Sharing Your Story Can Change Your Life

Two years ago, Jason Ferguson had poured over 100,000 words onto the page without showing them to a soul. Some he hadn't even re-read himself! This week, Jason’s book, Nobody’s Legend, was released upon the world.   

It’s a vulnerable step, sharing your story with others, and Jason was understandably nervous to take that next step. So I was honored to be asked to work with him as a book coach for a year.  

We connected immediately. Not because I was into football, (though I knew enough to be able to follow along through his incredible journey from high school superstardom to college injury devastation.) And not because I had much experience with serious addiction, (which also played a major role in Jason’s story.)    

No, Jason and I connected over the process of writing his book. While we did plenty of language tweaking and story structure experimenting, we also spent time talking about how he was feeling, what he was worried about, and how to ride the ups and downs of committing to a regular writing schedule in the middle of living your life. In fact, Jason sums it up perfectly in the Author’s Note of the book itself:  

Writing this book has been one of the most emotional, challenging, and rewarding journeys of my life. What started as an idea in the early days of the pandemic became a four-year process of reflection, vulnerability, and growth. Each chapter, each word, represents facing fears, pushing past self-doubt, and sharing my truth in the most authentic way I know how.  

I won't sugarcoat it. There were moments I didn't think I could do this. Imposter syndrome flooded my thoughts, whispering that my voice didn't belong on these pages or that my story wasn't worth telling. I kept asking myself: Would there really be a reader interested in this? I wrestled with fears of judgment, of not being a good-enough writer, and of the potential shame and embarrassment that can come with exposing too much. But those fears became my compass, guiding me toward the truth I needed to tell.  

Jason channeled his own vulnerability into his writing, and his book is all the stronger for it. If you’re looking for an inspirational story from a first time writer who truly gave it his all, and changed his life along the way…pick up a copy of Nobody’s Legend immediately.    

And to any of you out there with writing that’s just getting dusty on your Google Drive, I encourage you to find a way to share it. Invite others in, even if it feels scary to do so.  

There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you're in the trenches together during the writing process. You kind of become part of each other’s stories.

Cheers!

~Jen

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