I’m trying something new for Episode #555 of the Marketing Mentor Podcast. 

I am doing a lot of reading at the moment – non fiction – How to Not Know by Simone Stolzoff and fiction – This is Not About You by Allegra Goodman. 

In today's episode of the podcast, I am reading aloud from (and then commenting on) a chapter called (literally) "$" from This is Not About You.

It's a story about a ghostwriter who feels ghosted (but actually isn't, of course) and has trouble talking about money. (Sound familiar?)

Listen here or below....

What I love about Goodman's writing is that it’s about all the things people don’t say. The little voices in our heads that we often keep secret, sometimes even from ourselves.

I have to credit my awareness of this (in part) to Philip Schultz, who founded The Writer’s Studio in NY and with whom I studied writing (well before I wrote any books). 

Phil taught me so many things -- but especially how to listen and how to give feedback, a skill I have honed over the years and which seems to be valued by my clients.

He also taught me how to read fiction and how to listen for the voice of the narrator. I learned that the narrator’s voice is always more important than the writer’s voice. In fact, I learned that you can find your voice by inventing other voices, which in turn helps you find other aspects of yourself, which then informs your own voice. Plus makes for a very self aware person, which is rare (I find).

It’s a beautiful idea that I have carried with me ever since I studied with Phil in the late 90s and have learned to apply to all my writing and even to marketing. But I digress. 

Listen here and enjoy!

And If you want my help figuring all of this out, take advantage of my free mentoring session.