Do you have a goal you dream about but feel like it’s impossible to achieve?
Join me as I share a little of my personal story of pursuing my dream of writing my first book. Along with that dream was a life vision I worked to create of freedom of location, finances, choice, schedule, and availability.
I talk about how writing forced me to get clear on my expertise and step into it fully. It wasn’t without fear when I got my first book deal at 26. But I said yes, which set off a chain of events leading to where I am today: living a life of freedom and purpose in Portugal.
I invite you to see what’s possible when you commit to the book inside you. Because writing a book doesn’t just change your business. It changes you.
Follow me on:
- Instagram @stacyennis
- Facebook @stacyenniscreative
- YouTube @stacyennisauthor
To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.
How I wrote my way to location independence | Episode 242 Transcript
These transcripts were generated by robots, not writers.
Stacy: This week I want to talk about location, independence and since I’m a book strategist and coach. Specifically how writing my first book, and later my co authored second book, helped me live the life that I live today. Living in southern Portugal. We’ve been here for six years. How it was an important part of us moving to Thailand before we moved here and really how it’s been such a critical part of building this life that we have here in Portugal and we wherever else we may land in the future.
Stacy: First, I want to take you back to an earlier version of me. Picture me 26, 14 years ago. And of course, as the book person I am, as the reader, as the writer, I had always dreamed of writing a book. So imagine my surprise when I received an email that said, would you like to write a book for us now? I had formed a great relationship with a small press. I’d done some work for them, they were impressed with me and they wanted me to write a book for them. And I remember getting that email. And I lived at the time in Cincinnati.
Stacy: I was getting my master’s degree in writing and editing and we had a really cheap one bedroom apartment. It didn’t even have a door to the bedroom, so it was like kitchen upstairs, living room. And then there were stairs that led down to the main bedroom and a bathroom downstairs. So it’s a really small place, it’s cheap, and I have a really cheap IKEA desk in our living room. All right. And I get this email and I remember sitting there and staring at it and going, really? Like, they want me to write a book. And then I remember thinking, do they know how old I am? Like somehow I had pulled one over on them. But of course they knew roughly my age, but they knew that I would do a great job on the book.
Stacy: And so they offered me my very first book deal. And I said yes, even though I was terrified and I wrote the book. And what was so amazing about that experience for me is that writing that book, I mean, wow, what an immediate rocket launch into, you know, of course it grew my business, but I think just my status in the industry at such a young age. To write something that positioned me as an industry leader was amazing. It did so much for me. I started speaking, I was able to double my revenue. Eventually I doubled it again. I was able to move into work that I loved. I started ghostwriting around that same time, which was very rewarding for me. I loved getting to work with experts and leaders and help them craft books.
Stacy: And so it was such a huge thing for me. What was really important though is that as I wrote that book and as I built my business, I had a really clear view of the life that I wanted. And that life wasn’t in Cincinnati, it wasn’t in Boise, my hometown. That life was abroad. My husband and I had lived already at this point. We had lived in the Dominican Republic and in Vietnam. And were back from Vietnam for me to do grad school. And so as I was building my business, finishing grad school, writing my first book, I knew that eventually this was all leading to us going back abroad. I just didn’t know what the timeline was, if it was all going to work out. I just was trusting in my vision.
Stacy: I think part of what works so well with that first book is that it forced me to develop a framework. So the framework already existed. And this is something that a lot of authors, aspiring authors, don’t understand. Framework is simply packaging around a process. So it’s really taking a system or a process or a way of doing things and it’s putting a package around it so that it’s really clear and easy to communicate and people can understand. And. And so writing my first book, which was on book editing, forced me to package up what I was already doing, use language people could understand, and create something that was useful for the world. And it was really useful. And while, you know, I look back on my writing from 13 years ago and there’s so many things that I would change.
Stacy: I’m really proud of that book. I’m proud of the work that I did on it. I did, I think I went through seven rounds of revision on it. I had a wonderful editor. I included a lot of amazing interviews. I included a ton of resources. I really tried to make it something really useful for authors. So that was my first book. Now, of course I ghostwrote a ton of books, but I’m gonna put those to the side and I’m gonna take you ahead to 2018 when my next co authored book came out. Now, I wrote this one with my dear friend and colleague Ron Price. Amazing guy, incredible leader. And that book was really a partnership between a lot of the think and philosophy tactics, things that he had developed throughout his career.
