(#26) The Journey of Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Your First Book with Allison Speka

In today's episode your host Rae interviews Allison Speka, and indie romance author that she met while on a business retreat in Arizona.

Allison is a romance writer and self-published author. She has written three novels and her fourth is scheduled to release in February 2024.

Tune-in to learn more about:

• Allison's journey of writing three novels and how she got to where she is today as a published indie author
• Practical tips and strategies for writing your first book and how you can get started TODAY
• Mindset tips that help you overcome writer's block and sharing your creative work in the world
• How to promote and market your first book as an indie author 
• Habits that will support you in being more creative and productive when you need it

To connect with Allison and read any of her books follow her on TikTok

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Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast is intended to inspire, educate, and support you on your personal journey. It does not substitute for professional mental health advice. I am not a psychologist or medical professional. If you are experiencing any emotional distress, mental health challenges, or medical conditions, please seek help from a qualified professional.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Radiant Life podcast. I'm your host, Ray the Somatic Coach, and I'm here to support you in healing your past, living in the present and creating your future so that you can become the most centered, embodied and happiest version of yourself. Each week, I'll be bringing you episodes to help you navigate life's challenges, ease stress and tension and learn more about holistic healing, spirituality and wellness. If you're interested in becoming the best version of yourself so that you can live the life of your dreams, then you're in the right place. Subscribe to the podcast and the monthly newsletter and follow me on Instagram and TikTok to know when new episodes are released each week. I am so happy that you've landed here. Let's dive in. Hello, my friends, Welcome back to the podcast. If you are new here, I'm Ray. I'm a Somatic Coach and Breathwork facilitator. And if you aren't new here, welcome back. I am so glad that you're here and tuning in for today's episode, For today we have our next guest expert, Allison Spica.

Speaker 1: 1:10

She is an independent author who has published three novels, with her fourth on the way. I think that you'll really enjoy this episode. If you're even curious about writing your own book, or if you're a big reader, it might be interesting to just have some insight of what it's like to be an independent author, how to market a published book and maybe even how to overcome some of the blocks that you might bump up against if you are looking to write your own book. A disclaimer before diving into the episode that the audio is not perfect. I'm not sure what was going on with my mic, but it is a little bit imperfect. So just know that, and thanks for bearing with me, and I hope you enjoy the episode. I'll talk to you soon, All right, well, welcome back to the podcast. I'm so excited to bring to you our next guest expert, independent author, Allison Spica. Thank you so much for being here today, Allison.

Speaker 2: 2:08

Thanks for having me. I was wondering if you were going to say Spica or Specka, because I get both so frequently and I was like I don't know if I said it was Spica, but you got it right.

Speaker 1: 2:18

I actually remember that it was Spica from Biz Retreat, Otherwise I probably don't know what I would have said.

Speaker 2: 2:26

I don't correct anyone because I'm like, oh, anytime somebody just wants to say my name, I'm like that's great, I don't care what they say.

Speaker 1: 2:33

I love it. That's so funny. Yeah, so I'm so glad that we connected at Biz Retreat. It was such a fun time and when we were talking there, I was just like I definitely want to have you on the podcast. I find it so interesting that you're an independent author and just hearing more about your story and, yeah so can you just share with us a little bit about you and maybe how you became an independent author?

Speaker 2: 2:55

Sure, yeah. So I'm Allison. I'm an indie author. I have self-published three romance novels at this point, but my fourth is coming out in two weeks, in February, and then I'm working on my fifth right now.

Speaker 2: 3:09

But yeah, I have always loved reading and writing. I was like the kid that was writing chapter books and making my family read them and like going to King goes to get them bound. So I've always loved just publishing and like reading and writing. But also I thought I'd never be able to write a book. I mean, I think I started writing my first when I was like 29, almost 30. And prior to that I had done a lot of writing in my life. That just never really went anywhere. But I don't know, I think something clicked for me and I just got back into writing and I wanted to put my work out there, which was really nerve wracking, but it was also really exciting and I kind of figured out how to self publish and figured out that journey. And yeah, I'm just still learning. It's definitely a process. I'm still learning with every new release. But yeah, it's been a really fun journey so far and I'm really glad that I discovered self publishing and took the chance.

