We recently connected with Molly Wilcox and have shared our conversation below.
Molly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?
Like many aspiring authors, I have dreamt of writing a book for as long as I can remember. I vividly remember meeting authors at local book signings as a kid and idolizing the life they had. I had a clear vision for my future that involved writing books. As I grew up, got an English degree, and realized that making a career out of writing is a lot more difficult than it appears the sense of discouragement settled in. As a lifelong dreamer, I still had the audacity to believe that if I continued taking baby steps toward this idyllic vision that it could happen. As a Christian, I believed it didn’t depend on luck but a combination of hard work and a move of God. When I had the idea for my book that just released, “How Much More?” it was almost two years ago. In a way, it was kind of annoying. I’m not a morning person but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. I found myself getting out of bed early every morning to write. I felt like I couldn’t focus on anything else until I put some words on the page. There was almost a sense of desperation to get the words out on the page. After a few weeks, I had a messy first draft and realized the idea really was a book. I stuck with it even though I had no concrete plan for what was next. I think people get hung up on thinking they have to know where a project is going before they begin. I’ve found the opposite to be true. When you get started on the work, doors will open when it’s time to do something with it. I had a finished first draft before I even knew if I would pursue publication. Soon, the right opportunity for the book came to me and I was able to move forward because I was ready. The idea was already a full draft.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m an author and writing coach. I began writing at a young age and stuck with it. As I learned more about the writing industry I realized there were a lot of people with big dreams who didn’t feel equipped to take a next small step. Unlike other industries, creative work requires a lot of soul work. The clients I work with are creatives with big dreams. They need encouragement to get past what is holding themselves back (it’s usually themselves) and take steps toward that big dream. I’m also a Christian so I intertwine faith-based coaching with business coaching. I think the creative journey is a spiritual journey, so I like to meet people where they are at and encourage them in their dreams. My book “How Much More?” is an extension of this. It’s meant to empower and equip others to take their big dreams to God and to actually take a next step. My main goal is leaving every person I meet with with a clear next step based on who they are uniquely made to be.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I love talking about social media because it is incredibly important to writers and many writers and creatives cringe at the thought of it. I like to think of social media as simply a place for connection. As a creative, it’s a great place to experiment with a message and see how it connects with your audience. When I started building a social media presence I was overthinking it. I was worried about what people would think if I said certain things or didn’t say certain things. I felt like I had to be everything to everyone and the fear of how I would be perceived often stopped me from posting. Now, I post so often that I sometimes forget to check the comments. My advice to someone starting out is to be yourself, experiment, and have fun. You won’t continue doing something that you don’t enjoy so create content that’s fun for you to create and serves other people well. If you like serving your customers/clients, social media is the perfect place to enjoy it and connect.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My own story started when I stopped ignoring the bigger dream I had to be a writer and actually decided to pursue it. I think the mission behind all my work is inspiring other people to do the same. I find that women especially tend to feel guilty about their hopes and dreams. But if we ignore them we will feel disconnected to our purpose. I have already seen clients shift their perspective and make incredible progress in just a few months. Sometimes all it takes is having someone say “I believe in you,” and provide some accountability. I want to see more people have a clear vision and boldly take a step in their creative careers.
Contact Info:
- Website: mrsmollywilcox.com
- Instagram: mrsmollywilcox
- Other: TikTok: @mrsmollywilcox Book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Much-More-Molly-Wilcox/dp/1952840252/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2CJZZVCNTJUF4&keywords=how+much+more%3F&qid=1662046791&sprefix=how+much+more+%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-2
Image Credits
Bailey Webster Photography, Maci Nicole Photo