CLIENT STORY:
A Book and a Deadline

Meet Vickie Wright,
Author and Audience Coordination Department Manager for Warner Brothers:

Q: Why did you hire a coach? What did you want to see happen in your life at that time?

A: I was in the final phases of a book project about Motown singer Tammy Terrell. My co-author is Tammy's sister, Ludie Montgomery. There were four years of research and hundreds of interviews that I had conducted and now I had to mesh them together and write the book. I had a background in television and I knew how to produce a finished product, but never had a I written a book before. I used my TV skills to move this project forward. When the writing time came in the final phase, I was ready, but I had to change my life in order for this to happen. I slowly groomed my life, house, schedules, family, friends, so I could be in a writing phrase or "zone" if you will. Ludie and I had a publisher so there was a real deadline to finish this work. I found it hard to constantly be my own cheerleader. This is when personal coaching came into my vision as the option I needed. I was alone for the most part and needed a kick to get me going with the writing while keeping me driven and focused.

My main goals were to:

• Write a book.
• Create the structure and boundaries to support my writing schedule.
• Become super-productive and focused.

Q: How did you hear about Kristin and why did you hire her specifically?

A: A friend began sending me Kristin's "Daily Thought" to help me stay motivated. This is when I decided to sign up for coaching. It was exactly what I needed to get me through the hard writing I had to do. In six months of coaching with Kristin, I completed the book.

Q: What were some of the tangile and intangible results of your coaching experience:

A: Well, the obvious result was the completion of the book, My Sister Tommie: Tammy Terrell's Official Biography. During my weekly talks with Kristin, she held me accountable and asked why I did not accomplish a certain goal - such as writing a chapter or finalizing an interview. I had to be in a creative space, but I also had to act in a business manner, and she helped me when it came time for that. Kristin showed me better communication skills for a writer to use so that I didn't get drained and lose my focus. I had a full time job during this time, so my writing sessions were in the early morning hours (4 a.m. - 5 a.m.). I would write before I went to work, and even wrote in the evening. She helped me groom myself to be rested and get enough sleep so I could keep going. We strategized and created a writing plan and schedule which included huge writing blocks on weekends in addition to the early morning writing sessions.

Q: What was memorable or meaningful about your coaching experience with Kristin? Would you change anything?

A: Kristin was my rock and my cheerleader and was someone who understood what I needed to accomplish. She listened when my fears and anxieties set in and she helped me through much more than simply the writing phase. I set unrealistic deadlines for myself to push myself harder and she helped me keep those wacky commitments I made to the book, Tammy, her family, and to myself. This work has been tedious for the four years I had spent doing research. Now it has become doubly tedious to finish it. I felt I had extra stress and the weight of the world was on my shoulders because this was someone's life story and I was pulling her family through her journey one more time. It was hard and emotional, but what came from it was a beautiful story and I was honored to write it.

Q: Why do you think coaching works? What about it works for you?

A: The structure is what helped me. I had to set new boundaries in what I was doing. I had to juggle work and I needed to stay focused on those things equally. I had to set aside my social life, to free up the time to complete the book. A new me was born through this whole process. I now know how to work my day job and pursue my dream while I do it. You're never too busy to dream and Kristin helped bring the dream into focus and helped me remain loyal to my day job.

Q: Do you feel your coaching dollars were worth it? Why or why not?

A: Yes!!! Worth every penny! My friends and family, at times, were not available nor did they entirely understand me. They would ask me all the time, "Why aren't you done yet?" They simply did not get it. Kristin gets it. She helped to make my dream and my goal come into focus. I headed towards that with gusto. Coaching is a must if you are serious. It's a definite must if you are under a time frame and need results fast.

Coach's Comments

Vickie has a heart of gold. She was so moved by Tammi Terrell's music, she decided to co-author a book with Tammi's sister Ludie. I remember receiving the CD of Tammi's music after the first coaching session with Vickie. To be honest, I wasn't sure who Tammi was and Vickie wanted to make sure I fully understood her, so she sent me some music. I'll never forget dancing around my office to so many familiar songs, such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Tammi was a frequent duet partner of Marvin Gaye and many of their songs are classics.

After listening to the CD, I was on board. Vickie is a great example of someone fully engaged. She gives her entire self to her project. As a result, it was important to help Vickie preserve her enthusiasm and energy while maintaining a steady pace so she could meet the book's deadline.

Writers have a tendency to cocoon too much during the writing process. As a result, some of them lose balance. Since Vickie had a day job while she worked on this writing project, it was critical for her to maintain her balance. We found a way for Vickie to focus on her writing while performing her duties at Warner Brothers. A specific schedule was the key. In addition, I coached Vickie to create the structure and support she needed to complete her project. Some of this entailed frank and honest conversations with her friends and family to not expect too much from her while she was writing. For example, she decided to opt out of most of the holiday parties. Her friends were happy to support her since she made a clear request. They were happy to support her since she made a clear request and they knew how important the book project was to her.

One of the pivotal conversations Vickie and I had was about intention. Her intention was to help write an honest account of the life of a young Motown star. However, Vickie worried how she would be received by Tammi's fans. This fear kept Vickie in "stuck" mode and it was something we needed to coach through if she wanted to meet her deadline. "Vicki, what's your intention with this book," was my question. Her answer was quite simple: "I'd like to honor Tammi Terrell and share the honest, moving story of her life with her fans." I followed with this advice: "Stop trying to manage the outcome or how people will receive you. All you can control and manage is your intention. Your heart is in the right place. Your intention is pure. That's enough. People will get it. And if they don't, that's not your problem. What's most important is to operate with integrity and to do your best work."

Without a doubt, Vickie did her best work.

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