Podcast: Brittany Bergman on her journey to becoming an author
Today we’ve asked longtime Exhale member Brittany Bergman on the podcast to share her book publishing story, as well as about her day job -- also in book publishing.
Brittany is an author who is passionate about telling stories that provide refreshment, connection, and encouragement to mothers who don't want to lose sight of their identity. Her essays on motherhood have been featured in a variety of publications, including TODAY Parents, Motherly, Coffee + Crumbs, and The MOPS Blog. She lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband, Dan, and their two children. By day, she is a copy editor of nonfiction books at a publishing house.
Her first book, Expecting Wonder, is about the identity-level transformation we experience as we become mothers. You can find her on Instagram and at her website and newsletter.
Resources we shared with you:
Brittany recommended the book Deep Work by Cal Newport as a primer on how to dig deep on a project and why it’s important.
Expecting Wonder is Brittany’s first book, and the one we talked about for most of this episode.
Our prompt for you:
This is sort of a prompt, but also a practice for getting unstuck: When trying to figure out what to write, or what to say about what you want to write, say exactly what you would say to your best friend. I know we talk about this a lot, and we might even picture our ideal reader, but I think sometimes we still get our thoughts lost in translation. Actually start writing a letter, or leaving a Voxer message, or talking out loud as if you are speaking directly to that person. It always helps me cut right the heart of what I’m trying to say. Related, when your writing feels convoluted or like you’re writing around something, finish the sentence “What I’m trying to say is…” Cut the other stuff and say that instead.
Our submission opportunity for you:
Brittany said to definitely submit to C+C someday! But also really recommends Verily magazine, especially the Making of a Mom column. Kindred Mom also offers quarterly submission opportunities.
Our quote we shared with you:
Brittany’s mantra for getting through these tough days: “My creativity will always be here for me.”
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