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Why You Need a Creative Community (with Jennifer Harshman) · The Daily Writer

0:08
SPEAKER_00: Hey friends, welcome to episode 85 of the Born to Create Podcast.
0:12
SPEAKER_00: My name is Kent Sanders and I'm an author, professor, and creative consultant.
0:17
SPEAKER_00: This is the show where we explore the mindset, habits, and skills to help you make a bigger impact in your life and creative work.
0:25
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's really tempting to think of the creative life as a solitary endeavor.
0:29
SPEAKER_00: We picture an artist who's standing at an easel by themselves, a musician who's playing in a studio by themselves, or a writer sitting at a desk by themselves.
0:39
SPEAKER_00: But my guest today reminds us that it's vital to build your community, no matter what type of creative work that you do.
0:45
SPEAKER_00: Her name is Jennifer Harshman and she is the owner of Harshman Services.
0:50
SPEAKER_00: Jennifer coaches and consults with subject matter experts, communicators, and other leaders, entrepreneurs, authors, and publishers so they can get helpful writing out into the world where it can do more good.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: Jennifer began editing professionally in 1992, and she's edited tens of thousands of pages.
1:08
SPEAKER_00: Now she serves as a writing and publishing expert for publishers and independent authors alike.
1:14
SPEAKER_00: In our conversation today, we touch on a variety of topics, including tips for reading faster, Jennifer's amazing story of receiving help from clients in a time of crisis, the value of group coaching, how other people can help us define our creative calling, and Jennifer's strategy for systematically staying in touch with people via Facebook.
1:32
SPEAKER_00: That's my favorite part of our conversation.
1:34
SPEAKER_00: It's genius what she does.
1:36
SPEAKER_00: Now before we get into the conversation, I want to hit on a couple of things.
1:40
SPEAKER_00: Speaking of community, which this whole episode is about, I want to make sure that you're aware we have a really awesome Facebook group called, of course, the Born to Create Community.
1:50
SPEAKER_00: You can get to the group by going to Kent Sanders.net slash Facebook Group.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: This is a group that gives inspiration and encouragement to all of us on the creative journey.
2:01
SPEAKER_00: You know, your work is not meant to be done just by yourself.
2:04
SPEAKER_00: You've got to join together with other like-minded artists and creative entrepreneurs if you're going to do your best work.
2:10
SPEAKER_00: And the Born to Create community on Facebook is a great way to help make that happen.
2:15
SPEAKER_00: So make sure and check that out.
2:17
SPEAKER_00: Now let's go to our listener question segment before we dive into the conversation with Jennifer.
2:23
SPEAKER_00: This question was submitted by my friend Sterling Highland, who is a member of my men's mojo mastermind group that meets every two weeks here in my area in St.
2:31
SPEAKER_00: Louis.
2:33
SPEAKER_00: Sterling asks this question.
2:35
SPEAKER_00: He says, Mastermind groups work well for creative types.
2:39
SPEAKER_00: Is the concept used in a broader context?
2:42
SPEAKER_00: For example, our think tanks are a form of mastermind groups.
2:46
SPEAKER_00: What other types are you aware of?
2:48
SPEAKER_00: So Sterling, thanks so much for your question.
2:50
SPEAKER_00: And this is a fantastic topic because I love mastermind groups.
2:54
SPEAKER_00: And of course you know that because we're in a mastermind group together that meets locally every couple of weeks.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: But even aside from that, I've been a fan of mastermind groups for a really long time.
3:04
SPEAKER_00: Actually, I'm a part of two ongoing mastermind groups.
3:07
SPEAKER_00: The other one meets online on Monday mornings.
3:09
SPEAKER_00: We've done that for about five years.
3:11
SPEAKER_00: We rarely miss a week.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: And mastermind groups have been a huge part of my personal and professional growth the last few years.
3:19
SPEAKER_00: In fact, I would probably say without question that mastermind groups have been the number one thing that has contributed to my growth over the last few years.
3:28
SPEAKER_00: More than, you know, conferences, more than networking events, more than reading books.
3:33
SPEAKER_00: All those things are great and are really essential, I think, but mastermind groups have been a huge part of my life.
3:40
SPEAKER_00: And I believe they are so powerful and so vital for us today if we're going to be successful.
3:45
SPEAKER_00: But they're not anything that's new.
3:47
SPEAKER_00: Mastermind groups have been around for a very long time in different forms.
3:51
SPEAKER_00: The overall purpose of a group is for people who are like-minded to come together to solve a problem or to help everybody be successful.
3:59
SPEAKER_00: The concept of a mastermind group was really popularized in the early twentieth century by Napoleon Hill in his fantastic book called Think and Grow Rich.
4:08
SPEAKER_00: Now, don't be turned off by that title, Think and Grow Rich.
4:11
SPEAKER_00: It's not like a get rich quick scheme kind of a book.
4:14
SPEAKER_00: It's really not that good of a title for a book, but anyway, that's what it's called.
4:17
SPEAKER_00: The book is fantastic because it talks about how masterminds can be such an important part of our success.
4:24
SPEAKER_00: The idea of people coming together to help everybody be more successful is not a new concept at all.
4:31
SPEAKER_00: For example, you might even call Jesus and his twelve disciples a mastermind group of sorts.
4:37
SPEAKER_00: Every president in the US has a cabinet.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: Most leaders have a an executive team or a group of people somehow who are helping them to make decisions and be more successful.
4:49
SPEAKER_00: Now, specifically in the book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill was emphasizing a more business application of mastermind groups.
4:56
SPEAKER_00: And there's different ways to structure a business mastermind group.
4:59
SPEAKER_00: Some are more driven by the coach, some are more peer-driven, where the leadership of the group switches around from person to person each week.
5:08
SPEAKER_00: However, what I think really sets apart a mastermind group from other forms of people helping each other be successful is that there is a definite structure and a purpose, and the people are there to help one another, not to compete with one another.
5:21
SPEAKER_00: And I've seen this in our own Men's Mojo Mastermind Group.
5:25
SPEAKER_00: For example, I'm training for a half marathon right now, and several of the guys in the group, including you, have given me a lot of great wisdom about training, about running shoes, about other things related to running a half marathon.
5:38
SPEAKER_00: And this kind of stuff happens every time that we meet.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: I always come away from our mastermind meetings, knowing more, being more motivated, feeling more successful, and feeling more connected to the guys in the group.
5:49
SPEAKER_00: So it's a net win for everybody involved, I think.
5:52
SPEAKER_00: Now, for everybody else who's listening who is who's not part of my local mastermind group, I highly suggest forming a mastermind group to help spur your creative and personal success.
6:03
SPEAKER_00: Probably what I need to do is put together some kind of like a written guide on helping people to set up and structure their own mastermind group.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: So for anybody listening to this, if that's something that you would be interested in me putting together, whether it's a blog post or specific podcast episode or some kind of a book or something, shoot me an email and let me know about this because I really would love to know if this is something that you guys are interested in.
