Why You Need an Elevator Pitch for Your Book

Earlier this week I finally sent my book off to my editor. During the process of writing my book there have been times when I have felt it was literally, physically fighting me. My body was sore. I found bruises and scratches on my body I couldn’t explain and I was always so tired. Jacob wrestled with an angel. I wrestled with words.

One day while taking a walk with my husband Edward he asked, “What is your book about exactly? I’ve been trying to tell people but I can’t. I don’t have an elevator pitch.”

The problem was I didn’t either.

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Her Story project seeks to empower women of Birmingham and beyond

Emily Smith and Mary Beth Gore

We women are our own worst critics—if you’re a woman, you’ve probably heard this before. And maybe this statement made you angry because you disagree. Or maybe it filled you with sorrow because you can say from first-hand experience that it’s true. When Mary Beth Gore heard this statement while watching the documentary Miss Representation, she decided to do something about it. She decided to start Her Story, a series of profiles on women with a connection to the Birmingham area.

“I want all women to know their story matters,” says Gore, a 24-year-old social worker. “It is a very empowering experience for a woman to share her story and know that it’s meaningful.”

Instead of criticizing other women Gore wants to uplift women by helping their voice be heard. She teamed up with Emily Smith to help her with Her Story, which they launched in January. Over the year Gore and Smith have shared stories of women of different age groups and different walks of life—from stories of women who have survived gunshot wounds and battled eating disorders to stories of college students and stay-at-home moms.

For my latest column for B-Metro I had a chat with Gore and Smith about the Her Story project. You can read it here.

Also on December 1 at 6 p.m. at the Christ City Center in Bessemer, Gore and Smith will host Her Story Celebration, an evening celebrating one year of stories. The evening will include dinner, time to explore vendor booths featuring women-owned businesses, and a panel discussion with some of the women featured in the Her Story project this year. Tickets are $10 in advance via EventBrite.com and $15 at the door. All proceeds will benefit Grace House Ministries. You can order your tickets here.

What’s Your Game-Changer Goal?

Last week I challenged you to set goals for November and the #bloglikecrazy challenge. This week I want you to add another goal to the list or to at least make one of the goals you’ve already set a top priority. This week I want you to think about your game-changer goal.

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What the Vulcan Run 10K Taught Me About Writing & Blogging

This weekend, for the first time ever, I participated in the Vulcan Run, a 10K race held annually in Birmingham that attracts about 1,000 runners each year.

I have never been more nervous for a race. I couldn’t really figure out why. I’ve run a half-marathon — twice — which is more than twice the number of miles of a 10K. I also trained for this race for a month. Yet, the morning of the Vulcan Run I was so nervous my stomach started to hurt.

I was convinced I’d be too slow to finish the race in the two-hour time limit or that my legs would just stop working around mile five.

Nevertheless, I laced up my Nikes and set off to pound the pavement. This race, like so many others, would not only teach me plenty about running but impart lessons about writing, too.

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My Run Like a Girl Playlist

Do you listen to music when you write?

Marie Sutton, author of The A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham: A Civil Rights Landmark, once revealed at a See Jane Write workshop that she was able to muster the energy to write the chapters of her book each night (after a long day of work and taking care of her family) by listening to Kanye West.

I’ve never had much success listening to music while I write. I tend to do better in quiet spaces, although I can be quite production in a busy coffee shop, too.

Nevertheless, music is essential when it comes to accomplishing other goals of mine — especially those related to fitness. Sometimes I feel as if my body cannot and will not make the movements necessary to run unless great music is being pumped into my ears.

That’s why when I was training for this year’s Vulcan Run 10K, which I ran today, selecting the music for my running playlist was as essential as getting in enough short and long runs before the race.

I’ve share my playlist below in case you have a big run coming up, too!

Do you listen to music when you write?

What are some of your favorite songs to listen to while running?