Speaker 1: 4:07

Yeah, that's amazing. I imagine the process is very vulnerable, like you mentioned, that there are some challenges you have to overcome, and I can think of a few friends of mine and also some of my clients that are interested in writing books. They might be more poetry or self help or just kind of like a personal memoir, I guess, but definitely inspires me that you can write a book. I just think it's so cool and fascinating and I'd love to know how. I mean, I'm sure it's such a big question, but how do you go about becoming a published author? Like what does that look like?

Speaker 2: 4:46

Yeah, sure, I mean, as far as like actually writing the book, something key for me because, like I said, I always loved writing. I actually used to write like fan fiction in high school I don't know if you're familiar with it, but yeah, I've always loved to write. But I again would always write like the first chapter or the introduction and I would kind of always just fade off into oblivion. It would never go anywhere. And then more recently I think it was probably because of the pandemic I was kind of like doing some soul searching and realizing I wasn't really passionate about anything and I was like, okay, I want to get back into something I'm passionate about, and reading and writing was definitely that. So I kind of started to write just for fun. And when I was researching and like well, how are other people writing a book, I kind of discovered outlining, which sounds so easy, right, like we were taught to outline in high school for like an essay or things like that. But I never really thought about outlining and in the way of writing a book. And when I discovered that it was really a game changer for me, I specifically used the it's called the snowflake method, but it's basically like you start small with one sentence. You write a one sentence summary of your book and then you build off that and you write a one paragraph summary and then you build off that and you write a one page summary and then you're just kind of slowly building until all of a sudden you've got the bones for a book and that like really clicked and changed everything for me, because from before, where I was just kind of going by the seat of my pants just writing whatever I felt, like writing some prose and dialogue, to having like an actual structure of like okay, this is the direction the story is going to go. These are kind of the scenes that need to happen, or what needs to happen in order for it to become a book like really changed everything for me and like actually allowed me to be able to write my first book. So I kind of like discovered that process. I think I think it was like 2021 and it took me a while, right, like it's still like a learning curve, like it's not like.

Speaker 2: 6:37

I just figured out outlining and then wrote the book right away. Like it was so like took me almost like a whole year, I think, to write my first book, but outlining played a key part in that and then, kind of when I had the book almost completed, I was like oh, what do I do with this? And I never really looked into traditional publishing at all. I know more about it now just because I know some traditionally published authors and I've like connected with them and I. But for me it's like it wasn't really a path I wanted to pursue.

Speaker 2: 7:07

I think maybe like from having the fanfiction background, I was like, oh, I just I know that there's so many ways to just publish on a forum and like connect directly with readers. So I started researching self publishing and there's so many like amazing indie authors out there on YouTube or whatever social media posting videos and tips and like the process of how it, how you know have your book and you make it into a self published venture and I know I try to now on my TikTok videos like that too to help other indie authors just getting started, because I want to like just give back a little. But yeah, there's just so many helpful videos out. Videos out there that kind of like walk you through the process of how to do it, and there's no one way to be an indie author.

Speaker 2: 7:49

There's like a few different places that you can self publish. Amazon KDP, which is Kindle Direct Publishing, is like the big, probably the biggest one and the most you get the most access to the most readers that way. But yeah, there's kind of different routes you can take whether you want to be mostly online. If you really want to get your book into bookstores, that's kind of a different route. I do all mine online but but yeah, that's kind of, I guess, the steps I took to to getting self published.

Speaker 1: 8:16

Yeah, that sounds amazing. There's so much, so much that I want to ask you about. Yeah, I was trying to trying to pick.

Speaker 2: 8:25

I was like I don't want to be like too long winded. It was like we know that was great, that was that was so helpful.

Speaker 1: 8:31

So really, the outline was really helpful and the snowflake method was really helpful. And I like how you also mentioned that it took you a year to start your first book. That's, you know, really realistic and it sounds like throughout the process like you've learned so much and now you're probably able to go through that process a little bit, you know, more seamlessly, because you've you've done it a few times now and do you have a set of specific habits or a way that you use scheduling to maybe help with your creativity or productivity? I imagine that it's well. I mean, I'm not a writer, so it would be hard for me to kind of sit down and, just like you know, write a book, but I imagine you have, like specific habits that help you do that.