6:26
SPEAKER_00: So, Sterling, these are some thoughts on mastermind groups.
6:29
SPEAKER_00: Let me know your thoughts.
6:30
SPEAKER_00: I would of course love to hear them.
6:32
SPEAKER_00: For everybody else who's listening, if you have a question about the creative life, habits, mindset, productivity, writing, or anything else that you feel like I can help you with, you can submit your question by going to KentSanders.net slash podcast and filling out the form on the bottom of the page.
6:49
SPEAKER_00: Or if you want to, you can shoot me an email by sending it to Kent at KentSanders.net.
6:54
SPEAKER_00: And if I use your question on the show, I will send you a free ebook, an audiobook copy of the artist's suitcase.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: All right, let's get to the conversation with my friend, Jennifer Harshman.
7:08
SPEAKER_00: Well, Jennifer, thanks so much for joining me on this call.
7:11
SPEAKER_00: This is actually our second time around the block here because we recorded this once before and I forgot to hit record on Zoom.
7:18
SPEAKER_00: So thanks for your grace and patience with me.
7:21
SPEAKER_00: Uh this is our second try.
7:22
SPEAKER_00: So uh I appreciate you joining me today.
7:25
SPEAKER_01: Well, I appreciate you taking the time to have me.
7:28
SPEAKER_01: I really um enjoy our conversations together.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
7:33
SPEAKER_00: So you are really active on Facebook and social media, and in particular the Eagles community that we're a part of.
7:40
SPEAKER_00: And that for those who don't know what that is, and I'll have a link in the show notes for that.
7:44
SPEAKER_00: That is uh Dan Miller.
7:46
SPEAKER_00: He is an entrepreneur and an author.
7:48
SPEAKER_00: He's created an Eagles community online that both Jennifer and I are a part of, as well as hundreds of other people.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: So I love how you contribute so much to that community, and you're just such a giving person and so much fun online that I've I've really learned a lot from what you're doing.
8:01
SPEAKER_00: So thanks for being kind of a cool person in general and um just for everything that you're contributing to other people's creativity and their art.
8:10
SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you.
8:12
SPEAKER_00: So, what I want to do today in our conversation is focus on learning and community and exploring how other people can help us to become the creatives and the artists that God has wired us to be.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: And one of the most important aspects of the creative life is realizing that we cannot do it alone and that we do need help.
8:30
SPEAKER_00: So as you look back through your creative life over the years and becoming a successful editor and and I would say an absolutely an artist, who are some of the people who have had a major impact in helping you to become the successful person that you are well, this may sound a little bit trite, but it is actually sincere.
8:51
SPEAKER_01: I would say that the authors of thousands of different books have helped me to become successful.
8:57
SPEAKER_01: And I really wish I could repay them beyond just purchasing their books.
9:01
SPEAKER_01: Um, but as for individuals that I know and interact with personally, every one of my clients, every one of my students have contributed in one way or another.
9:10
SPEAKER_01: And a couple of people in specific, James Woosley and Dan Miller and his family.
9:18
SPEAKER_01: So they've all been a big part of it.
9:20
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I love both of those guys.
9:22
SPEAKER_00: So uh obviously, you are you're in an office space.
9:25
SPEAKER_00: I see books behind you on your bookshelf.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: Uh as you're looking at my screen.
9:29
SPEAKER_00: Of course, this is an audio podcast, but I've got books behind me.
9:32
SPEAKER_00: So both of us probably would say that books have played an important role in our lives.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: As you think back over your journey, what are some of the books that have impacted you the most?
9:42
SPEAKER_01: Oh, goodness.
9:43
SPEAKER_01: There's one called Willie's Way, and I'm not sure what the subtitle is.
9:48
SPEAKER_01: Something about six ways to woo and wow your customers.
9:53
SPEAKER_01: And it is sort of a business fable that talks about a cab driver named Willie and how he just takes great care of his customers.
10:02
SPEAKER_01: And that sets a really good example.
10:04
SPEAKER_01: And I thought I always want to treat my people like that.
10:08
SPEAKER_01: And then Jack Canfield's Success Principles.
10:11
SPEAKER_01: That's I go through that on a regular basis every couple of years.
10:17
SPEAKER_01: Um, it is kind of a big book.
10:18
SPEAKER_01: So that that's when I go through.
10:22
SPEAKER_01: And gosh, anything by Jay Conrad Levinson or Malcolm Gladwell, I mean, there are just so many.
10:29
SPEAKER_01: It's hard to choose.
10:30
SPEAKER_00: Would you say that you're more of a book person or more of a podcast person?
10:35
SPEAKER_00: Not that they're opposed, but I I find that people typically gravitate toward one of those things above the other thing.
10:42
SPEAKER_01: I do a little bit of a little bit of both, but I would definitely say that I'm more of a book person, and that's mostly because I can speed read.
10:53
SPEAKER_01: So even if I listen to a podcast and set the speed faster, I can still read faster than I can listen.
11:01
SPEAKER_00: That is that's really true.
11:02
SPEAKER_00: So that is something that I actually hadn't even planned on talking about speed reading, but I'd like to drill down for drill down on that for a minute.
11:09
SPEAKER_00: If we can, what are some tips for reading faster and how can you actually develop the skills to speed read?
11:16
SPEAKER_01: There is a book that I have and love called Speed Reading Made Easy.
11:20
SPEAKER_01: It might be out of print by now, but I would recommend getting a book or maybe an online course.
11:27
SPEAKER_01: There are some apps that will move the text faster and faster and help you to increase your speed that way.
11:36
SPEAKER_01: And also I would recommend doing kind of a scan or skim where you look at the headings, subheadings, and then the first and last sentence of a paragraph will give you the gist of that paragraph.
11:50
SPEAKER_01: And then you can look at each of those and say, oh, okay, I've got it, or oh, I need to read more and read the entire paragraph there.
11:58
SPEAKER_00: So you would suggest that in some ways, all the content, and here we're talking about nonfiction books, of course.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: That here, all the all the content in a nonfiction book is not necessarily created equal, that you can kind of scan a lot of that and really get the same benefit out of it.
12:14
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
12:16
SPEAKER_01: Definitely.
12:17
SPEAKER_01: So a lot of people need more of the information.
12:21
SPEAKER_01: So authors and publishers will be sure to explain something in more than one way to make sure that it's coming across well.
12:31
SPEAKER_01: But when you learn to speed read, you learn to catch the idea a lot faster and you don't need to read every single sentence.
12:39
SPEAKER_00: So, how do you feel about that as an author and you know, as someone who does a lot of writing and editing, does that should those of us who write, should that make us feel weird or awkward that people could skim our stuff and still get as much benefit out of it?
12:53
SPEAKER_01: I don't think that it should bother us.
12:56
SPEAKER_01: I think that we could take the approach that some people will need to read every single word and they will take the time to do that.
