After reading those words, I dropped my blackberry and fell face first onto the bed. I poured my soul into that novel and secretly dreamed it would be my golden ticket to escape Corporate America.

Instead all my writing earned was a refund offer.

That’s when I decided to learn how storytelling really worked. And I realized most creative writing advice was out of whack for people like you and me:

• Most creative writing advice says to just write and read a lot. “Butt in chair. Set a schedule. Study the craft.” Ok, but getting started is often the hardest part and practice doesn’t guarantee success.

• Outline before you write. Brainstorming ideas, developing characters, building cohesive plots, yes, all that is key… but when do you know your novel idea is good enough? How do you fill the plot holes and create an epic scene list? When do you actually start writing? Who’s process are you supposed you trust?

• Nobody talks enough about the mental warfare. You can have the “perfect” writing approach… but still feel unworthy, unmotivated or scared of moving forward. That’s because creative writing is about more than the page breaks — it’s about the headspace.

When I learned how storytelling really worked, it was surprisingly simple — setting up the right conflict, illuminating characters, and pacing dramatic action from beginning to end — but it took a lot to tame the inner critic barking in my head.

FAST FORWARD:

By Oct 2015, within six months of starting this site, I guest posted at that writing coach’s website.

By Dec 2016, I launched a novel outlining course.

By April 2017, this website was named one of WRITER’S DIGEST’s 101 Best Websites for Writers.

By Dec 2017, I produced and published a documentary on YouTube. 10M+ views, 10K+ shares, 400+ emails, two colleagues pulled me aside, a long-lost friend reached out, and a restaurant hostess thanked me during a date night with wifey.

By Feb 2018, this introvert knew how to tell stories, but I was unable to fully embrace all of the attention and money I was earning.

So despite all my creative dreams coming true, I went offline.

By May 2018, I moved my family from the middle of the California burbs to the middle of the Arkansas woods. And I returned to writing for pure fun. But I still wanted to break free of my corporate career…

My cabin in the woods where I restored my creative spirit

By April 2021, after three years of living in The ‘Sas, we moved back to Cali. My wife and I chose to repurpose our lives for our family and careers. (Plus managing acreage and livestock requires a lot of energy!)

By Aug 2021, I was able to exit my high-paying executive job because our family simplified our lifestyle and my wife went back to work (in a new career she pursued).

By May 2022, after an episode of “mid-life retirement,” I’ve come full circle as the Saturday Storyteller helping writers craft stories that give people their money’s worth.

Start in the heart, not the wallet. Writing for money to escape a job you hate can easily corrupt your creativity. Build your legacy around connection vs. monetization.

You are the One you’ve been waiting for. Nobody’s coming with a magic bullet. Embrace that your potential is determined by your own free will and action. 

Growing your business is an inside job. I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on the craft of storytelling and self-improvement (books, courses, coaching, conferences, retreats, mastermind groups). But not a single investment made a lasting impact when my mindset was infected with fear, self-doubt, or imposter syndrome. First compose your headspace. Then master your page breaks.

Feedback is a fast track to improving your craft. But who wants to hear their creative baby is ugly? Alas, criticism is the cost of entry for becoming the creator you’re meant to be.

People make time for what matters most. Track your days and you’ll find the ways you’re shaping your dreams. Being honest about your priorities is a major step to rewriting the story of your life. 

Developing a writing habit can be life-changing. Journal your reality. Free your fiction. Write anything. Releasing your POV can clarify your life beyond the page.

Fear is the true path. I’m 92% introvert, but without braving new projects, people, and places, I’d still be the same kid I was decades ago. Step outside your comfort zone to expand your potential.

Trust your creative compass. I’ve paid and followed the advice of many “big-time” mentors and coaches but it’s often sent me off-track. Sometimes you have to bet on yourself. Honor your instinct because nobody should know you better than you.

The “natural born storyteller” is mostly a myth. Yes, storytelling savants exist. But most skilled storytellers are people who simply practiced the craft to come across as natural. Practice doesn’t make perfect but it does hone potential.

Be uncommon — Choose courage over coping. I believe streaming is the number-one dream killer, but it’s not the only culprit. The overconsumption of anything is really about coping which is really about escaping from reality. It takes courage to opt out of zombie mode and openly pursue your dreams. Adopt a little courage every day and you’ll be a hero some day. 

Once you take control of your craft expertise, you realize that your dream life is much bigger than releasing a breakout story.

It’s your mental wealth: Do you feel worthy of success? Will you give yourself permission to become the artist you’re meant to be? 

It’s your social bandwidth: Do you want the masses disrupting your privacy or would you be happy with just 1,000 true fans?

It’s your lifestyle: Do you really want the pressure of writing to make ends meet or would you be okay writing for pure fun or just side money?

It’s about creative freedom. Do you feel free to create the dream life you want?

Honing your craft is a small, but critical piece of a creative dream life. But once you solve that, there’s so much more.

I am a solitary creature by nature despite being a public personality in the digital age. 

And my website is 100% me, myself, and I. So when you read, access, or use something here, you’re experiencing a solopreneur’s creation.

I don’t believe in boring you with cookie cutter stuff you can get everywhere else. Instead, I let you inside my life. That means you receive personal stories with actionable tips to get the creative juices flowing.

My goal is to make my free stuff better than other people’s paid stuff. I strive to give away an extraordinary amount of remarkable material. See for yourself with my Fiction Inspiration Game and Free Guides. I’ve just started accepting enrollments for my new story outlining course, Your Novel Adventure which introduces: Plotting By The Seat of Your Pants. Click here to fall down the rabbit hole of limitless imagination and get on the same page with your storybook ending.

The Saturday Storyteller believes in these two charities. I am a man of faith in the Christ Light – and my wife and I whole-heartedly believe in giving back to help humanity. We give locally within the U.S., but we’re heavily invested in two organizations in third-world countries. Those being Light 2 the World (building dynamic leaders grounded in the Word of God in Nepal), and Future Love (feeding and clothing impoverished children in the Philippines). Check them out…