The Power of Community: The Inspiration Behind The ‘Author Circle' Publication
It was a perfect summer day in 2005. I was sitting across from my boss for my first performance review as a middle manager in a new job.
My boss was generous with his praise. “You’ve done an excellent job bringing the team together. You’re inclusive, and your technical and analytical skills are top-notch.”
I beamed with pride, feeling a sense of accomplishment. But just as I was basking in the compliments, his next words stopped me cold.
“The only thing standing between you and a senior management role is your written English,” he said, almost casually.
It felt like a vase full of vibrant flowers had shattered into a million pieces.
My dream of climbing the career ladder seemed to slip out of reach because of a single flaw. It was a tough pill to swallow.
English is my second language, and while I had always been confident in my verbal communication, I knew my written English wasn’t as strong. Seeing the disappointment on my face, my boss tried to comfort me.
“I admire anyone who speaks more than one language,” he said. “I only speak English. You speak three! But let’s be honest—you’ll never be as fluent as a native English speaker.”
His words stayed with me, but instead of feeling defeated, I became determined to prove him wrong.
“How can I improve my writing?” I asked myself. After days of reflection, the answer appeared unexpectedly in the form of an ad for a Life Story Writing course at the local community center. Instinctively, I knew that storytelling—not just business writing—was the key.
For the next six months, I poured my heart into writing stories from my life. When the course ended, five of us from the class began meeting monthly at my home to continue writing and sharing our life stories.
That was the first writers’ group I ever joined.
Of course I won the senior management position a couple of years later but the writing bug had bitten me hard.
For the next 15 years, we supported one another, not just in writing but through all of life’s ups and downs. The group only came to an end when two of the women passed away and another moved away.
A decade later, in 2015, I joined another writing group, this time an offshoot of a course called A Year of the Novel at a local writing center. Five of us bonded over our novels, critiquing each other’s work and providing unwavering support. We called ourselves Gutsy Gals. It became a safe space where we could freely share our ideas and struggles, knowing we had each other’s backs.
This group was instrumental in helping me self-publish my first book. I couldn’t have done it without their encouragement and advice. It was like having five brains working in unison to solve every challenge I faced. The excitement from our meetings was so palpable that we often joked about not being able to sleep afterward.
This was my first true Author Circle.
Since then, I have published six books, with four more in draft mode. I’ve written on Medium and LinkedIn, run my Substack newsletter for the past four years, become a book coach, and even led a ‘Write Your Book in 30 Days’ course.
Now, I want to create that same safe and supportive space for aspiring authors on Substack.
The Author Circle publication offers:
To Free Subscribers
The Weekly Author Blueprint: Each week, you will receive one ultra-specific, actionable tip to get your book written & sold.
To Paid Members
The Author Accelerator Program: Step-by-step strategies to sell more books and scale your author business.
Whether you’re a first-time author or looking to refine your marketing strategy, The Author Accelerator ensures that your book not only gets written but also becomes a powerful tool to establish your authority and generate income.
Join today. You’ll have the tools, support, and guidance you need to transform your writing dreams into reality.
To Author Circle Mastermind Members
Book to Business—Strategies to build a six-figure business on the back of your book.
You’ll get:
Proven Book Launch Templates—Skip the guesswork and use launch plans that have worked for bestselling indie authors.
Long Tail Book Marketing Strategies—Long term strategies to keep selling your book, attract new readers, increase visibility, and keep selling more books.
Whether you're looking to refine your marketing approach, attract new readers, or build a six-figure business around your book, The Author Circle Mastermind Group offers a strategic roadmap to help you achieve lasting success.
The journey to build an author business doesn’t have to be a lonely or confusing one—let’s do it together.
Please introduce yourself in the comments section...
When you join a writers’ group, the tradition is to introduce yourself and tell what you’re working on.
Please take a moment to share where you are from, the title of your publication, and the book you’re writing or aspire to write.
And if possible say hi to other community members.
That’s all from me today.
See you every Wednesday and Friday.
When you join a writers’ group, the tradition is to introduce yourself and tell what you’re working on.
Please take a moment to share where you are from, the title of your publication, and the book you’re writing or aspire to write.
And if possible say hi to other community members.
What a journey! Great to see you overcome an obstacle. Such a great example for people who feel their dreams are shattered.