13:04
SPEAKER_01: And other people do not need to read every single word, and they'll still get the benefit from it.
13:09
SPEAKER_01: So we are reaching both types of people.
13:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think that's one of the most important points about writing blog posts and articles online is that people rarely read through the whole thing.
13:20
SPEAKER_00: They're skimming bullet points, headlines, you know, and all that kind of stuff.
13:24
SPEAKER_00: So if we if we can give them a lot of information in those ways where they can take 30 seconds to get something out of an article, that's better than not reading it at all, for sure.
13:34
SPEAKER_01: True.
13:36
SPEAKER_00: So you recently went through uh a difficult period in your personal life, and and I don't want to get like too weird or too personal on this, uh like to the point of being uncomfortable.
13:46
SPEAKER_00: But uh since we've talked about this before, I wanted to explore this idea of how can other people help us when we're going through a crisis.
13:54
SPEAKER_00: And I know you went through a rough period, and because you have a large network of friends and people who uh really care about your family and and want to help, that that was, I know, a really important thing as you were going through uh this personal situation that was very disruptive, but yet you've you came out of it, you know, successful on the other side.
14:14
SPEAKER_00: Could you share with us what happened and the role that other people played in helping your family to navigate through that crisis?
14:21
SPEAKER_01: Sure.
14:22
SPEAKER_01: My children and I left my husband and entered a domestic violence shelter at the end of May 2018.
14:30
SPEAKER_01: And I was having a really hard time getting anyone to approve me to be a tenant.
14:38
SPEAKER_01: So all of the landlords, all of the property management companies, apartment complexes, you name it, I went through more than 300 rejections in the course of a couple of weeks.
14:49
SPEAKER_01: And so I had to get, yeah, it was crazy.
14:53
SPEAKER_01: Um it was because I had no credit score.
14:55
SPEAKER_01: And so I had to get creative, and I thought, I know what the problem is.
15:01
SPEAKER_01: They are worried that I am a bad risk.
15:04
SPEAKER_01: So why don't I take risk out of the equation?
15:07
SPEAKER_01: And so I contacted a few of my clients for whom I had contracted to do some work over the next couple of months, and I said, instead of our usual payment arrangement, could you pay me upfront in full right now?
15:24
SPEAKER_01: And every one of them said yes because they knew I had done work for them before.
15:29
SPEAKER_01: They knew that I would deliver and that it would be excellent work, and so they were willing to go ahead and pay me for that.
15:36
SPEAKER_01: And that's how I raised the money to pay the entire rinse, um, the entire year's lease upfront in full.
15:44
SPEAKER_01: But there were so many people, aside from those clients, who also helped me.
15:50
SPEAKER_01: And a lot of it was verbally.
15:53
SPEAKER_01: They would, you know, I posted about it on Facebook, and a lot of them supported me in their comments there and in private messages.
16:01
SPEAKER_01: Many people said they were praying for me, which I totally appreciated.
16:05
SPEAKER_01: And a few even sent additional financial help.
16:08
SPEAKER_01: Um, we wanted to be sure that my kids had pajamas and a robe and slippers and things like that.
16:16
SPEAKER_01: Um, she said, be sure to, you know, use this money for something that's frivolous.
16:20
SPEAKER_01: I know that's not, and you know, that's not a need.
16:24
SPEAKER_00: It is a want, but I want you to use it for something frivolous, and that's what did that experience change you in terms of you're being in put in a position that that you didn't choose, you know, this is sort of what life handed you, but then you're asking your clients for something that is unusual.
16:43
SPEAKER_00: They overdelivered, you know, in terms of being willing to pay you up front for that.
16:47
SPEAKER_00: How did the act of asking and being put in that position change you as a person?
16:53
SPEAKER_01: I was a little hesitant to do it because it was departing from the arrangement we had already made.
17:02
SPEAKER_01: And it felt like asking for a pretty big favor.
17:07
SPEAKER_01: So I was, you know, a little, like I said, hesitant, but I knew that the only way I was going to get out of that shelter and get into our own place was to raise the funds up front.
17:22
SPEAKER_01: So it it pushed me to make an uncomfortable choice, but it worked out well.
17:29
SPEAKER_00: The reason I I'm uh really fascinated with this whole situation is that really a big part of the reason why I do these podcast interviews is kind of to dive into my own psychology and I love learning from people.
17:41
SPEAKER_00: So as you're mentioning the situation, it really didn't occur to me to ask about this question when we were talking about this interview, but it it just occurs to me that there is a sense in which you had to give up control of the situation and in a sense put yourself at the mercy of your clients and others in your community.
18:00
SPEAKER_00: Yes, in which I must I know must have been really, really difficult.
18:05
SPEAKER_01: It was, but I also knew that one way or another things would work out.
18:12
SPEAKER_01: I just had that faith, and um I just I just had to make that ask or you know, make that request and see what was going to happen.
18:23
SPEAKER_00: I I'm just thinking through like what what can we learn from that?
18:27
SPEAKER_00: You know, everybody listening and and myself included is I think those of us who who go into creative work of some kind, we want to build a business, we want to be an entrepreneur, there's an element of our psychology that always wants to be in control.
18:40
SPEAKER_00: You know, and there's very much an element of wanting to be an entrepreneur of some kind that says, I don't want to live by somebody else's rules, I want to make my own rules, I want to make my own thing and be in charge and be in control and make my own luck and all that.
18:52
SPEAKER_00: But there's an element to where we we have to give up a part of that to say, I'm I'm at the mercy of others and and I I don't have to be in control all the time.
19:02
SPEAKER_00: And it's okay to rely on other people and ask for help.
19:05
SPEAKER_00: And and that's sort of the way that good relationships work, not not by being in charge every second and having to get our way all the time.
19:13
SPEAKER_01: Right.
19:14
SPEAKER_01: And I think that we have such a hard time with that because of a mixture of pride and fear.
19:20
SPEAKER_01: In American culture, there's this sense of rugged individualism.
19:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
19:24
SPEAKER_01: Like we even have sayings that reflect that in our language.
19:27
SPEAKER_01: Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
19:28
SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah.
19:29
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
19:29
SPEAKER_01: Um so we get the sense as we grow up that asking for help means you're showing weakness, and we're afraid that our requests will be rejected.
19:38
SPEAKER_01: So we fear that not only will we reveal our weakness to that person, but then that person might say no and our needs would still go unmet.
19:46
SPEAKER_01: And that's worse than not saying anything at all and just suffering through the situation all alone.
19:52
SPEAKER_00: But don't you think that people, most, at least most people, people who are healthy and in a good place in their lives, that they want to help, they want to serve, they want to be a part of somebody else's success.
20:03
SPEAKER_00: So whenever we allow them to help us, and whenever we ask for help in the right spirit, of course, we're actually giving them an opportunity to use their gifts.
20:11
SPEAKER_00: It's not just a one-way street.
