We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful April Barker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with April below.
April, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
The kindest thing that anyone has ever done for me in regards to my business was to believe in me so much that they invested their hard earned money into me publishing my first book.
I have always loved writing and can remember writing poems since the second grade. Even then I had a strong voice and my first poem was “It Ain’t No Joke, When People Smoke!”
I had a picture of a man smoking and some kids walking by choking. Super preachy, super dramatic from the get-go.
Fast forward twenty years to me being a youth ministry volunteer at my church. Everyone in the church was doing an annual 21 Day fast so I decided to send out a daily encouraging email to the leaders of my team with a scripture and a short message of encouragement.
Someone forwarded the first one to another church member, and next thing you know I was in BIG trouble.
I laugh now but some people were really upset because they had been left off the email chain. Mind you this was like 2008 before Facebook was a big deal.
Once the fast was over, one of the youth leaders asked if I had ever thought about publishing a book of encouragement.
I emphatically said, “Yes! Of course.”
She then asked, “Well how much does it cost?”
I told her, “I don’t really know, I hadn’t looked into it.”
She is from New York so she was like, “ Well, can you?”
Finally it clicked and I was like, “Ugh, yes, I can.”
“Okay, let me know how much it costs when you do.” She directed.
I hung up and turned to my husband and said, “I think she wants me to find out how much it cost to publish a book so she can pay for it!”
Turns out, that was correct. Less than a year later my first book “Nuggets for the 21 Day Fast” was self-published and I was doing my first book signing.
I can’t explain it, but what was even kinder than her paying for publishing my first book, was her belief in my gifts as a writer.
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
I am a six time published author and the original ‘Author Coach’. Back in 2015 I started Empire of Dreams, LLC and coined the tag line “bringing your ideas from mental to manuscript” for my clients. Back then most authors in the industry had the idea that if you are a real author, you just write. It took a while for me to get people in the industry to understand that we all have stories to tell and some writers need a coach to help them build confidence in finding their voice and telling their story.
Especially in the non-fiction genre of which I specialize.
I have worked on over 40 projects and am now known as a “Mid-Wife of Manuscripts”. I am proud that I have helped women especially that are business owners, non-profit founders and ministers, start their life’s work and/or publish their life’s story.
I offer Author coaching packages and also Dream Building Sessions where my clients and I work through my created “Dream Building Assessment” that helps you bring your dream from mental to manifestation.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Here are three things that I believe non-creatives need to know about us:
- We are not flighty. We are firm in our brilliance and birthing of ideas.
- Working for someone else is not an option for our mental health or emotional well-being. We would rather live in a rented closet with a sleeping bag and a flashlight wearing the same outfit and take wash offs then to work for someone else. In the event we have to work for someone else, it must be short term or contract.
- Your life without out our books, art, movies, music, plays, fashion, food, etc. would be dull, dreary and unbearable. You’re welcome!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
The lesson I had to unlearn was the misconception that people are struggling and cannot afford my prices so I need to make them super cheap.
The fact of the matter is, people pay for what they value. I am helping people write their story, not mine. If they value themselves, their voice and truly wish to birth their idea, they will make the sacrifices necessary to pay for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.flourishwalk.org
- Instagram: @realeod
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writeyourwayout?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-dishon-barker-77a51217
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Midwifeofmanuscripts
Image Credits
The Look Creator’s Studio