A Conversation with Laurie Beth Jones
Shelly Shepherd:
Laurie Beth, it is so good to be here in this space with you to talk about the Impact Writing Weekend that is just around the corner the first weekend of February. You have offered to gather writers, people who want to tell their story, write their memoir, write a book and you have opened this invitation, whether it's faith based book or not faith based book. Talk to us about this. You wrote a book about Jesus in 1995 and no Christian publisher would touch it at the time.
And so you fully understand what it means to write a book, and have other people not understand why, why you are writing that book. So talk to your audience today about the importance of telling your story and sharing that with the world.
Laurie Beth:
Yes, well, I believe that nearly everybody has a story to tell and has a glimmer of an idea that they could write a book. And I did, too. But people say, “How long did it take you to write Jesus CEO?” And I say, 20 years, and then three weeks, because I had the idea for 20 years, but then it was one person with a positive prophecy that said, drop everything you're doing and do this. And I harnessed my energy, I gathered my wind and fire, and I made it happen, no matter what the cost. So there's something in you that needs to be ignited like fire, about your project, and I'm going to help you ignite it and also be grounded in a process, solid processes that work. I'm going to teach you about how to transform ideas and people's lives with your words that you've been given. And then we're going to release it, and that's the hardest thing, is getting it released into the world. So that's what this workshop is about.
Shelly:
Yeah, it's very, very exciting, right to think of this as being the first time that you've actually taken this knowledge that you have amassed, let's just say that, and the processes through publications and agents and publishing houses and are just going to put this in the hands of fresh new authors, people who have not yet maybe published the story that they want to tell. I think this is going to be an exciting time, and hopefully this won't be the first and the last one that you'll have energy to bring this forth again. But as you prepare for this the February weekend that's coming up, can you share three things of why this weekend is going to be so critical, not just for you, but for for those that are coming, those that have registered already.
Laurie Beth:
Well, it's going to be a minimum of 12 individual contact hours with me, and I've never done this before. We kept the numbers small. We're limiting it to 10 people or less, and I want to be able to pour into each individual this knowledge that I've been given. You know, people think transformation takes years. It can happen in an instant when you're in the presence of a master. So this is what I want to do, and it's an experiment, and we're going to have fun, and people are going to cry, and maybe I'll cry and share some of the challenges that I've faced, but more importantly, it's about getting you through the eye of the needle, and I know how to do that.
Shelly:
Yeah, I was thinking of the George Barna book that came out a few years ago that named you one of the top 30 leaders, one of the top 30 great leaders of this era. And sometimes it's hard to brag about things like that, but you have this vision of leadership, of business, of faith. You had a vision of these seven pillars where work could be distributed and multiplied through your work. What's the encouragement for a new writer? What encouragement can you give them.
Laurie Beth:
Just to do it! And the fears will be overwhelming and they will be constant. So you learn to live with the fear. If you're waiting for the fear to go away, it's just not, and the closer you get to actually doing it, the louder they become. So we're going to talk about how to navigate that, and how to put them on your other shoulder and put them in your backpack and say, quit kicking. But we're going on a ride, you know? Yes, yes. Yes. So it's going to be fun.
Shelly:
Well, I'm excited to be in the room with you on this weekend, and I know that those who have already registered are excited as well. I've been talking with some of them. If someone's listening to this today and you want to register, just follow the link at the bottom of this message and we will attend to you as soon as possible. So thank you, Laurie Beth, for not only sharing these words but also for the work that you're writing has done, and what it has meant to so many people in this world. Thank you,
Laurie Beth
Thank you, Shelly. I'm very excited.
P.S. We have four seats left for the February Impact Writing Weekend with me in San Diego. I am thrilled and delighted to be sharing this time with each person attending. Each writer has a book to write and a story to tell. It is my intention to breathe life into the process with you. It starts with meeting you and saying… I see you. I see the beauty in your words. I know what it will take to write this. And I am here for you.
Consider registering or gifting this Impact Writing Weekend to someone you know that has a book to write or a story to tell.
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