20:13
SPEAKER_01: Right, right.
20:15
SPEAKER_01: And I think that most people are good and they do want to help.
20:19
SPEAKER_01: They just need to know specifically how.
20:21
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
20:22
SPEAKER_01: So if we're able to give a particular request and say, hey, I need, you know, this particular object, or I would like to find a place to live in this area of town, or something like that, then people know that they have something they can take it and run with it.
20:42
SPEAKER_01: And they're much more likely to help if you give them something specific.
20:46
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
20:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna be thinking about this for the rest of the week, I think.
20:49
SPEAKER_00: This whole issue of pride and particularly as a man.
20:52
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm not saying this is only a male struggle by any stretch, but I know myself being a man that that sounds like uh remember that old cartoon?
21:02
SPEAKER_00: I don't remember what cartoon it was, but it's where the the character goes, Today I am a man.
21:07
SPEAKER_00: You know, it was some mouse or something, but I just thought of that.
21:10
SPEAKER_00: Anyway, I've had too much caffeine today, so ignore my weird side roads.
21:16
SPEAKER_00: But I think a lot of men do struggle with that.
21:18
SPEAKER_00: Uh it's like, I'm a man, I don't need help, I'm gonna figure this out, I'm gonna do it myself, you know.
21:23
SPEAKER_00: I gotta fix my car, I'm gonna YouTube the videos instead of taking it to the mechanic and all this kind of stuff.
21:28
SPEAKER_00: And then we break it even worse, and we end up having to call the professionals and and all that.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I think this issue of pride is something I definitely want to explore deeper in my own psyche as well as maybe on the podcast in the future in some way.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: So you offer group coaching for writers and editors.
21:47
SPEAKER_00: No, I'm sorry, it's just for editors, correct?
21:50
unknown: Both.
21:52
SPEAKER_00: So I'd like to dive into that a little bit and explore how is group coaching different than individual coaching, and with your program.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Programs specifically, what can people expect to get out of that that they wouldn't get in other forms of learning?
22:06
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
22:07
SPEAKER_01: Group coaching, I think, is perfect for people who are in a couple of different situations.
22:12
SPEAKER_01: One is when they can't afford one-on-one coaching.
22:15
SPEAKER_01: So it makes it more accessible to more people.
22:17
SPEAKER_01: And some people find that one-on-one coaching might be too much pressure on them.
22:22
SPEAKER_02: Right.
22:24
SPEAKER_01: So that's one of the ways that the dynamic is different between one-on-one coaching and group coaching.
22:30
SPEAKER_01: And group coaching also allows the members to participate in more ways to help other people, which of course makes them feel good because people like to help others.
22:39
SPEAKER_01: And it also lets them hear different perspectives and get answers to questions they might not even have known that they had.
22:47
SPEAKER_01: Like in a classroom, for example, when one student has the guts to raise their hand and ask the question that four other people were secretly wanting the answer to.
22:56
SPEAKER_01: So that can happen quite a bit.
22:58
SPEAKER_01: And they can both ask questions and answer other people's questions.
23:02
SPEAKER_01: So everybody grows in benefits.
23:04
SPEAKER_01: Group coaching programs are just so beneficial and so much fun.
23:07
SPEAKER_01: I just love doing them.
23:08
SPEAKER_00: So how can somebody find out more about your specific programs?
23:12
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
23:13
SPEAKER_01: I have a couple of a couple of pages on my website, which is harshmanservices.com.
23:20
SPEAKER_01: And there's one for writing and there's one for editing.
23:25
SPEAKER_01: And with the writing, it's broken into two groups.
23:28
SPEAKER_01: One is people who consider themselves to be writers, and they need structure or they need support in technique or accountability, things like that.
23:39
SPEAKER_01: And then the other one is for people who do not consider themselves to be writers.
23:44
SPEAKER_01: They're kind of like, I'm not a writer, but I know I need to be producing content for my blog every week.
23:51
SPEAKER_01: Or I know that if I had my name on a book, I could hand that to people that would help them, it would help my business grow.
24:00
SPEAKER_01: It would open doors and provide opportunities that I just don't have without having a book.
24:06
SPEAKER_01: So two separate and very different mindsets between I am a writer and I need help being productive, and I'm not a writer, but I need to produce this content.
24:17
SPEAKER_01: And then I have one for people who want to be editors.
24:21
SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
24:22
SPEAKER_00: So you have these three different different ways that people can can get into this.
24:27
SPEAKER_00: What would you say the talking about mindset a little bit?
24:31
SPEAKER_00: That's one of the keys that I really love exploring on this show is is a mindset because so oftentimes people get hung up on the techniques of something and they feel like, oh, you know, whether it's blogging or self-publishing or or pitching or what or speaking or whatever it is.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: People get hung up on the techniques of something when really it's a mindset thing because you can learn all the stuff that you need to learn, but it's that mindset that is so critical.
24:54
SPEAKER_00: What would you say in your life or what were the mindset shifts that you have had to make in your transitions from pursuing writing and editing as a hobby, you know, back in your earlier years to now doing it very successfully full-time and working with all kinds of successful people?
25:11
SPEAKER_00: What were the things that had to change in your mindset and your perspective in order for those things to happen?
25:18
SPEAKER_01: Well, I had to start to see myself as a professional editor.
25:25
SPEAKER_01: I had been helping people all through school and every job that I ever had.
25:30
SPEAKER_01: Somehow people just sensed that I was the person to bring their writing to.
25:34
SPEAKER_01: If anything needed to go out, any memos or anything.
25:37
SPEAKER_01: They're like, here, you're the writer, you're the editor, you you fix this.
25:40
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, I am.
25:42
SPEAKER_01: And but I didn't really think of myself as an editor then.
25:46
SPEAKER_01: It wasn't until a museum that a friend of mine worked for wanted to put out a two-volume set on the art of the Italian Renaissance.
25:56
SPEAKER_01: They handed it to her and said, Edit this into British style.
26:00
SPEAKER_01: It's going to be published in London.
26:03
SPEAKER_01: And she said, I have no idea how to edit in British style.
26:08
SPEAKER_01: So she contacted me and I said, I have no idea how to edit in British style.
26:13
SPEAKER_00: I didn't know there was such a thing as British style.
26:15
SPEAKER_01: There is.
26:16
SPEAKER_01: So spelling changes, punctuation is different.
26:19
SPEAKER_00: Oh, okay, okay.
26:19
SPEAKER_00: That's what you mean.
26:20
SPEAKER_00: Okay, gotcha.
26:21
SPEAKER_01: And so she says, I know that, but I also know that you taught yourself how to catalog books according to the Dewey Decimal system in about eight hours.
26:31
SPEAKER_01: And most people go to school for a master's degree to do that.
26:34
SPEAKER_01: So I know you can learn how to do it.
26:36
SPEAKER_01: Will you take this job?
26:38
SPEAKER_01: And so I said, It's okay with your boss.
