Writer!
Can you believe we are nearly halfway through the year??
I was just sitting at Starbucks earlier this week working on my own writing, remembering how many years ago I wrote my whole first book (Second Wind) in the Northwest corner of a Starbucks in Bellingham, Washington. There were three lively, retired dudes in their mid-seventies who sat in the other leather chairs in that corner reading the newspaper daily. For more than a year, each morning, they debated politics, shared sections of the paper with each other, offered them to me (although I always refused), tried to engage me in conversation, and then eventually reprimanded each other for interrupting me because, “Sal… She’s writing a book. Leave her alone!”
Sometimes I felt annoyed that they continually tried to talk to me, and sometimes I even brought earbuds and dramatically installed them in my ears when I knew they were all looking, as if those little, tiny buds could stop the big energy of those three exuberant men.
Why, I suppose you wonder, did I keep going back to that highly interrupted environment instead of finding a secluded place to write my debut book?
I’ll tell you why. Those three guys were my witnesses. Every single day, they asked me:
“What chapter are you working on today?”
“Did you get through your revisions?”
“How many pages did you write while we were reading the paper?”
“When does this book come out, again?”
Those men were my community. They weren’t even writers, but they were watching me. Every. Single. Day. They watched and asked and demanded results!!!
Yes, to write a book WITH others is the only way to do it as far as I’m concerned!
And I’m glad you are part of OUR community, Dear Writer! I am—and my whole team is—in your corner. We are here cheering for you and asking: “What chapter are you on today? Did you get your revisions done? How many pages have you written since the last time we talked? When does that book come out again?”
Here are some things we’re up to that may provide support for you. Stay connected. Let us be your witnesses! We’ve got your back.
- Announcing the EVERGREEN Inner Critic Relief: One of the big barriers to getting your writing done (or almost anything else of import in this life) is the inner criticism or sabotage we engage in with ourselves. I am SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that our popular six-week deep-dive is now on auto-pilot!!! TAKE THIS CLASS ANYTIME YOU’RE READY. Whereas it used to be offered once a year, the Inner Critic Relief course is now an evergreen class you can take whenever you’ve finally gotten fed up with the mean voices in your head. Here is the link to grab this class now! And if you enroll before the end of May, here is a coupon code for a $100 discount! take100ic0522
- NEW COURSE PER YOUR REQUEST!! Revealing Secrets: Hands down the number one personal concern for writers, especially for memoir writers, is how to handle relationships with those (most often family members, though not always) who will be impacted by their stories. Anxiety about this can be profound, sometimes stopping the writing process altogether. Join me—author, family therapist, and founder of The Narrative Project—Cami Ostman for a six-week deep dive into how to manage the anxiety of revealing secrets so that you can stay committed to your writing. I’ve got 25 years of experience helping people in systems (families, communities, workplaces) successfully navigate difficult conversations, put down effective boundaries, and generally heal from wounds inflicted inside of those same relationships. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS COURSE AND SIGN UP FOR IT RIGHT HERE. STARTS OCTOBER 7.
- Cohort 2022.2 Well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we are considering opening our doors to launch a SECOND 9-month program this year. Usually we launch our Get-Your-Book-Done program ONLY once a year. But we’ve had several inquiries from writers ready to get going NOW!! I have ALMOST enough hands raised to start a second cohort, which would begin in August. Would you be interested in joining our second 2022 cohort? We won’t start one without a full group. If you’re interested in finding out more, send an inquiry to info@thenarrativeproject.net with the subject line: August 2022 GYBD Cohort.
- Mastermind Your Book—Don’t forget! We are live (and FREE) to mastermind books on the second Thursday of every month at noon Pacific time. Join us. Sign up for that here.
- Oaxaca, Mexico, anyone? Check out what Lisa Dailey and I are up to with Wayfaring Writers in December. We’re heading to Oaxaca, Mexico, for a writing adventure with agent Laura Mazer and NaNoWriMo director, Grant Faulkner. To find out more about our trip, join us for an information session on June 22 at 5pm Pacific time. Sign up for the meeting here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84417027848 . And watch the video below for why we’re so excited about this trip!
Keep up the good work. You CAN WRITE THIS BOOK!!!
Love,
Cami, Your Chief Story Warrior
No better testament to the benefits of The Narrative Project than me—the one who floundered for 4 years in a vacuum, full of desire but no will, no impetus, no accountability. I’ve accomplished more in these last 3 months than I have in all those years before. My book is alive and well on its way to a finished product thanks to my version of the 3 old dudes at Starbucks—Cami and all her amazing cohorts.