Burning with desire to make our voices heard
What if we made this the year we take our writing and books seriously?
Today I am more fired up than usual. More fed up with the injustices of the world and the unrelenting assault on humanity, decency, and intelligence that is roiling around me. I have tried so very hard to live in my happy bubble, in a bucolic valley that is dotted with academic institutions, intelligent liberals, and an endless selection of retreat centers and farms.
I am beyond privileged and blessed. And yet, as a woman, I know the feeling of being silenced. I know that DNA-deep fear of standing out or speaking up, lest a target is placed on my back for raising my head above the crowd and drawing unwanted attention towards myself and my family.
You may naturally be wondering what this has to do with book coaching or publishing books. My answer: everything.
Let’s talk about the ways we are silenced into NOT sharing what we have to say, and how this becomes an internal binding that prevents us from writing, let alone publishing, our wisdom.
You won’t write in case you offend a few people (even if you could help hundreds or thousands) because society tells us we must always be NICE.
Women writers are still so discriminated against, by publishers AND readers, that we still opt to use pseudonyms to hide our gender.
Bound by our desire to prove our worth through unrealistic measures of material success, we are afraid to take the risk of putting ourselves and our writing out there.
Why am I naming some of these phenomena? Because I see them holding so many of us back from taking our hard-won and earned wisdom and sharing it with others. I see us restraining and suppressing our passion, expertise, and thoughtful intensity.
When we silence ourselves out of fear, the world is bereft of our voices. Our future descendants are robbed of our stories, the ways in which we are desperately trying to hold the threads together of our weary planet.
This my loves, this is how I really want to write. With fervor and an unrelenting commitment to being a steward of the earth during this flash I will call a lifetime. In my 80 or 90 years here, if I am lucky, I hope to write as much as I can about the love and joy and heartache of being in this wild, embodied human experience.
But most importantly, I want to hear from you.
Do you have words that are buzzing in your chest but you have yet to commit them to the page?
Do you have ideas dancing around that are whispering to be translated into a book of some shape or size?
What if we made this the year we take our writing and books seriously. What if we circled around the creative fire and held space for the right structure, clarity, and direction to emerge that would allow these fluttering ideas to take form and take flight?
I am biased, of course, because I believe that books are uniquely magical and potent. More lasting and impactful than a blog or social media posts that evaporate into the ether as soon as we hit publish.
I am biased because I am obsessed with books, surrounded by them, and have a dizzying appetite for reading more, more, and more of them.
I know books are powerful because men have tried to burn them. Have tried to stop the spread of good ideas and important wisdom. I know that being an author is a powerful way to put a stake in the ground and say, “I am here and will not be ignored or dismissed.”
This is why I decided to be a doula and midwife for other women’s books. I call this book coaching, but those who know me understand how deep the support goes. They experience the holding of sacred space that I offer so they can hear the wisdom of their own voices to take shape.
If you are considering writing a book - whether it’s your first one or you’re exploring new writing territory, I would be beyond delighted to support you this year.
Here are two ways you can take that first step:
Join the Writing Workshop on January 31st:
Friday, Jan. 31 from 10am - 12pm Eastern
Registration: $85
A space for non-fiction authors to gain clarity on what they’re writing and who they’re writing it for. Space is limited and there will be a recording sent out afterwards.
Explore Book Coaching:
Monthly Support for Non-Fiction Authors
I work with a small number of authors at a time to help you with your book’s concept, structure, writing craft, and developmental editing.
Leah Kent is an artist and green witch who wildcrafts flower essences and drums before writing. Officially a book coach and author who helps wisdom keepers and visionaries write and publish transformational books about their work in the world.
Order your copies of Harvesting Wild Light (poems) and Awakening the Visionary Voice.