Let the Adventure Begin

“The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Might = used to express permission, probability, or possibility

Might = the power, energy, or intensity of which one is capable

To describe my feelings about writing a book, both definitions hold true. This entire adventure feels like possibility vs. reality. I might be able to do it. I hope I can do it. I want to do it. 

Yet, I wouldn’t be here, signed publisher’s contract in hand, if I didn’t have the intelligence, determination, and redheaded grit to get this book to the finish line.

‘Might” doesn’t always make “right,” as the saying goes. But in this case, my "might" might make the right "write."

(Too much?) 

Getting Here

Let’s return to the beginning. While I don’t remember saying “I want to be an author,” writing was a big part of my youth. It came easily to me. I felt joyful putting crayon or pencil to paper, at home and school – perhaps because I had a stutter. The words that wouldn’t flow in conversations or classrooms could flow onto pages. Those who stutter often develop large vocabularies, because situational fluency can depend on word choice.  

Elementary school became junior high, and my passion for writing - and my English classes – continued. Analyze a ballad? Yes! Write a new adventure for Odysseus in Homeric style? Absolutely! Draft an essay describing the alien race of planet Phobos without using the letter E? You bet!

In high school, I met Mr. David Sampselle, who became “that teacher.” He challenged, edited, and rewarded. He held me to an even higher standard than I held myself, pushing me beyond the constraints of “you’re only in high school, what could you know.” His chicken scratch praise on the pages of essays sent me to cloud nine. 

I realized, “Hey, I’m pretty good at this” - maybe I could pursue writing (and literary analysis and critical thinking and all the stuff in between) as a college major, and perhaps a vocation. 

Fast forwarding…I majored in English at the University of Virginia which, at the time, had one of the top English departments in the country. I graduated and landed work as an editor - and fell in love with a scribe. Aaron Robinson decided as a child to be a writer so he could cover racing and drive new cars. He’s since worked for the leading car magazines and continues to inspire me with his brilliance and talent.

My publishing career led to a pursuit of business education. (It made sense at the time, even for an English major.) My MBA program application essay described me as the author of a famous business book, praising the learning I obtained from my stellar graduate program. The essay worked - and Michigan accepted me.

It’s taken 28 years since writing that essay – 28 years of teaching business writing, crafting business proposals, designing compelling business presentations, editing business colleagues’ communications, and discussing business topics in blogs and website posts – but…in August I signed a contract with the Association for Talent Development (ATD) to write a business book. 

Where We Go from Here

Over the next several months, I’ll be writing a book about leadership development. And I’ll describe that process - the highs, lows, fears, and flows - in this biweekly newsletter. I’ll fill in the story gaps. (How did ATD find you? Why leadership development?) I’ll be asking for help from my community. And maybe I’ll inspire YOU to put your own pen to paper (or fingers to keyboards). 

We all can turn “might” - the potential and promise – into “might” – the power to achieve our wildest dreams.

“When people say, did you always want to be a writer? I have to say no! I always was a writer.” – Ursula K. Le Guin

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Tina is founder of WorkJoy, investing in leaders at all levels through coaching, training, and advisory solutions. AND - she's writing her first book! Learn more at her website and stay tuned to LinkedIn.