Speaker 2: 9:25

Yeah, no, definitely, like I said, biggest one I always start with my outline. Now and I do I am able to be a lot faster, like you said. Like where it took me a year to write my first book, now I can usually get a draft done in one to two months and I do that with, and I even and I will say I wrote my first two books with like a nine to five job. So it like definitely can be done if, like, somebody's working a full time job. But coming up with a writing schedule that works for you, I think, is definitely the most important thing For me. I kind of decided and this one's a bit aggressive, not everyone's going to want this aggressive of a schedule, but for me I decided I was going to write 2000 words a day while I was drafting, which gets in my and for reference, my first drafts usually end up between 60,000 and 70,000 words. So if you're writing around 2000 words a day you can usually get a draft done, you know, within a month and a half ish timeframe. So that's the biggest thing for me is just coming up with a schedule and like committing to it, even if it's just like 250 words, 500 words a day. I think, just like sitting down and knowing that that's what you're going to do every day is like a huge benefit. And then also when you have an outline that you're working off of. I mean, I know outlining isn't for everyone, some people do like to write by the seat of their pants but I think if you really want to write a book and you aren't quite sure how you would make it happen, definitely try outlining, because when you're sitting down with your schedule but you have, you know, a frame of reference like okay, this is kind of what I need to write today. It's so much easier than just kind of sitting down and just starting from nothing.

Speaker 2: 10:57

And then a few other habits that have really helped me, because obviously, like there's some days where you sit down and you're like I cannot write today sounds impossible, don't know how I'm going to get this done, and on those days I use what's called like a writing sprint. So I think in sprints aren't like a this isn't really like a new idea for writing like people do it to clean their house, they use it for other things, but like I'll sit down, I'll set a timer for 15 minutes and I just forced myself to crank out words in those 15 minutes, like thought process, being like, oh, I can do anything for 15 minutes, and it really does help. You know, it sounds so simple, like are you just setting a timer? But something about that shift of like, okay, I'm just going to do as many words as I can in these 15 minutes, really helps get it done. And then, yeah, and then on top of that, like another thing I think I didn't realize when I was starting out, that I realized now is that I think it sounds kind of kind of counterintuitive. But like, don't worry if your first draft is bad. Like, don't worry if what you're writing every day isn't good at all. Like.

Speaker 2: 11:54

I think some people get caught up in like, oh, how does the sentence structure sound? How does the pro sound? Is this, is this any good? And it really like doesn't matter, because you're going to be revising it over and over again later on, and it's so. I think people that what people don't realize is it's so hard to create something from nothing. Like to just make anything on the paper is so challenging that it's even harder when you're trying to be like, oh, is this as perfect as it can be? Is this exactly how I want it to sound. So like just starting out, like don't worry if it's not any good, if you're just you know, if it feels like word vomit, that's fine. Like when you're going in to revise it later. It's a lot easier to revise, you know, maybe a poorly written paragraph than you know creating something from nothing.

Speaker 1: 12:35

I love how you mentioned that having the structure of the outline kind of gives you more freedom to be creative. It kind of gives you, like, the context that you need, rather than just having that blank space of like, okay, what do I do with this? And there was something else that you mentioned to what was the second? The second one that you mentioned Sprinting, yes, Sprinting yeah exactly.

Speaker 1: 13:02

Yeah. So sprints, that's something that I've also used, not in, not with writing, but when I was training for like a marathon. If I, I didn't focus on how far it had to run sometimes, because not every day you're going to be motivated, but I was just like let me just get my shoes on. Like, just get my shoes on and get outside for 10 minutes, and if all I can do is 10 minutes, that's fine, and usually after the first 10 minutes, because those are usually like the worst if you're going down a run then I'd be like oh, this is great, Like why didn't I want to go for a run?

Speaker 1: 13:35

Like now I feel great. And other days, of course, like I'd be like all right, that was it. Call it a day. Yeah, so taking that sprint approach is definitely transferable, for sure.

