⭕ life has this funny way of coming full circle
🐝Last week I was back at The Hivery
Ten years ago, I was volunteering at The Hivery coworking space front desk during the day and studying copywriting at the Mill Valley library at night—never imagining I'd be back here a decade later, still helping people "hang up their shingles."
But here I was last week, sitting in that same space (different location, same values) with and Grace, brainstorming ways to support each other's businesses. The building has changed, but Grace Kraaijvanger's vision of collaboration over competition lives on.
🟡 Life has this funny way of coming full circle.
Back then, I was the one who needed encouragement. My friend Jenny had to literally tell me, "You gotta just put up your shingle" before I had the courage to call myself a copywriter. I found someone through The Hivery to build my first Squarespace website, took my Copyblogger certification classes, then Copy Hackers, and slowly built a client base.
Now? I moved to Austin for a job with a hybrid book publisher, and I'm the one encouraging authors to hang up their shingles—with newsletters.
Your newsletter is a way you tell the world your book exists.
It's how you document your journey, build relationships with future readers, and claim your expertise before you feel "ready." (Spoiler: you're never fully ready, and that's okay.)
Which brings me to why AuthorFest Summer '25 feels like such a perfect full-circle moment.
When Kerry Dobson reached out about collaborating with Jessica Andersen and a group of publishing professionals who help non-fiction authors, it felt like everything I learned at The Hivery coming together.
The magic that happens when people choose to lift each other up instead of compete.
Seventeen experts, one shared mission: help authors succeed.
Here’s the complete collection:
✅ Brand Book Blueprint from Jessica Andersen: Reverse-engineer a book that positions you as an authority in 2-3 hours
✅ From Pages to Practice: Making Ideas Actionable from Kerry Dobson: Transform your book messages into engaging group program activities
✅ Free Ticket to The International Speaker Network from Leisa Reid: Connect with speakers worldwide and get on more stages
✅ Build Your Author Avatar from Juliet Clark: Create a compelling author persona that resonates with your audience
✅ Punctuation 101 from Catherine Turner: Master punctuation rules with examples and 150 quiz questions
✅ How to Enjoy Being Edited from Hannah de Keijzer: Everything you need to know to work with book professionals
✅ Audiobook Q&A from Dave Stokes: Take the mystery out of audiobook recording and production
✅ Book Vision Planner from Melody Owen: Align your book with your business goals in under an hour
✅ How to Time Your Book Launch from Valerie Morris: Know what to do when, so you don't miss crucial steps
✅ The Self-Publishing Author's Creative Brief Blueprint from Rachel Valliere: The missing piece for impactful cover design
✅ Developing Your Writing Roadmap from Ally Berthiaume: Craft a realistic plan that feels good to you
✅ How to Format Your Children's Book for Self-Publishing from Becky Bayne: Step-by-step guide for first-time authors
✅ 9 Qs to Ask Before You Hire an Editor from Jaime Brockway: Find your dream editor with the right questions
✅ Newsletter Sketchpad + Audio Guide from me: Gently re-enter newsletter writing without pressure
✅ What Is Your Book, Really? from Brannan Sirratt: Position your book for success with industry-leading clarity
✅ Podcasting for Experts from Parchelle Osumaré: Launch and grow a podcast that resonates with your audience
✅ The Impactful Authors Readiness Checklist from Amy Collette: Identify your clarity in areas that make the most impact
📅 Available until July 28
🎁 Total value: $1200+
💛 Cost: FREE
Here's what I've learned in my ten years as a 👑 Copy Queen: The people who succeed aren't the ones who wait until they feel qualified. They're the ones who start before they're ready, find their community, and help others along the way.
Every single contributor to this bundle had their own "hang up your shingle" moment. That decision to claim their expertise and start serving authors, even when they weren't sure they were "enough."
🪧 We're all still hanging up our shingles—just bigger ones now.
And sometimes the best way to honor how far you've come is to turn around and help the people who are where you used to be.
Grab your AuthorFest Free Resources here
Your book. Your voice. Your shingle.
Keep writing,
P.S. Confession time—what's something you know you "should" be doing for your book but keep putting off? (No judgment, we've all been there!)