Author Accelerator Member Spotlight: Leslie Cartwright
Celebrating a writer’s success
We’d like to introduce Leslie Cartwright, one of our Author Accelerator members. Leslie recently finished her first draft and we invited her to sit down for a little interview to talk about her experience. So without further ado, here is Leslie!
Q: Okay, Leslie, can we have the basics about your project and your book coach?
Leslie: My book, Autism with a Grain of Salt is a memoir that I’ve worked on for 6 months with Author Accelerator coaches Sarahlyn Bruck and Susan Foster.
Q: How does it feel to have finished?
Leslie: Surprisingly, it felt calming. Completing my first draft did wonders for my anxiety. It was a serene and satisfying peace that I felt. It is now a tangible, hold in my hand goal, rather than a dream. The light at the end of the tunnel is bright and within reach.
Q: What did you do to celebrate?
Leslie: I celebrated with my family. We had a lovely dinner, wine and chocolate. It’s funny, I didn’t need a big party or an article in the newspaper to commemorate or feel validation for my accomplishment. It was enough on it’s own. It was a deeply personal victory.
Q: What are your next steps?
Leslie: I intend to soak up some sun for the next month or so, paint, enjoy fine wine and chocolate before getting back to editing and revising my book. I know, first hand, the value of working with a book coach now and I will return to Author Accelerator this fall to continue towards my goal of publishing my memoir.
Q: Why would you recommend coaching to get to a finished draft?
Leslie: Having a book coach has cut out a lot of unnecessary and time consuming trials and errors. It helped me to develop my writing voice and style. I can see so much growth between my first chapters and my last. It’s also very motivating and encouraging to have your own personal cheering section.
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us, Leslie. And again, congrats on your huge accomplishment!
