The Power of Community

Last March, I watched a beautiful moment unfold in the Spring cohort of Your Bestselling Book. Maria (names have been changed) had just shared a passage about her husband’s horrendous deceptions during their marriage, which had landed him under house arrest in the Middle East. Her writing was raw, honest, heartbreaking, and her voice cracked as she read the last line.

A moment of compassionate silence followed, as all nine other cohort members, Jen and I let her words sink in.

Then, with tears streaming down her face, Casey spoke up: "Maria, I am so impressed by your resilience. The way you found angels all around you, even as you were suffering. My husband was a con artist, too! I can’t believe it. Your experience really resonates. What you shared already has helped to heal my heart."

It was the magical sauce everyone who participates in Your Bestselling Book lives for. What Casey saw, what I saw, what we all saw, was that Maria’s story wasn't just about her personal pain. It was universal medicine. The story cure. 

This is what happens when we stop writing in isolation and start writing in community.

My experience over the years has shown, time and again, that the writers who succeed aren't the ones who work alone. They're the ones who build community around their craft.

Writing is vulnerable work. We're literally putting our souls on paper and asking the world to care. It’s also exhausting. We get tired of putting words on the page, worrying that no one will ever read them, and overwhelmed at the thought of promoting our books. 

No wonder so many of us abandon our manuscripts halfway through, convinced our stories don't matter.

But in community, something shifts. When we find our people, their energy buoys us. We become each other's research team, promotion squad, and professional network all rolled into one.

Community creates gentle pressure that self-discipline alone can't match. We need witnesses to our commitments.

Community also provides the distance and perspective we need to recognize our own significance. Others see in us what we lose sight of in ourselves. When you're drowning in revision hell, your writing community reflects back the wisdom you’ve gained from your life journey. 

When doubt creeps in, your writing family surrounds you. They remind you why you started. They share how your last chapter moved them to tears. They refuse to let you give up on the story that only you can tell.

Finding Your Tribe

At Your Bestselling Book and our online community The Story Cure, we don’t require perfection. We simply invite you to show up. Messy drafts welcome. Imposter syndrome included. Doubts and dreams in equal measure.

So join us. Your stories were meant to be shared, supported, and celebrated. We have a beautiful, heart-centered community of brilliant people who are eager to listen to yours. 

Aloha,

MeiMei

P.S. Our acclaimed 8-week course, conducted with a small cohort of just 10 authors, Jen and me, is designed around this very principle—writers supporting writers through every step of the journey.

The course runs from September 29 - October 21, and enrollment is now open. Join us by September 7, and we’ll include a free one-hour private session on how to effectively use AI with Jen Tate. You also get two private hour coaching sessions with me, weekly workshops and a lot of fun!

TIP OF THE WEEK:

Build your Book Tribe

According to all the experts I’ve met over the past few years – hybrid publishers, book PR specialists, digital marketing gurus, brand builders – the most important step you can take to promote your book is building a book tribe.

As a professional who supports authors in writing their books, I’ll add to that: The most important step you can to take to complete your book is building a book tribe.

What’s a book tribe?

This is the core group of people who will support you on your journey. They care about you. They think your book concept is incredible and important. And they are here for you to get it done and get it out into the world.

Call on these people whenever you need an energy boost to finish a chapter or do one more round of edits. Summon their hive mind when you need to connect with readers. Get them to commit to buying your book and leaving a 5-star review, then buying at least one copy for a friend.

Your book tribe will help you get the job done!