybrand.com