26:41
SPEAKER_01: Yes, it's okay.
26:42
SPEAKER_01: I already have prior approval.
26:43
SPEAKER_01: Here's the amount they're going to pay.
26:45
SPEAKER_01: Will you take this job?
26:46
SPEAKER_01: And I said, Yes.
26:47
SPEAKER_01: And I got a book and I learned the differences between American style and British style, and I edited those two books.
26:54
SPEAKER_01: And when her boss found out that I had not been editing full-time professionally, he very bluntly asked her, why not?
27:04
SPEAKER_01: Because my work was excellent.
27:07
SPEAKER_01: And then she said, guess what?
27:09
SPEAKER_01: She learned how to do this British style in the last couple of days, you know, before she edited it.
27:15
SPEAKER_01: And he he just did not believe her.
27:17
SPEAKER_01: So he said, She definitely needs to be doing this.
27:19
SPEAKER_01: And that was my big wake-up call.
27:21
SPEAKER_01: That was my big sign because I had been looking for something that I could do working at home with my kids to homeschool them, working around my disabilities.
27:32
SPEAKER_01: And you know, I had been searching for something that would work, and it was right under my nose all of my life.
27:40
SPEAKER_01: So when that other person gave me that feedback, that perspective totally shifted instantly.
27:48
SPEAKER_00: Do you think that is a big missing element in people trying to figure out what their creative calling is in life?
27:54
SPEAKER_00: So many times we're looking internally, you know, we use our emotions as a gauge, which is a terrible gauge for anything, you know, because our emotions just fluctuate all the time and they're up and down and you know, they're constantly responding to external stimuli and all that.
28:07
SPEAKER_00: But there is a sense in which other people greatly can help us define what our calling is in life because they confirm, yes, you're gifted with this, you're not gifted with that, you should go this direction, you shouldn't go this direction.
28:20
SPEAKER_00: Have there been other key people in your life who have really helped you at at critical junctures define okay, you should go this direction, you shouldn't go that direction, and that kind of thing?
28:32
SPEAKER_01: This is the biggest one that I can think of because I had been looking for so long and I had done all of the career tests and aptitude tests and different things like that, looking for something that I could do.
28:48
SPEAKER_01: And this was the one that it was just it was my big one, my big uh epiphany.
28:54
SPEAKER_00: See, I think this is really critical for everybody to really pay attention to to what you're saying here because you took this job, you agreed to help not really having that confirmation yet because that came after, you know, from the gentleman, that came after you did the thing.
29:10
SPEAKER_00: So there is a sense in which sometimes we just have to jump in and say, hey, I'm gonna help with this, or that sounds fun, or I'm curious about that.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: You know, we don't get that confirmation or that knowledge of whether we're good at something until we do it.
29:24
SPEAKER_00: So there's a sense in which we have to just jump in and try.
29:28
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
29:29
SPEAKER_01: A lot of times the only way we're going to learn is by doing.
29:33
SPEAKER_01: And you don't know if you're going to like something until you've tried it.
29:37
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
29:38
SPEAKER_00: Man, that is that is such a critical thing.
29:40
SPEAKER_00: So does there come a point at which somebody tries a whole bunch of different things and they go, Well, I'm not good at any of those things, nothing is lighting my fire?
29:48
SPEAKER_00: Is there a point at which you have to stop sort of trying things and just pick something that you know, where you say, I can serve people well with this, I'm gifted with this.
29:58
SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, I've just got to pick something.
30:01
SPEAKER_01: I have an exercise that I walk a lot of my coaching clients through that I call their finding their gold zone.
30:09
SPEAKER_00: That's good.
30:10
SPEAKER_01: It's a Venn diagram where one of the circles is a list of things that people are paying for.
30:18
SPEAKER_01: And of course, it's it's very full because people will pay for a lot of things.
30:23
SPEAKER_01: And then another circle is the things that they either are good at or quickly could become good at.
30:30
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
30:30
SPEAKER_01: And of course, that's going to have fewer items in it.
30:34
SPEAKER_01: And then the third circle is things that, oh goodness, what was that they're gonna really good at?
30:42
SPEAKER_01: Oh, things that they enjoy well enough to do it for eight to twelve hours a day for say the next year, especially starting their own business.
30:52
SPEAKER_01: It takes a lot up front to really get things off the ground.
30:56
SPEAKER_01: So when they fill that in, they might have one to three things that that fall into that overlap, into that gold zone.
31:05
SPEAKER_01: And then I encourage them to pick one, commit to it for three to six months, and see what they can do with it.
31:13
SPEAKER_00: And isn't there an element to all this where you you have to see whether other people are actually making income from doing the thing that you want to do?
31:21
SPEAKER_00: If nobody else out there is making money from doing what you're doing then or what you want to do, then shouldn't that be kind of an indication of okay, maybe this isn't a good career path?
31:30
SPEAKER_01: Usually it is, and that's why I s have them start with that first circle.
31:34
SPEAKER_01: What are people paying for?
31:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
31:37
SPEAKER_00: That is such a critical question because if if people are willing to pay for something, that and some things are worth more than other things, you know, in the world, even if we just say books, you know, there are some you know, proofreading is is probably considered uh something uh I don't mean I don't want to say lesser because that's not what I mean, but that that can be more commoditized in some ways than let's say good developmental editing, because that requires a higher level of expertise than just checking for spelling errors.
32:08
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
32:08
SPEAKER_01: Yes, absolutely.
32:10
SPEAKER_01: It has a completely different skill set, which is harder to find.
32:13
SPEAKER_01: Right.
32:13
SPEAKER_01: And it's more time intensive also.
32:16
SPEAKER_01: So there are several factors there.
32:19
SPEAKER_00: What would you say uh some of the biggest challenges are with the writers that you have worked with with their books?
32:25
SPEAKER_00: And I know you you can do a whole broad range of things when it comes to books.
32:29
SPEAKER_00: And whenever whenever I say, okay, Jennifer Harshman is an editor, that involves a whole range of things.
32:35
SPEAKER_00: It's not just like one specific skill, it's a whole range, you know, a collection of uh related skills.
32:42
SPEAKER_00: But as you have worked with writers, what are the what are some of the biggest challenges that they face in getting their books done and in actually completing a project, taking it from start to finish or taking it from the middle, I've got it sort of finished, to an actual completed project?
32:59
SPEAKER_01: The biggest challenge that I have found that they face is disorganization.
33:04
SPEAKER_01: And that might be disorganization in their schedule, their structure, or their systems.
33:10
SPEAKER_01: And then aside from that, there's fear and doubt.
33:14
SPEAKER_01: And I refer to those as people's writing dragons.
33:18
SPEAKER_01: Think of a fire-breathing dragon, and you know, your writing accomplishment is on the other side of that.
33:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, even with the great structure and systems in place, those writing dragons can stop anyone.