Stacy: And I was able to bring in my writing expertise, deepen and layer in on aspects of his thought leadership. And we crafted a wonderful leadership fable that I’m still so proud of and I’ll be sure to link to in the show notes. It’s called Growing Influence. That book, I think that the first book helped me step into my expertise. My second co authored book helped me step into thought leadership. And around that same time, actually I think a couple years before that came out, I did a TedX talk and I did some other things to position me into this kind of next not stratosphere. I don’t know what the word is level the next level up. But you know, part of that was the status of the book. I mean it’s just a natural status builder when you’re an author.
Stacy: But I actually think that is not nearly as important as the journey that I took to craft my books and the writing process with Ron. The experience of going on our local NPR station and being featured in major media and crafting articles as part of the book launch for major trade publications and getting awards and all of these things, that was such an important part of. I think I grew in confidence and clarity through the writing process. But then being able to celebrate and joyfully embrace the impact this book was making on the world and get to share our message was so huge and so important. And of course it had really important business results for me and my family. I should say business results for me and impact on my family as well. And here’s why I want to come back around.
Stacy: Because what I didn’t mention is that when Growing Influence was being released, I was moving to Thailand. So imagine this. Imagine having your book coming out into the world and you’re on a plane to live in a new country. That’s what I did. So I arrived in Thailand, I think at the end of August of 2018, mid end August. Our book I think came out September 18th, if I’m remembering correctly of 2018. So it was less than a month and then I flew back to Boise for our book launch and media and all the things related to it and what a freaking awesome experience to have built my location, independent life and have stepped into that. Okay, I’m going to admit it was a little chaotic and I really felt bad leaving my family a month into moving to a new country.
Stacy: I did not think that through all the way. But still to be at the stage where the thing that I had worked toward. I was living into it and I had this book coming out and I got to do it with Ron, my co author and friend that I respect so much. It was such a joyful and wonderful thing. What I think is most important for you to know if you are on a similar journey is that I kept that vision locked in.
Stacy: If you have been waiting for the right time to write your book, this is it. My group coaching program Idea to Draft takes you step by step through the writing process so you can write a book you are deeply proud to share with the world. Small group, expert guidance, real accountability. Your time is now.
Stacy: Go to stacyennis.com/ideatodraft to learn more about my April cohort of Idea to Draft and I would be honor to be your guide on your author journey.
Stacy:And so as I made decisions along the way, I did so really intentionally in alignment with my vision for my life. So I knew that we wanted to move back abroad. I knew I didn’t want to be tied to a location. I’m still not tied to a location. Six years now in Portugal, I knew I wanted to be an author, so I wrote books. I had a vision of having an impact beyond myself, which is what I’m doing here in this podcast episode that you’re listening to in this video that you’re watching on YouTube. That vision has always been so clear to me.
Stacy: Now, I didn’t always totally understand exactly how to get to my vision, but I knew that if I took action and I did the things that I knew were in alignment with my big vision, that I would get there. So this takes me to my next book. Okay, so this is my next evolution in my own personal journey. And I’m currently working on a book about creative productivity. So basically the things that I’ve been teaching my book coaching clients for many years now and that I’ve been living into for 16 plus years in business, I’m so excited about this. It is one for me. It’s part legacy.
Stacy: I know I’m only 40, so maybe it’s a little strange to be thinking about legacy right now, but all of this knowledge, all of this work that I’ve done, my background as a science writer, the deep research and learning I’ve done in behavioral neuroscience, my lived experience, the thousands of conversations I’ve had with creatives over the years, my not only lived experience which I mentioned, but also my writing skill that I’ve developed and honed, and the things I’ve learned about creativity, I want to move this Message. I want to get more people understanding that creativity is a skill. It’s a craft and an art, but it’s a skill. And I want more people to engage deeply introspection and creation and live rich lives, abundant lives, purposeful lives, with creativity as a foundation. So that’s what this book is that I’m working on.
Stacy: And a couple things that I have to share because this is part of the journey. One, it is not easy to make time. Please, if you are of any doubt, ask my wonderful team. They will tell you that my schedule is cram packed, jam packed. Ask my family. Last night I was working on a costume for my son for school that, you know, I started at 7. I think I got done at like 9:30. 9, 9:30. Like every minute of my life is very full. I do rest and I run and I, I do take care of myself, but it’s a very full life and so fitting. Now a book into that makes it really tough to do the other things that I want to do, like record videos or podcast episodes or write articles or speak at conferences, things like that.
