Let Me Tell You a Story...

As we say in Greece: Kalo mina (happy new month) and kalo kalokairi (happy summer)! ☀️

After two years as the managing editor of a US tech firm, I’m finally leaving my day job to get ready for the launch of my novel, What Will People Think?, and to write Book #2. I’m excited, nervous, scared, proud of myself, uncertain… feeling all the feels this week.

It’s bittersweet to leave a great job, but I do feel like I’m finally coming home to true myself. (*cue midlife crisis theme song*).

The truth is that I’m a writer by identity, not just by profession. When I was 8 and my sister was 5, I would read her my original bedtime stories every night. If she actually fell asleep, it meant the story wasn’t good enough to hold her attention. I think this was one of the best lessons I’ve ever learned about writing :D

I’ve spent decades trying to break down the magic of storytelling. It’s the key to good marketing, advertising, sales, relationships, friendships… as humans, we’ve always created stories to try and make sense of a nonsensical world. I’ve learned that great stories are often guided by genuine emotion. You can’t trick people easily. You can win hearts when you’re authentic.

And, as you can see, I always turn to writing when I am feeling all over the place. Like this week. Thank you for being here with me.

Read & Write: Books About Writing

I wanted to share some books that have helped me become a stronger writer. True, not everyone is an aspiring novelist, but being a good communicator will help you at work, with friends, in relationships, in the club (who we kidding, I don’t accept invitations after 8 pm). Learning to craft a message well – so it lands with your audience the way you intend – is an incredibly powerful skill. So here’s a cheat sheet!

Drum roll - here are 5 incredible books that have helped me on my writing journey:

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

This is one of the best, most readable books about writing technique that I’ve ever come across. My bestie and fellow writer, Lauren, gifted it to me and I loved it so much I bought a copy for my other bestie writer friend, Rasha, who said she already read it and it’s one of her favorites. So this is triple certified. I’ve always had a thing for Russian literature and this reminded me of being in college. I really miss being a student and not dealing with adult life 🫠 Go forth and geek out.

The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr

My friend Rasha, mentioned above, gave me this amazing book and it’s written by a screenwriter who analyzes the way we process emotion. It’s a fascinating look at neuroscience and how psychological tools can help us tell better stories. I only wish I had discovered this gem sooner.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

On my very first day at Columbia’s graduate school of journalism, we had William Zinsser as a guest speaker. Being nerds, we all bought the book for him to sign, and after I heard him speak, I went home and inhaled this classic guide to writing nonfiction in a single day. Derived from his popular class at Yale, this is a fantastic look at how to tell great stories inspired by everyday life and everyday people.

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

I don’t write screenplays, but I loved the way this book broke down the standard Three Act Structure. It’s also a very useful look at dialogue, which is difficult to nail. You want your characters to each have clear, distinct voices and consistency. This is one of my all time favorites and my edition has notes in all the margins.

How to Tell a Story from The Moth

The Moth have supported some heavy-hitting, award winning authors. In this fantastic read, the nonprofit shares tips and tricks collected over 25 years of working closely with their writers. The Audible version has live readings that feel electric.

Inspire: Sound Healing

Sometimes the universe delivers exactly what you need. In my case, I woke up the morning after my farewell zoom party - my final work call after spending years with my team - to a wonderful invitation. I got to try out Vox Cinemas guided and sound meditation offering at the newly renovated Theater. They have the most luxurious business class style seats (complete with blankets, pillows and built-in seat warmers).

The experience included 15 minutes of guided meditation and 60 minute sound healing session led by wellness expert Linda Chambers Cochrane. Bestie Sarah and I felt it was just what we needed. Big thank you to the lovely Vanessa Olsen and the Gambit PR team for a perfect morning!

Sound healing is an ancient practice that uses vibrational music to put your body into a relaxed, dreamlike state. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend - it’s also an ideal indoor activity to do during Dubai’s scorching summer!

Browse These Links

Random entertaining bits from the Internet for you:

• MTV News is gone forever (it’s the end of an era!)

• Arab fashion designers reign at Paris Haute Couture Week

• Bugatti introduces its first hybrid car - with a $4 million price tag

• Helen Farmer’s new children’s book tackles modern motherhood

• The 19 year old who wrote a memoir using ChatGPT…

• The science of ‘dad dancing’ (prompted by Prince William :D)

Countdown to My Novel’s Publication Day:

Thanks for reading! See you next week!

With kindness,

Sara