33:29
SPEAKER_01: So it's important to have someone who can take you through the process, tame the dragons so you can put them to work for you instead of them letting, you know, instead of letting them block your progress.
33:40
SPEAKER_01: And that's the best part of what I do.
33:44
SPEAKER_01: The the coaching and the mindset aspect, the getting productive, all of that is the really meaty good part.
33:51
SPEAKER_01: And then the development of their books, the editing, the proofreading, that's all just bonuses.
33:56
SPEAKER_00: So there is really a sense in which, you know, we've heard the phrase it takes a village to raise a child.
34:02
SPEAKER_00: It really does take a village to write a book.
34:04
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
34:04
SPEAKER_00: You're probably not going to be successful if you don't involve other people in the process.
34:09
SPEAKER_00: And in fact, many other people in the process along the way.
34:13
SPEAKER_01: I would totally agree with that.
34:14
SPEAKER_01: And it's easy for a reader to spot a self-published book that has not had the input of several people.
34:25
SPEAKER_01: So sometimes people, you know, authors will think, I can do this.
34:29
SPEAKER_01: They have that rugged individualism, and they think that they are self-sufficient, and they put in this amazing effort, and then they publish their book.
34:40
SPEAKER_01: And because they did not bring in other people with expertise, it shows.
34:46
SPEAKER_01: So that's something I always recommend.
34:49
SPEAKER_01: Um, even if you have to barter or you know, work and set aside some savings to pay for some professional services, it's always worth doing that.
35:01
SPEAKER_00: So true confessions time.
35:03
SPEAKER_00: Do you ever when somebody hands you a self-published book, a friend or an author or somewhere, do you do you ever like immediately start flipping through it and looking at the margins and the typeface and the fonts and all that stuff?
35:15
SPEAKER_00: And you're kind of like immediately judging the book, like, oh, they did a good job with that layout or the typeset or the margins are off, or hey, I like that font, or you know, do you ever do that kind of a thing?
35:26
SPEAKER_01: Yes, I do.
35:28
SPEAKER_01: And I think anyone who works with books for a living will sort of automatically, even if subconsciously, will do that.
35:38
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's just something we live and breathe books, so it's really difficult not to see mistakes or see things and go, hmm, you know, I would have done this differently.
35:51
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but there's also an element where you know sometimes people will hand you a self-published book and you go, Wow, they did a great job on that.
36:00
SPEAKER_00: In fact, I had lunch with a friend yesterday who uh wrote his book.
36:04
SPEAKER_00: Uh he actually co-wrote a book uh that came out recently.
36:07
SPEAKER_00: And I said, Man, you guys did a great job with this.
36:10
SPEAKER_00: The cover design is really sharp, you know, the font is great, the line spacing looks good.
36:14
SPEAKER_00: Of course, they had a professional do all the layout, but I said, I just want to compliment you on doing a really nice job with this book because that's very satisfying to see somebody who has gone to the trouble of producing a good product.
36:27
SPEAKER_01: Yes, it is.
36:30
SPEAKER_00: So let's oh, go ahead.
36:31
SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry.
36:32
SPEAKER_01: It's good that you gave them that feedback too, to encourage them if they do produce anything else, to make sure that they do it up to that standard also.
36:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I try to do that, and I think that's part of our responsibility as artists is to call out good work whenever we see it.
36:47
SPEAKER_00: So let's dive into our lightning round.
36:50
SPEAKER_00: This is uh just a series of rapid fire questions.
36:53
SPEAKER_00: I probably should retitle this because not all these are rapid fire, quote unquote.
36:57
SPEAKER_00: But anyway, that being that being said, uh let's dive into this.
37:01
SPEAKER_00: What is your favorite movie?
37:03
SPEAKER_01: I have such a hard time choosing favorites when it comes to anything, but I can give you a category.
37:08
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
37:09
SPEAKER_01: And that would be anything that has life lessons or a theme of overcoming.
37:13
SPEAKER_01: And if you look at my life, you could probably see why.
37:17
SPEAKER_00: So that I mean that can include everything from Die Hard to the Hallmark channel.
37:23
SPEAKER_00: Lots and lots of great things in there.
37:25
SPEAKER_00: So okay.
37:26
SPEAKER_00: Uh who is your favorite band or solo artist?
37:31
SPEAKER_01: Stevie Nicks and Don Henley.
37:33
SPEAKER_00: Oh, old school stuff.
37:35
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
37:35
SPEAKER_00: I love both of those.
37:37
SPEAKER_00: So do you like Stevie Nicks's solo stuff or better or her stuff with Fleetwood Mac?
37:42
SPEAKER_01: Um, I think I like her solo stuff better, but I do love Fleetwood Mac too.
37:46
SPEAKER_00: Okay, very cool, very cool.
37:47
SPEAKER_00: Uh, what is your favorite book, either fiction or nonfiction, or or both?
37:52
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so the ones that I mentioned before, Willie's Way and the Success Principles, those would be my favorites.
37:59
SPEAKER_00: Two great ones.
38:00
SPEAKER_00: What's a major creative failure that you have experienced in life and what did you learn from it?
38:06
SPEAKER_01: Oh dear.
38:07
SPEAKER_01: Um well, that would be just about anything to do with visual arts.
38:12
SPEAKER_01: I learned long ago that I can't make a painting look like what I see in my head.
38:16
SPEAKER_01: So I I learned a few things from that.
38:18
SPEAKER_01: And one is to just accept that, that it's okay, that I can't get it to look like what it looks like in my head.
38:25
SPEAKER_01: And I found out years later that most artists will say the same thing, that they have a really hard time with that.
38:29
SPEAKER_01: So it was nice to know that I wasn't alone in it.
38:32
SPEAKER_01: Um, and another thing I learned is I can still create anyway, even though it's not going to be perfect, even though it's not going to look like I want it to look, I can create anyway, and I can enjoy that process.
38:44
SPEAKER_01: And an art journal is one way to help me get over perfectionism and acrylic pouring.
38:50
SPEAKER_01: If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it.
38:54
SPEAKER_01: It's definitely a way to get over perfectionism.
38:57
SPEAKER_01: And um, like you you'll mix up your pre-mixed paints, put them in a cup, dump it on a canvas, tilt the canvas around, and it does what it wants to do.
39:06
SPEAKER_01: So you might be able to influence a little bit, but you can't control it.
39:11
SPEAKER_01: And the whole process is just this delightful discovery.
39:14
SPEAKER_01: It's colorful, it's fun, and there's zero pressure to make it look like anything specific.
39:20
SPEAKER_01: So, as someone who works with words all day long, I need some nonverbal, more holistic right brain activity sometimes.
39:29
SPEAKER_01: And acrylic pouring and adult coloring are just perfect for that.
39:34
SPEAKER_00: I confess I've never heard of acrylic pouring.
39:36
SPEAKER_00: That sounds really fascinating.
39:38
SPEAKER_01: Anyone from age two to you know geriatric can do it.