Speaker 2: 13:45

Yeah, writing is the same way where it's like some days the sprint will transform and I'm like and I get really into my writing. And then other days it's it feels like a struggle the entire time, but but at least I did it. You know, it's like at least there's something on the page versus nothing.

Speaker 1: 13:59

Right and you know you've shared so much inside already. If somebody were just starting out and maybe they are interested in writing their own book, would there be maybe like the first three steps that you would suggest that they take?

Speaker 2: 14:20

Um, I mean, I sound like a broken record, but definitely outlining that was like the number one thing that made the biggest difference for me. And then also, I think, a writing schedule too. I think it's so easy. Someone said this to me one time, or I think it was.

Speaker 2: 14:35

Another author on a video said, like, writer's block isn't real, it's just like an author's way of procrastinating. Essentially, it's just a way to procrastinate and we say, oh, I have writer's block, but it's just a procrastination term. And I think that really stuck with me. And I'm just like, because there's so many days where you're sitting down and you don't feel like writing, like it's like you're just not feeling it at all. But I think that's why having a writing schedule and writing goals is so important, because it gets you, it forces you to like sit down and write every day, even when you think you're not feeling it, because, let's be real, like you might never be feeling it. So just just having that commitment to yourself to write every day is really important.

Speaker 2: 15:15

And then I think the last tip which I guess sounds kind of counterintuitive, because I just talked about a writing schedule but like, don't beat yourself up if you fall off schedule, like, like I said, it took me like, even though I had kind of a schedule and an outline, it still took me like a year to write the first draft.

Speaker 2: 15:31

And I think that's because when I would fall off like, let's say, I'd go on vacation or I'd have friends in town or I'd be doing something for a week and I wouldn't write for you know, two weeks in a row it was so easy to get into the habit of like, oh well, I haven't looked at it in so long, like I just don't even want to like go back to it or I'm just so away from my goal. But I mean like that's like a surefire way to like never finish right, as if I just keep pushing it off because I am already behind. So I think, just like recognize, like give yourself grace, recognize that like you're going to fall behind, you have other things going on, and then just like forgetting, like forgetting about it, forgetting that you're behind and just picking back up whenever you can and and not worrying about it.

Speaker 1: 16:10

Yeah, yeah, I love that Really. Really great steps. And I have actually your two. Well, I have two of your books. I have Comfort Zoned with me and I have Key Ridge. And I'm about halfway through Key Ridge and I cannot even deal because it takes place in Colorado. Yes, and I like I just love Colorado and the fact that it takes place there, just like it's so good. It's so good, so I'm excited to finish it. I'll probably be able to finish it maybe later tonight and tomorrow, so I'm excited for that. And I know that they're they're romance novels. That's kind of like where you've gravitated towards. So how did you fall into focusing on romance storytelling?

Speaker 2: 17:02

That was like a really easy decision for me. I I love romance. It's like always my favorite genre to read and write. I mean, no surprise, no surprise, these are a fan fiction, like that. Romance is my favorite genre, but I think it's like romance is like really misunderstood, Like I remember being in high school and even like when I was a young adult, like being embarrassed to share that I'm reading a romance novel and I just like there was like almost like a taboo around it, which is so silly Because clearly I think I think I just read something where it's bypassed. I don't remember which other genre it was, but it's now the most popular genre. It has millions of readers, Primarily, I think, still like book talk. Book talk has really made romance popular and mainstream and everybody loves it right now and, I think, rightly so. I think it's like a really fun genre.

Speaker 2: 17:46

I think I think something like meeting someone and like falling in love for the first time is like a really exciting experience in anyone's life. I think we can all think back to like first loves or when we first met our partner and just like remembering that spark and the butterflies and the kind of like almost anxiety of getting to know someone and it's like a really exciting time in our lives that we don't get to experience often and I think I think romance novels let us experience that kind of over and over again. They give us like the little spark and the butterflies and the giggles and I think that's why people go back and read, you know, romance novel after romance novel, even though we know they're going to end up together. We know what's going to happen, but we want to know how it's going to happen for these two characters. Like we get excited to like dive into a new romance every time.

