Read this inspiring story πŸ’«Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ 

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Bookbound

A monthly love letter and resource guide for nonfiction writers β€” published and aspiring authors alike. 

Scott Shigeoka queried well over 25 agents for his manuscript, Seek. Only 2 bothered to respond. The first agent told him he’d never make it because no publisher would ever pick up his book. The second, Jackie Ashton (and my agent!), saw the potential of his story and signed him. 


Fast-forward a few months, and Jackie landed Scott a major (mid-six-figure) book deal in a very competitive auction with his dream publisher and editor. Seek's success was almost immediate: He was on the Today Show, and Amazon picked the book as one of the Best Books of 2023! 

How did Jackie recognize the potential in Scott’s story when so many other agents didn’t? 

Here’s what she had to say: 

β€œI immediately saw a vision for a big idea book about curiosity, akin to what Quiet did for introversion or what Angela Duckworth did in her book Grit. Scott had the expertise (decades of work in curiosity research and practice), the passion, and the β€œβ€˜t factor’ I look for in authors. 

So many of our societal problems stem from what Scott calls our β€˜era of incuriosity.’ People ache to be seen and know that they matter – deep curiosity gives them that. But most of us do the opposite, pushing others away with judgment or, worse, hate. 

In 2016, Scott couldn’t accept that seemingly half of the U.S. population purported to β€˜hate’ queer, progressive Asian Americans like him. So he quit his job at IDEO, packed up his car, and took a year-long curiosity tour, putting himself in communities of his β€˜haters.’ The responses completely transformed him–most people delivered kindness and curiosity right back at him: β€˜Wow! Thank you for seeing me; no one has ever done that!’

Seek shares Scott’s experience and teaches his DIVE model for practicing β€˜deep curiosity’ in our relationships and lives.”

Moral of the story? You only need one agent to see a vision for your book. That’s it! Don’t listen to the ones who tell you your idea is terrible; they may very well be wrong. πŸ’«
 

BRAIN GEMS

Resources that will bring your book to life.

  • This spring, Bethany Saltman and I will be hosting an 8-week book accelerator, designed for female writers, experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders ready to accelerate the development of their nonfiction books AND finally get published! Spots are filling up fast. Learn more and apply here!

  • Since the last newsletter, the Bookbound Podcast has continued to pump out brain gems. Dr. Aliza Pressman and ChloΓ© Cooper Jones reveal incredible insights about their paths to publishing β€” and neither had ever set out to write a book! Listen here!

  • If you’re considering which path to take to get your book published, check out this reel on the three types of publishing to learn which type may be the best fit for you. 

  • This Threads discussion was eye-opening, as it revealed how different writers approach editing (spoiler: it’s not my favorite part of the process).
 

COPY EDITING WITH CORRIE

Each month, my go-to copyeditor, Corrie Jackson, shares a pearl of wisdom she’s gleaned over the years.

Step into your power. You’ll never be taken seriously if you’re constantly second-guessing yourself. Are you writing? Then you’re a writer. It doesn’t matter whether you have a book deal. That toxic self-doubt has a way of finding its way into your prose. Statements like β€œMaybe” and β€œI think” dramatically reduce the impact of a sentence. Ditch them, and write with conviction. Also, repeat after me: I am a writer. 

β€” Connect with Corrie here.
 

BOOK HAPPENINGS

New releases, upcoming events, & more. 

  • Have you ever listened to the podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing? It’s one of my faves, and they are hosting another round of beta-reader match-ups. If you’re looking for feedback or to create a writer’s group within your nonfiction or memoir genre, make sure to sign up for the next round of match-ups! 

  • On April 24th, join author Steve Almond as he explores the emotional struggles that we bring to our writing: everything from the anxiety of exposure to the crippling doubts that drive us into writer’s block. Register for his event How to Conquer Writer’s Block, Ego Need, Envy, and the Other Evil Voices Inside You. 

  • Exciting news! The Bookbound podcast has been written up by Forbes: These podcasts will inspire you to finally write that book. It’s so rewarding to see this kind of recognition when we are just getting started! πŸ’ͺ

  • Nonfiction book releases on my radar:

    • Think Remarkable by Guy Kawasaki (3/6)

    • Says Who? A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words by Anne Curzan (3/26)

    • Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow by Steve Almond (4/9)

    • The Future Built by Women - Creating a Brighter Tomorrow Through Tech and Innovation by Brooke Markevicius (4/23)
 

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