We were lucky to catch up with Beth Gelman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Beth, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I never considered myself a writer. On the contrary, I’ve been more of a businessperson, although I have a long career teaching and performing piano and voice. I actually have a degree in all these subjects.
I was taught from a young age to challenge myself and not to be afraid of taking a risk so long as I considered as many potential outcomes as I could, and then find other people who are more knowledgeable about that area of expertise. My father used to get angry with me for not consulting with him more. My response was either, “I thought I had things under control,” or ” You need to let me live and learn so I can learn to pick myself up alone.” Boy, was I a glutton for punishment!
I discovered, with the encouragement of my mother, that I could do anything I set my mind to. Failure never came into the picture. Honestly, it was expected. However, each failure strengthened my resolve that if I just kept at whatever I was doing, I would have positive, successful results…and I always have. The real question was how well I could monetize them.
In most things I’ve tried, I had marginal to respectable financial results. Honestly, the chase was half the fun. Previously, my career as a corporate trainer drove me to explore not only my subject matter but how my Fortune 500 students would relate to the topics making them useful. My writing works the same way. Both are incredible platforms to empty your soul and find relevance in this world. The realities of marketing, educating, and taking calculated risks in the writing arena are endless and I’m excited to see how my goals become my reality.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My entry into the world of writing had come from being an insatiable reader, especially in my adult life. I would barely put one book down before I opened the next. In my adult life, I can attest to “starving” my family and being late quite often due to having my head stuck in a book.
When the pandemic began, books, specifically romance, were an amazing escape. I had listened to several non-fiction works, and a variety of romance fiction genres, though it was Romcoms that had me laughing out loud and receiving stares from my family. My tastes moved onward toward the steamy romance genre and after reading no less than fifty of those books did I realize that I could write a steamy, spicey romance novel or Romcom myself and be quite good at it. I’ve been told that I’m a funny person with a raunchy sense of humor, and I thoroughly agree. Spicey? Bring it on! Goofy? I’m there with you. Plot twists? I’m intrigued. I want my readers to laugh, cry, and crave what my characters are feeling. I write my characters so they can evolve and reflect on their lives without taking themselves too seriously.
My confidence grew knowing I had all the essential skills to make writing a business, however, I knew that the road to understanding the full publishing world and making important connections would take time. Honing my writing craft has been exciting most days, if not exhausting. One day, I hope to see my work on television or the big screen, but for now, you can find me on social media just about everywhere, on my website, and through my newsletter.
In the future, I would love to expand my genres to include some non-fiction titles. I have been told by many people that I should write a self-help book, a collection of interesting life anecdotes, or some short stories about a few of my many escapades with the Army ROTC.
I am available for book talks, reading group appearances, and lectures. In addition, I am currently cultivating a new series of writing workshops for both in person, and virtual training classes focused on taking an idea for a book and making it a reality. These will be hands-on learning classes, not just lectures. Keep checking my website to get all the details.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
My major degree is in Organizational Communications and one of the most inspirational speakers and book series I had read was from the infamous Zig Ziglar. I could go on for days about all the pearls of wisdom he imparted on my young mind. Although I never had the chance to meet him, or even see him in person, I hope I did him proud. Here are some of his best quotes that have encouraged me to take risks and try things well outside my comfort zone.
“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
We all know that when you’re young, time is elusive. It’s plentiful and it’s elastic. “Take all the time you need,” was a phrase that said I could marinate as long as I wanted on anything I wanted in life. Newsflash, it’s not. It’s finite and the clock keeps ticking whether any of us is ready for it or not.
In my early fifties, I saw a musical that changed my life for the better, (Thank you “Wicked.”) Specifically, it was a song from the critically acclaimed musical, “Hamilton,” called “The Story of My Life.” Words like, “It’s a matter of time, and, who lives or dies, who tells your story,” struck such a huge chord in me that it jump-started all aspects of my life into high gear. I wanted to leave something behind in this world when my time was up, and I wanted to tell my story, if not directly, woven into my characters and their stories. I can’t begin to tell you how gratifying it is to see my work professionally bound and tactical for anyone to hold. Is it worthy of critical acclaim? I’ll let my readers decide. Their reviews will tell the story of my writing legacy. My family is my real legacy, and without them and their undying support, my dreams would not have been possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BethGelman.com
- Instagram: @BethGelmanWrites
- Facebook: Beth Gelman’s Insatiable Readers
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/beth-gelman-7a0253238
- Other: Sign up for my newsletter or place an order at: www. Beth Gelman.com You can find my books on: Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TS!YD5C Goodreads.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash Bookbub.com @bethgelmanwrites Bookfunnel.com BethGelmanWrites@gmail.com
Image Credits
Christine Morgan Designs Sue Jergens Photography