Speaker 2: 18:32

Yeah, so I think that's really why I love it so much. I think maybe I'll venture into other genres because you know I love fantasy and things like that. I'd love to write like an epic, like fantasy, but I can promise you like romance will probably still be like a major subplot, Like that's. I'm totally that person where I'm reading a book that has no romance in it and I'm like this would be really, really improved with some romance.

Speaker 1: 18:52

But I'm so excited to see what happens with the characters in Keyridge. I'm not going to give anything away In case everyone else wants to read it, but I feel like I was like this needs to be a movie, like I need to like watch this.

Speaker 2: 19:06

I love that People say it gives like Hallmark vibes.

Speaker 1: 19:11

Yeah, so I'm so excited to see what happens. Do you have from any of your books? I know there's, you have another settle up. I don't have that one and you're releasing another one in two weeks, so you could tell us like a little bit about that one if you'd like. And my question was going to be if you want to tell us about those, that'd be great. And then, do you have any favorite characters or moments from your book so far?

Speaker 2: 19:34

OK. So the first question for like telling about my books, like just kind of in general. So I write romance novels or all romance novels something like a theme that you'll find in all my books is like really realistic characters. Like I think character development is like really like one of my favorite things about writing, and so I think you'll find like kind of well-rounded characters. It's like, ok, this character is afraid of commitment, but why is he afraid of commitment? Or this, this character is really bitter and being kind of mean to the main character, but like why is he doing that? Like what are his underlying motivations? So that's something I really always bring to my books is try to bring like realistic backgrounds and make them more like have like some depth. You know, and I think that's something you'll always find in my books and I think it's fun to take.

Speaker 2: 20:18

I love a good trope like a romance trope, like enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine starting over in a small town, like I love. I love taking tropes Like my new one is going to be. It's kind of like a workplace boss romance. But I love kind of taking these tropes that sometimes seem a little far fetched and like asking myself like how can I make this more realistic, like how can I make you like feel like you're in the story and feel like you're with these characters? So that's definitely something I always try to do. And then, as far as like favorite characters and favorite moments, I think Al so comfort zone is my first novel and I think Al is like the character, she's the main character in comfort zone and I think I can definitely relate to her the most. And I think, it being my first novel, I think I gave a lot of myself. I looked at a lot of my past experiences when I wrote that and I think I just definitely relate to her as a character the most. So I think that one's always gonna like have like a special place in my heart. And then, as far as moments, I mean the whole plot of Keyridge is like I love that moment. I mean that's kind of why I wrote that, cause I'm like I love the idea of like like having something happen and I have to like go start over in a small mountain town. That's definitely like I love that like whole plot line, but like specific moment and settle up my book settle up.

Speaker 2: 21:34

There's a scene where the two characters are kind of.

Speaker 2: 21:37

It's a long scene that like spans a few different chapters, but the two characters are Jared and Evie are kind of like just getting to know each other and they go out to breakfast together and they kind of decide, like Evie's new to the city, they decided to just have this whole day where they like have like a cheesy tourist day where he's like okay, I'll take you and do all of like the lane tourist attractions in Chicago, and so they kind of like go around, bump around the whole city, they like go to the tourist spots, they go to like the restaurants that are popular, they go like just wander around the whole city all day, they're all into the night. And I think I just like love that idea of like just meeting someone and like you're just getting to know them and you kind of like them but you don't really know if it's going anywhere and you're just like running around a new city with them the whole day. I just I don't know. I just like love that whole idea.

Speaker 1: 22:27

Yes, so fun. I'm definitely gonna have to read that one. That sounds amazing. I love it. Yeah, so you have your books. You've published them. What does it look like for you or for someone else that might be an independent author, in terms of marketing and promoting their book and getting it out there to readers?

Speaker 2: 22:46

Okay. So marketing is definitely the hardest part of self publishing. For sure it's hard to get new readers, but I think so I primarily market on TikTok. I think when I published my first book about a year ago and I've been on TikTok for about a year and especially like a year or two ago was when you know authors, indie authors are going viral and their books were going viral and I so I think that's what got me on there in the first place was like the hopes of getting that viral video which, like spoiler alert, did not happen.

