Using My Words to Explain
On the way home from a dancing road trip, some friends were asking about my writing, and, more to the point, what I do for other people, and why they’d pay me to do it. Unfortunately, these people were unfamiliar with the entrepreneurial world which thrives online through LinkedIn, Facebook, and our own websites.
Not only did this leave me with the challenging task of explaining the value of my own services, but the value of those I serve as well. Needless to say, after a couple of tries, I got frustrated and gave up—temporarily. When I had time to think about it, I was being challenged to explain my work and my market so clearly, even the uninitiated would have at least a vague understanding of the value not only of a well-crafted article in today’s digital world, but the value of services which can’t be touched or even quantified in many cases until results start appearing. But to someone who would never need to use my services, I was trying to explain the unexplainable.
If Not Quantifiable, Invaluable
Even then, the value I and many others receive from our coaches in various disciplines is only 
measurable by our own yardstick. Because a lot of the progress we make is mental or energetic (except perhaps with fitness coaches) the amount of progress and the value thereof is between us and our coaches.
I know for a fact I’ve made a lot of headway in the last few months working with Linda Clay. A great deal of it can’t be seen or touched because it has to do with shifting my mindset. So the idea of a client paying me to write copy intended to attract clients of their own willing to pay them for their own expertise and guidance is, to some, nothing short of ridiculous.
I realized there are still people who only believe what they can recognize with one of their five senses, sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. So how do you explain something which touches peoples’ emotions in the first place, much less how it translates into a valuable commodity?
Advertising and Storytelling
And yet, people have been buying newspapers, books, and magazines for years. They read advertisements in the publications, online, and wherever advertisers buy space. But unless you’re somehow connected to an industry which subscribes to advertising and promotion, I suppose people don’t think about the fact that someone has to write the copy or entice the customers to read more.
Even if what I write were advertising, I’m not sure I could explain it so people would understand how writing a story is a way of connecting with potential clients. Many of us won’t even read something which bears any resemblance to a sales pitch any more. We’re inundated with pop-up ads, emails, and texts every day. I’ve unsubscribed from so many lists, and blocked so many numbers that send me unsolicited texts, my block list resembles the national registry.
Others simply tune it all out, oblivious to the millions of bits of information which fight for space in our brains every day.
Giving People Something To Relate To
I guess the easiest way to describe what I do and why it’s valuable is, I write stories with elements people can relate to. I share experiences which were difficult but not insurmountable, showing how they weren’t so much setbacks as stepping stones to take the people I’m writing for to heights they might never have reached if it weren’t for those experiences. Those stories give others hope that they too can overcome the challenges life has thrown them. They can use what they’ve learned to build a firm foundation for the life they want to have.
I write to entertain, and I write to educate. I write to help people think, feel, and question themselves and what’s around them. And I write to comfort, because knowing they’re going through something others share helps them realize they’re not alone. There are people they can talk to who will understand without needing a detailed explanation they’re not ready to give.
Maybe they need help seeing through the chaos and debris, but won’t trust someone who hasn’t seen at least some of what they have. That’s something I’ve learned by sharing my own stories. People share some of their toughest challenges with me these days, knowing I may not understand exactly what they went through, but I can relate on an emotional level to what they’ve overcome. In some ways, it’s a celebration of the boulders we move out of our own road as we navigate the ever-changing landscape called “Life”.
Being the Light in the Tunnel to Understanding
I’m reminded of a song about a Country singer trying to explain the music to someone who 
claims to dislike the genre. Like the song says (and I paraphrase), it’s songs about me and you. What I write for other people is the stories behind the songs. I write for people who have a story to tell, a cause to bring to light in a relatable way, or a dream they need help manifesting because it’s so huge, so tremendous it can’t be done without a community of willing hands.
I help people turn their most intense feelings into words that will connect them to others who need them. In other words, I help the helpers find those who need help.
About the Author
Sheri Conaway is a writer, blogger, ghostwriter, and advocate for cats. Sheri believes in the Laws of Attraction, 
but only if you are a participant rather than just an observer. Her mission is to Make Vulnerable Beautiful and help entrepreneurs touch the souls of their readers and clients so they can increase their impact and their income. If you’d like to have her write for you, please visit her Hire Me page for more information. You can also find her on Facebook Sheri Levenstein-Conaway Author. And check out her new group, Putting Your Whole Heart Forward.
Be sure to watch this space for news of the upcoming release of “Life Torn Asunder: Rebuilding After Suicide”.
