My Second Baby
Many people have asked me how on earth, with the very busy and demanding life I lead, I managed to write a second book?
The simple answer is through investing in me!
I am a learning junkie, I am constantly going on training courses, listening to experts in their fields and hanging out with people who inspire, challenge and motivate me.
As part of that investment, I am a member of the PSA (Professional Speaking Association) and it has literally changed my life.
I have challenged myself to speak on the London stage and some great opportunities came from it which have taken my speaking career to a whole new level.
As a result, I have been teaching people to speak with more passion, power and presence and just love the impact that is having and the sheer joy of watching a previously very nervous presenter deliver a wonderful talk with real confidence and conviction.
Realising how much I have learned through investing in my own speaking skills I decided it was time to share some of my top learnings.
My 1st book evolved from my 30 top tips on Personal Presence, which I recorded on audio and shared on Facebook. So this time I decided to use the medium of video.
I went on a couple of video training courses including one at Pinewood Studios and learnt how to use the technology, edit videos, use autocue and much more.
I then started to craft my tips and they just flowed, as it was all the great learnings I have absorbed over the years and particularly since being part of the PSA.
I am a big believer in working to a deadline so I set myself the crazy target of having my book in my hand for my Birthday on the 5th March.
I set aside a day every Monday in February to work in ‘Dynamo’ energy, that’s Talent Dynamics speak for ‘creative flow’. I switched off email and phone and just wrote in the morning and recorded the videos in the afternoon.
They were such wonderfully fulfilling days, I loved them.
Although they are just short tips and I could do them ‘off the cuff’ I wanted to practice using autocue for times when I am delivering longer presentations and workshops on line. I have now become very proficient and find it keeps me focused on the point in hand rather than going off on a tangent, which is so easy to do as a speaker.
I began to get ahead of myself, writing 8-10 tips at a time and recording them all in one go so they were ready to upload to YouTube and social media at the touch of a button.
I released one a day for every weekday in February
I quickly learned how to edit them, enhance the light, add text and tags etc and they improved in quality all the time.
As I was working ahead of myself, I was able to finish the writing and send it off to my proofreader on the 20th February.
I then sourced everyone I needed to hit my deadline of 5th March through my network and the book was magically edited, typeset, cover produced etc through some wonderful contacts.
It went to the printer on Monday 29th February -thank goodness for that extra day! And I had the book in my hand on Friday 4th March -phew! I was on the phone to the printer every day sometimes several times a day – but it made it happen.
The sheer joy of opening that box and holding my new baby was phenomenal.
Many authors say they are ‘pregnant’ with their next book and I have to say I totally concur with that sentiment.
It feels wonderful to have ‘given birth’ to the knowledge I have been accumulating, developing and nurturing for the past few years and the early feedback has been fantastic.
Also I have high ‘Dynamo’ energy in my profile so writing and speaking are two of my natural skills and I was fully in ‘flow’ as I wrote and spoke.
It’s only a little book of top tips, however it is designed to be a tip a day, which, if you apply, will change the way you speak and present forever.
It will turn your fear into anticipation, your nerves into excitement and your negative ‘self talk’ into words of acceptance and praise.
It is designed to fit into your busy life and to be dipped into often.
I believe everyone has a unique gift and a book inside them to share.
So whatever your passion or skill – invest in learning as much as you can on your topic, become a learning junkie, apply your learnings then share your knowledge and expertise with the world.