Speaker 2: 23:17

But I just kept like being consistent with it and just posting about my book every day and getting like kind of learning and getting better at posting. And even when my videos were only getting like two 300 views, I just kept pushing through. I even remember, like a few months into posting, someone post or someone posted about comfort zone for the first time. That I didn't know they posted like a review and I was like, oh my God, like that's so exciting and I kind of just like decided right then and there I'm, just like I'm just gonna keep posting, like, even if I only get a few new readers with every video, that's a few new readers that I didn't have before, and that's kind of definitely what kept me motivated, like and yeah, and I from there I've definitely been able to build like an audience and I've, you know, come like.

Speaker 2: 24:03

I still think I have a long way to go. I think I've just kind of like scratched the tip of the iceberg as far as you know, finding new readers and marketing myself, but I've come so far, like, if I look at where I was a year ago, like nobody, like nobody read my book, and so I've come a long way from there. And you know, I'm still learning. Like there's still things like Instagram, which is like a black hole to me. I'm like I have no idea what to do.

Speaker 2: 24:24

Cause like I have like my formula on TikTok now, where I kind of know what to post, and Instagram I'm like I have no idea, so still trying to figure it out there.

Speaker 2: 24:32

But but yeah, I know it is really hard. I think like if I was giving like advice like a new indie author, I'd just feel like just be consistent and like don't, don't be afraid to try new things. Also, it can feel really repetitive when you're marketing your books, like you feel like oh my God, like people are so sick of me posting my book every day. But I think it's important to remember that sometimes it takes people seeing a book like 10, 15 times before they finally like all right, like I'll give it a shot, I'll pick it up. So don't worry about being repetitive and just keep. Just keep trying new things, keep being consistent and like don't, don't feel I guess let down If it doesn't take off right away. You have time to make something happen.

Speaker 1: 25:11

Yeah, I love your TikTok.

Speaker 2: 25:13

Thank you.

Speaker 1: 25:15

It's very easy to like listen to what you share, so I could I mean, yeah, it's been, it's been fun.

Speaker 2: 25:22

Thank you. Yeah, I think that's another thing too, like find a marketing strategy that you kind of like cause I actually like posting on TikTok. I think it's fun and I like connecting with people on there, so it's definitely it is like a really time consuming thing to market. So I think like finding something that you kind of like enjoy, like helps a little bit for sure.

Speaker 1: 25:40

Yeah, absolutely, I feel like how you feel about Instagram, I feel about TikTok.

Speaker 2: 25:46

We've talked about this before.

Speaker 1: 25:48

Where I'm like I don't get it, like I don't get TikTok, like I'll I try and what I just end up doing is like making stuff on Instagram and just putting it over there. But it's so true, when you are like in a whatever you're doing for marketing, like if you're enjoying it, it definitely makes it a lot easier and not so much anymore. But when I was first on Instagram and like really started doing what I was doing, it was so much more. There was like all these like silly audios and like I would. I had so much fun like just kind of like making these silly like reels about anxiety or this or that, and I'm trying to incorporate more of that back into what I do, cause I feel like it's not on Instagram as much, or at least it's not on my feed. So I have a few like fun skit ideas that I have to. I have to make them and like bring them into fruition, but it's so fun.

Speaker 2: 26:40

I love that.

Speaker 1: 26:42

Yeah, it's definitely helpful, if you like, like where, where you're marketing, for sure, amazing. So this question you may have already answered it, but that's okay If you, if you have any new insights, like through two, what is one thing you've learned along the way that you wish you knew when you first started?

Speaker 2: 26:59

I mean there's a lot of things and I definitely feel like I'm getting. It is like a learning curve and you're going to get better with, like every new book and new release. But I think like a big thing for me is not I wish I wasn't embarrassed, I guess, when I first started. Or I wish I was not afraid to put myself out there, because even when I was writing my first book I was very hesitant to tell anyone about it. I was almost embarrassed, I would say. And yeah, I was really self-conscious about it and afraid to put myself out there. And I think even when I first got on TikTok I wouldn't show my face. I wasn't talking on TikTok, I was just timid about the whole process of it, which is totally fine. It's hard to be vulnerable and it's hard to put yourself out there. But I think now I'm just like who cares? I'll tell everyone that I'm writing a romance book. I'm obviously on TikTok talking all the time and it didn't take me too long to learn that, to not be embarrassed, but it did take me like definitely several months. And when I released Comfort Zone I hardly told anyone about it. I didn't really know how to post about it and, yeah, I think just owning it and feeling confident and telling people that you're writing a book and just putting yourself out there is so important.