39:42
SPEAKER_01: If you can dump a cup, you can do acrylic pouring.
39:45
SPEAKER_00: Which I think most people can do.
39:49
SPEAKER_00: Okay, last lightning round question.
39:51
SPEAKER_00: What are you working on now that you're most excited about?
39:54
SPEAKER_01: Ooh, I'm so glad you asked about that.
39:56
SPEAKER_01: I'm most excited about this three group coaching programs that I'm leading.
40:02
SPEAKER_01: So um just to kind of recap that one is for writers who need help being productive and focused.
40:06
SPEAKER_01: And another is for people who say, I'm not really a writer, but I know I should be producing.
40:11
SPEAKER_01: And the third is for people who either want to become freelance editors and work at home or who already are editors and want to improve their business.
40:20
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
40:21
SPEAKER_00: So lots of great opportunities for everybody there, no matter where you fall on that spectrum.
40:26
SPEAKER_00: So I want to absolutely recommend that people check out your site.
40:29
SPEAKER_00: And of course, there will be uh there will be links in the show notes for all that stuff.
40:33
SPEAKER_00: And you also, do you still have your uh the email list where you send out it's uh I think it's an autoresponder series that you have that sends out uh I don't know how how many, is it several months worth of tips?
40:45
SPEAKER_00: It's actually two years worth of tips.
40:47
SPEAKER_00: Two years?
40:48
SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
40:49
SPEAKER_00: I like to over-deliver.
40:51
SPEAKER_00: So those how often do those go out?
40:53
SPEAKER_00: Because I've been on your list for a while and I haven't reached the end of that series, so I'm but I can't remember, do they go out every week or every two weeks, or how often?
41:01
SPEAKER_01: It's weekly, and it starts with the proofreading tip sheet for people who want to do their proofreading themselves, um, which they can find on my site in the upper right-hand corner.
41:11
SPEAKER_01: There's a little image of a proofreading tip sheet that just click that and it'll open up that form.
41:16
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
41:17
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I will have links to that as well.
41:19
SPEAKER_00: So that's really, really good stuff, especially that very first email.
41:22
SPEAKER_00: It's just quick tips that you can put into practice right away.
41:24
SPEAKER_00: And yeah, so helpful.
41:27
SPEAKER_00: Okay, a couple final questions here before we start to wrap this up.
41:30
SPEAKER_00: What if you had to narrow it down, what would you say is one habit or practice that you feel has contributed the most to your success?
41:39
SPEAKER_01: I would say it's delivering excellent work and thrilling my clients.
41:45
SPEAKER_01: That's how I built my business.
41:47
SPEAKER_01: They told other people about it.
41:49
SPEAKER_01: And if and when those people wrote anything, they came to me for help with it.
41:53
SPEAKER_01: And for the last few years, I've also been investing in relationships via conversations.
41:58
SPEAKER_01: Like I'll send a Facebook message or something and just contact somebody.
42:02
SPEAKER_01: I do about 10 per day, so it's not too overwhelming.
42:05
SPEAKER_01: Um, but I just start a conversation and I say, Hey, how are you doing?
42:09
SPEAKER_01: I ask about things in their lives.
42:11
SPEAKER_01: There's no business agenda there.
42:13
SPEAKER_01: It's just to pour into them and build a relationship with them.
42:18
SPEAKER_01: And sometimes business comes from it, sometimes it doesn't, and that's totally okay.
42:22
SPEAKER_01: But if I had the chance to start my business over, I would systematically do that from the very beginning.
42:28
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
42:29
SPEAKER_00: I've never I had no idea that you did this.
42:31
SPEAKER_00: I've actually never heard of this specific thing on Facebook.
42:34
SPEAKER_00: How do you select those people?
42:36
SPEAKER_00: Are they just from your friends list?
42:38
SPEAKER_00: Like how do you organize that?
42:39
SPEAKER_00: Do you have a systematic way of doing that?
42:41
SPEAKER_00: Is it just a quick touch?
42:42
SPEAKER_00: How's it going?
42:43
SPEAKER_00: You're starting a conversation.
42:44
SPEAKER_00: How does this actually work?
42:46
SPEAKER_01: Okay, so I have a copy of my Facebook friends list in an Excel spreadsheet.
42:53
SPEAKER_01: And sometimes I'll go to that and say, you know, I haven't contacted anyone in a while.
42:57
SPEAKER_01: I just put a little X in a column next to the names if I've contacted them.
43:02
SPEAKER_01: And I try to touch base with people on a regular basis.
43:07
SPEAKER_01: Of course, some friends are you know more commonly online and have more conversations than other people do.
43:15
SPEAKER_01: But I I semi-systematically go through that list and I just basically say, Hi, how are you doing?
43:23
SPEAKER_01: and let them go, you know, take the conversation wherever they would like to.
43:28
SPEAKER_01: Some people, it might be just a short, hey, great, how are you?
43:31
SPEAKER_01: And I say, Hey, I'm fine, and that's the end of it.
43:34
SPEAKER_01: They've got to go off to work, or you know, hey, it's time for dinner, gotta go.
43:38
SPEAKER_01: Others might you know, use that opportunity to really open up about something that has been bothering them.
43:45
SPEAKER_01: And they might ask for prayer, or they might say, Hey, I was thinking about you, or you know, other things.
43:54
SPEAKER_01: So it really is a wide variety, and I really love that.
43:59
SPEAKER_01: So So I get pleasure just out of letting people know that I was thinking about them or you know just asking about their day and making them smile.
44:10
SPEAKER_00: So how do you get a list of your Facebook friends into an Excel spreadsheet?
44:16
SPEAKER_01: You can download your Facebook contact information from your Facebook profile.
44:23
SPEAKER_00: Just as an Excel file?
44:25
SPEAKER_01: I believe so.
44:26
SPEAKER_00: And then I never knew that before.
44:28
SPEAKER_01: I just downloaded it and just kind of pasted it in.
44:31
SPEAKER_00: That is fascinating.
44:32
SPEAKER_00: So something similar that I've heard of people doing is just on people's birthdays, sending them a private message or a short video or something.
44:40
SPEAKER_00: So would you say eat either one of those methods, some type of systematic way of going through your friend list and just having a relational touch with people?
44:47
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't really matter what the system is as long as you're doing it somehow.
44:51
SPEAKER_01: Right.
44:52
SPEAKER_01: And also I would say don't have an agenda behind it.
44:56
SPEAKER_01: So sometimes I know people will do that kind of systematic thing and they're selling their MLM product.
45:03
SPEAKER_00: Please don't do that.
45:04
SPEAKER_00: Please, I'm begging.
45:06
SPEAKER_01: Happy birthday, buy my stuff.
45:08
SPEAKER_01: And that turns people off so fast.
45:11
SPEAKER_01: And that's just not the kind of person I am at all, anyway.
45:14
SPEAKER_01: So I just, you know, just be human.