Stacy: But I know that for me it is deeply important to get another book out. In my, in my vision for myself, I’m putting out a new book every 18 months. Now, I’ve been doing that for a very long time as a ghostwriter. In fact, I was putting out sometimes two books a year because just based on publishing cycles and I averaged about two and a half books a year written every year. So I know that with my own work and even balancing my business, I can write and produce a book every 18 months. But, and I haven’t done it yet. And the last book that I had come out was in 2018, so I need to get on it. I know this next iteration of my vision. I know that I have life transforming knowledge in this book that I want to share.
Stacy: And it’s a book, it’s a start of getting to reach even more people. So for me, it’s an expansion of my brand. It’s supporting writers, but it’s supporting all creatives. And I think that this is a really important thing to share in process because it’s easy for me as an author to look back and go, oh yeah, I did all this stuff and it aligned with my vision. And I, I promise that everything that I’m sharing, it was very intentional and very thoughtful. But of course sometimes I just made decisions because they felt right or it seemed like the right thing to do. But I want to share my real time because I Am living into my own location, independent vision. Now we’re living location independently. But I have a bigger, more abundant vision from even where I am today.
Stacy: And that is really a vision of impact. And it’s a vision of expansion and a vision of abundance. And to reach that, I have to, you know, put on my work pants and do the work. I need to get my butt in the chair and write the book. I need to develop the accountability where I need it, I need to get support where I need it, and I need to show up and do the work for you. It might be very similar. You have maybe had a creative project, perhaps a book within you that’s not been written.
Stacy: And what I hope you will take away from this is that if you have clarity of vision and you’re committed to that vision and you start taking action toward that vision, and you maybe even write a book that is a catalyst toward that vision will come true eventually. It may not be on exactly the timeline that you expect it to. It may be faster or slower. It might even have a different iteration of what you think it will be. But. And your vision is accomplishable? I don’t think that’s a word, but I’m gonna. I’m gonna use it anyway. You can accomplish your vision. You can get there. For me, my book, my first book was so life changing. It was so life changing. It helped me step into my own. It helped me believe in myself. Through the process of writing it.
Stacy: I saw that I could do hard things. I learned a new skill. I just changed. I transformed so much. And I’m already transforming as I write this next book. And it’s just such a joyful thing. And it’s also joyful for me when I see my clients writing their second books or third books, because I know that every single book that you write is a journey in and of itself. And this is the other thing. Last thing I think that I’ll leave you with today is that a lot of times people put so much pressure on this book. And. And I think that a lot of it is because they think they’ll only ever write one book, and it has to be the book. So a couple things happen. One, they completely freeze and don’t do it, because that feels like, hello, pressure.
Stacy: Or when they do it, they try to fit everything in, like, so much that it becomes unwieldy, dense, not fun. So what I would encourage you to think about is this concept I talk a lot about, which is what is the right book for right now? Consider open yourself to the fact that you may write many books in your one wild life. And so if, let’s a thought experiment that you’re gonna write, you know, two, three, four books in your life, let’s just say, let’s just pretend then that first book doesn’t have to be such a big deal, does it? I mean, it is. It’s a huge deal. It’s exciting. It’s, it’s a huge, monumental accomplishment. But everything doesn’t hang on it. It doesn’t have to encompass everything. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It needs to be great, it needs to be good.
Stacy: It needs to be your best that you can do with the resources you have, with the support you can get. And I think it just takes a lot of pressure off of it. I felt a ton of pressure with my first book because it was on book editing. Like, talk about feeling a little bit. I’ll tell you what, reviewing the final draft, the final, final version of that book was so stressful because I was like, I can’t even have one typo in this book. It’s on book editing. But you don’t need to worry about that. You’re not writing a book on book editing. You’re writing a book with your expertise or your story or your mission, your message. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be as great as you can make it.
Stacy: And I don’t know what your location independent life is. You may not desire location independence like I do. You might have a different vision for your life. You might have a very location dependent life, but that’s very rich and abundant. And there’s maybe some alterations or changes to your current life that would make it even richer and more abundant. Your book can get you there. The journey of authorhood will get you there. You just have to engage in that journey, take part in your life, choose your life. And if that book’s on your heart, I hope that you write it. I want to thank, as always, Krita Dominguez for her production of this podcast. She is the reason this podcast comes out every week. And I’m grateful. I mean, really, y’, all, she’s amazing.
Stacy: And you’re still listening, which means you must have enjoyed this episode. Rita and I put so much work into this podcast and I really do it to serve you and to support you on your journey. So if you have a moment, just make sure that you have rated the podcast. If you could leave maybe a five star review, write something like, I love this show or highly recommend something like that. It makes a huge difference for me in reaching more people with the message of living a life that’s not just better, but beyond better. And I will be back with you before you know it.
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