Speaker 2: 28:13

I remember seeing I think it was just a random TikTok video one time, but it really stuck with me. It was this girl and she was just saying that she was the quote that had the biggest impact on her life, was like everything that you want is on the other side of embarrassment, and I love that quote so much. I think about that all the time. Sometimes it feels like so cringey what I'm doing and like posting and like putting my stuff out there, but I'm just like who cares? That's like the only way I'm going to connect with people and get to know people and I think people like appreciate people that are being vulnerable and being real and a lot of people aren't thinking like oh, they're embarrassing. They're just like oh, cool, like they're being themselves, and they're not afraid to like put their stuff out there.

Speaker 1: 28:52

I love that. I feel so good, it's so true. I love that. And what is one thing? It could be literally anything that is inspiring you and lighting you up right now.

Speaker 2: 29:06

Well, we kind of we kind of already talked about the new year. I mean, of course, the new year is, I always feel like motivated to try new things and get a better handle on just my life and my processes and, like you know, just being more efficient. One of the things I wrote on like my New Year's resolution board was like I want to enjoy writing more and enjoy reading more. I think, being in the author space, as much as I love it, sometimes I like the enjoyment gets sucked away from writing and even reading sometimes too. So that's really been like a focus for me is just like sitting down with a book and like enjoying it, not trying to dissect it.

Speaker 2: 29:43

And then one of the biggest things that's like been inspiring me and like giving me creativity lately and like the writing sphere, is like I've been getting back into like physically writing and writing long hands, cause I'm so used to like typing at a computer and I don't know, sometimes just sitting at a computer I just feel completely like drained and I just I don't know like I just don't feel inspired at all. But when I sit down with like a notebook and like actually put pen to paper, I feel it just like flows out of me, like I feel so much more creative, I feel so much more inspired when I'm doing it like that and I don't know I've been really enjoying that so far. I feel like. I feel like writing is something we used to do all the time like elementary school and high school and stuff, and I feel like I hardly ever write anymore, like actually write in a notebook, and I don't know. I just really enjoy it Like it's, I don't know, like for some reason, it really gets my creativity juices flowing.

Speaker 1: 30:34

I could totally relate to that Just being able to kind of write freehand. For me that would look more like journaling or just kind of like writing out my thoughts. I definitely feel the difference than if I were to kind of like type a journal entry. So it's definitely like a nice practice to return back to. So I love that you're incorporating that. That's so fun.

Speaker 2: 30:54

Yeah, it definitely makes for like a sore hand. I need to figure out how to strengthen my hand, but I loving it so far. I'm hoping that it, like, is a turning point in 2024 as far as, like, just enjoying writing more.

Speaker 1: 31:07

So I will put all of your information in the show notes. Where's the best place for people to connect with you and to find you?

Speaker 2: 31:16

So I definitely most active on TikTok. My handle is at Speca Allison S-P-E-K-A-L-L-I-S-O-N. I'm also on Instagram at AlisonSpeca. I don't know why they're the inverse of each other. I don't know why I made that decision, but yeah, that's definitely the places I'm most active.

Speaker 1: 31:35

I love it Amazing. Well, thank you so much for coming on and spending the time with me. This was so fun. Thanks for having me. This was really fun. Thank you so much for tuning in to today's episode. If you were moved or inspired, please share with me by leaving a reading and review on Apple Podcast. It means the world to me and I am so appreciative for your support in helping my podcast grow. If we aren't already connected on social media, head over to Instagram and TikTok and follow me at Ray the Semantic Coach. Make sure you check out the show notes of today's episode for links to freebies, opportunities to work with me and ways we can stay connected outside of the podcast. I'm so happy that you're here and I can now eat to talk with you on our next episode of the Radiant Life Podcast.