45:18
SPEAKER_01: Just be a human, just talk to people and be a real person and then see what happens.
45:23
SPEAKER_00: Well, Jennifer, this has been a lot of fun.
45:25
SPEAKER_00: Um, you've given me a lot of great stuff today.
45:28
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna start putting some of these things into practice.
45:30
SPEAKER_00: So thank you.
45:31
SPEAKER_00: Um, and thanks also for doing this a second time.
45:34
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, I I get it right this time.
45:36
SPEAKER_00: I'm recording, so no worries there.
45:39
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me, Ken.
45:41
SPEAKER_01: It's been such a fun time.
45:42
SPEAKER_00: How can our listeners connect with you?
45:44
SPEAKER_01: Well, they can find me at Harshman Services.com.
45:47
SPEAKER_01: If they sign up for that pre-freading tip sheet, that's the fastest way because they'll get that instantly.
45:53
SPEAKER_01: And that comes from my personal email address.
45:56
SPEAKER_01: So if they want to respond to that, they can reach me right there.
46:00
SPEAKER_01: And they can also reach me on Facebook at facebook.com slash jennifer.harshman.
46:06
SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
46:07
SPEAKER_00: Well, Jennifer, thanks so much.
46:08
SPEAKER_00: This has been a lot of fun.
46:10
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
46:14
SPEAKER_00: Well, I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Jennifer Harshman.
46:18
SPEAKER_00: Here are my three main takeaways.
46:20
SPEAKER_00: Number one is the power of speed reading.
46:23
SPEAKER_00: I want you to go back and listen to Jennifer's tips on speed reading.
46:28
SPEAKER_00: You obviously have heard them if you've gotten this far in the podcast episode, but go back and re-listen to that section because she shares a lot of helpful things that'll help you read faster.
46:37
SPEAKER_00: The cool thing that she mentioned, I think this was the most important thing, is that when you learn to speed read, you catch the idea of the writing a lot faster and you don't have to dwell on every single word and sentence.
46:49
SPEAKER_00: In other words, it's not just in the individual words and sentences, it's in the overall concepts.
46:54
SPEAKER_00: So when you learn to s to speed read, you can get through the material faster and still get as much out of the content as you would have if you would have spent more time on the book.
47:03
SPEAKER_00: Again, that's a learned skill, and you know, very few people pick up on speed reading very, very quickly.
47:08
SPEAKER_00: It's kind of a learned thing, and you have to learn to do it over time.
47:12
SPEAKER_00: But I think it is a skill absolutely worth developing.
47:15
SPEAKER_00: So takeaway number one is the power of speed reading.
47:18
SPEAKER_00: Takeaway number two is the value of building a network of friends.
47:22
SPEAKER_00: Jennifer told her a really moving story about a personal crisis that she went through last year and how clients and other friends helped her to get through that in a really meaningful way.
47:33
SPEAKER_00: And that was so powerful because it it really st stuck out to me how she had spent so long just building up this network of people, and then whenever a crisis hit, those people were there for her.
47:44
SPEAKER_00: So this is something that takes time to build.
47:46
SPEAKER_00: You know, you don't build a network of friends or clients or you know, a support network overnight.
47:52
SPEAKER_00: It's something that you have to build into on a regular basis.
47:56
SPEAKER_00: And I loved her system of doing that through Facebook.
47:59
SPEAKER_00: I follow kind of a similar system, and hopefully that's something that you can take away as well is just intentionally building up this network of friends and people who can support you and clients and customers and whatnot.
48:12
SPEAKER_00: Be intentional about building up those relationships because at some point all of us are going to need those relationships.
48:19
SPEAKER_00: Then finally, takeaway number three is the beauty of letting other people help you.
48:24
SPEAKER_00: This is hard for many of us.
48:25
SPEAKER_00: In fact, I've got a good friend who's they said to me just a couple days ago, in fact, they said, Well, I'm the one who's supposed to help.
48:33
SPEAKER_00: You know, they were kind of struggling with some somebody helping them.
48:36
SPEAKER_00: And they said, I'm the one who's supposed to help.
48:37
SPEAKER_00: I'm there for other people.
48:39
SPEAKER_00: It it makes me feel bad when other people help me.
48:42
SPEAKER_00: And man, that is totally not the way to look at things.
48:44
SPEAKER_00: Whenever you let people help you, you're letting them use their gifts.
48:48
SPEAKER_00: You should never feel bad about people wanting to assist you or wanting to help you in some way.
48:54
SPEAKER_00: However, people need to know how they can help you specifically.
48:56
SPEAKER_00: And in Jennifer's example that she shared from her uh situation that she went through last year, she had to tell them specifically, here's how you can help me.
49:05
SPEAKER_00: And when they did when they knew that, then they were more than happy to help her with that.
49:09
SPEAKER_00: So I want to encourage you, if you're listening to this, if you're listening to my voice right now, and I'm definitely speaking to myself, is man, we we all have to get over our pride and let other people help us.
49:23
SPEAKER_00: Whether you are writing, whether you're making music, whether you're building houses or restoring cars, whatever it is that you're doing as far as your creative work and life in general, we've got to let other people help us.
49:35
SPEAKER_00: We cannot do it on our own.
49:36
SPEAKER_00: So we've got to get rid of our pride.
49:38
SPEAKER_00: I'm specifically talking to guys here.
49:41
SPEAKER_00: We've got to lay down our pride and let other people help us because we're gonna get a lot further, a lot faster if we can do that.
49:48
SPEAKER_00: And also, Jennifer mentioned the value of group coaching.
49:50
SPEAKER_00: So if you're interested in learning how to write better or if you want to become an editor, definitely check out our group coaching programs.
49:57
SPEAKER_00: She is uh phenomenal at what she does, and she will be a wonderful guide for you if that's something that you want to pursue on a deeper level.
50:04
SPEAKER_00: Well, hey, those are three takeaways.
50:06
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully those were helpful for you.
50:07
SPEAKER_00: I know they were definitely impacting for me.
50:10
SPEAKER_00: That wraps up this episode.
50:12
SPEAKER_00: I want to thank Jennifer Harshman for taking the time out of her really busy schedule to share in this amazing conversation.
50:18
SPEAKER_00: You can find the show notes at KentSanders.net slash podcast085.
50:24
SPEAKER_00: Also, thank you for listening.
50:26
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate the time that you've invested into this episode.
50:29
SPEAKER_00: You are the reason the show exists, and if there's anything that I can do to make the show better, please don't hesitate to let me know.
50:35
SPEAKER_00: I also want to encourage you to subscribe to the show, and the best way to do that is by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or your favorite podcast app.
50:44
SPEAKER_00: You can find lots more resources to help you unlock your creative genius at KentSanders.net.
50:50
SPEAKER_00: Until next time, remember that you were born to create and design to make a difference.
50:54
SPEAKER_00: Now go create something awesome.