TMM PODCAST EPISODE 030: Turn Your Writing Dream Into a Published Book with Demi Stevens

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Dr. Demi Stevens is the CEO of Year of The Book Press, which aims to help budding authors turn their dreams into published books. Demi has personally assisted in the production of 350 titles, ranging from children's books to best-selling business books, by more than 125 authors. She also obtained degrees from West Virginia University, Capital Northwestern, and Ohio State. She was also the director of Paul Smith Library and conducts one-on-one coaching through the entire drafting, editing, and publishing process of a book.

Demi Steven's Advice to Turn Your Dreams Into a Story
How It All Started

•  Demi Stevens was a librarian for almost a decade.

•  She noticed that early childhood education starts with books, so she made educational programs for the kids in her community.

•  Demi went into a meeting where she thought about writing a book.

•  She then gave it a try and started reaching out to people, despite being an introvert.

•  Demi made a list of what aspiring authors would need to learn and decided that it would be a year-long process.

•  Because of this, she thought that "Year of The Book Press" would be the perfect name for her company.

Initial Success Rate

•  There were 57 people who attended the first day of her coaching services. About 48 of them were women who were almost in their menopausal age.

•  They may have a goal or dream they put on hold but are once again willing to embrace.

•  Out of the first attendees, 37 were able to finish their books, resulting in a 65% success rate.

Skin in the Game

•  The first year of the Year of The Book Press was free. However, this was an obstacle to growth.

•  Transformation can only begin once a transaction takes place.

•  Spending money helps us commit to our goals and allows us to follow through with it.

•  The implementation does not depend on how much money you spend, but on your dedication and belief in yourself.

Removing Obstacles

•  You will only get better at something if you continue doing it.

•  The faster you can fail forward, the better it will be for you.

•  Everything in your life is a story. When you share your words, they make you more vulnerable. But your raw and real experiences are those worth sharing.

Remembering a Scene

•  Our memories can be faulty. Thus, the best time to record an event is to write it at that time.

•  We can identify themes in our own lives that reflect our readers' feelings and experiences.

How to Get Started

•  You need to sit down right at that moment and start writing your story.

•  The most crucial step is to get all your ideas out there.

•  You can make a bullet point of things you want to be part of your story and pick an item from there.

•  Bring yourself back into that moment and pour out everything you can remember and everything you felt. Stop until you feel like you have dumped everything out onto your paper.

The Inception of an Idea

•  Our ideas come from the universe.

•  Writing can instill the fear of saying something and never getting the chance to take it back.

•  It can also make you think you'll no longer have a story to tell after.

•  However, if you don't take action on an idea, then someone else will bring it to life.

•  If you don't write about an idea, it's not only you who is losing but also anybody who wants to hear that information.

•  Find books that you love and take inspiration from the authors.

Words Have Power

•  Women grew up in a patriarchal society where they tend to ask permission before getting started.

•  But in reality, only you are holding yourself back from writing your dreams.

•  A change in your behavior and mindset can help you build habits.

•  Befriend the woman inside your head, and remember that voice is not you but is just your mind.

•  Once you have written something, then you should consider yourself an author. Do not let your mind fool you into thinking you are an impostor.

•  Nothing good comes out of staying comfortable. It would be best if you learned to embrace your fears.