Stepping into Prologue

A note to readers

“The first draft is for you. The second draft is for the story. The third draft is for the reader.” Unknown, Substack note

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

As my readers know, it has been a time (True Grit, Sorrow and Abundance, Softness Rising). Avoiding near tragedies has a way of clarifying priorities. My book wants to be finished and see the light of day. With my newfound grit, it’s time to give it my singular attention. I am excited to re-commit to its flow so it can come out to the world. 🪽

As part of this commitment, however, I must simplify daily tasks and ask for your help. You can support me financially or engage as part of a Reader’s Circle.

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For everyone, here’s a brief introduction to the project — what it’s about, where it’s headed, and how you can walk beside me as it comes to light.

What is this Book Project? My book, Move for Your Own Joy: The Promise in Your Physicality invites readers to discover the body’s voice. Highlighting four non-verbal languages, readers learn how to listen, partner and communicate with their body. Combining my lived experience and research, the book reveals a remarkable somatic intelligence that offers greater clarity, personal agency and an authentic sense of belonging from the inside out. It’s purpose is to awaken readers to partner with their body as a trusted ally; attune to its speech for healing, belonging, and becoming; and align with their unique truth to make choices that bring joy and fulfillment.

What are your goals? In the quote above, I am some where between the second and third draft! While three of the languages are written, I want to finish writing the last one. I need to add endnotes and somatic exercises to the languages section. The remaining six chapters of the book are roughly drafted and need revisions.

• Part of my goal is to create accountability with readers. Each week I’ll send a completed chapter (or section) to the Reader’s Circle in order of the Table of Contents. Readers respond to two or three simple feedback prompts and this feedback informs the chapters still in progress.

• I want to complete my manuscript by December 22nd. The next step is for a developmental editor to review it.

• The other part of my goal is financial as this requires my full-time focus and both my husband and I are between jobs. Financial support offers real encouragement, keeping my heart plugged into this needed work!

Paid Subscribers will receive a completed chapter or section each week with two or three feedback prompts they have the option to respond to.

How will this work? Here is how you can support me or engage as a reader.

Tier 1 — Encourage my Writing: ☕🥯

If you want to remain a free subscriber and don’t want to be a reader, you can still encourage me with coffee or meals to keep me fueled for my writing. In all future posts you will see a Fuel Me! button like the one below. Click on it and you can make one-time or occasional donations and tips in the amount of $5, $10, $20 or more. Try it now! There is no limit to any one-time or occasional donation you make.

Tier 2 — Become a Book Patron: 📖💸

All paid subscribers will receive the weekly chapters. If you want to support me as a writer with defined goals, you can subscribe as a Book Patron for $150 a year by selecting “Upgrade to paid” in your posts and choosing the Book Patron level. As a Book Patron, you are serious about underwriting my creative time: each subscription is equivalent to two days of housing. As a paid subscriber, you see my progress each week but do not have to opt in to the Readers Circle and provide feedback.

Tier 3 — Participate in the Reader’s Circle:

You can still become a paid subscriber at regular rates—however annual rates are increasing by $5 to $60. (Current paid subscribers are not impacted by the increase.)

All paying subscribers who receive the weekly chapters have the option to participate in the Readers Circle. There is no obligation. To participate, you will select a link that takes you to a form with feedback prompts. Examples of feedback prompts are:

• What part drew you in most?

• Was anything confusing or hard to visualize?

• Where did your attention wane?

All feedback is confidential and it informs my revisions as I progress subsequent chapters.

That’s all it takes. I know this book deserves to get out in the world. Will you take this ride with me? The story begins now — come inside to read the Prologue and step into the journey with me.