We were lucky to catch up with Katrina Shawver recently and have shared our conversation below.
Katrina, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
As an author, the most important lesson I have learned is to have more self-confidence in myself and my writing. Writing is a solitary affair, with little feedback. It can’t be measured in dollars or profit until you finish and publish the book. Self-doubt and the drive for perfection are the enemies of success. Thoughts like “Who am I to write this?” or “Will it ever be good enough?” detract from the forward drive and energy. When the inner conversation changes to “Why not me?” and “I will get it as good as I can get” I have a higher energy level and motivation.
Secondly, find the best technology available. It’s all about finding the best tools for the job. Today there are websites where you can upload audio or video, and in a minute, they can transcribe it into text, or add captions to your video. I know someone else who writes her first draft by hand and then dictates her book, which saves hours and hours of typing. Additionally, there are software programs and apps designed for writers. Add in tools for formatting, editing, and creating graphics, and the time investment is far less. Once you get past the learning curves, productivity and speed can increase dramatically.
Keeping the right mindset, and finding the best tools, can apply to any endeavor.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am an author, lifelong history geek, public speaker, and relentlessly curious about finding unknown stories. In 2002 I met Henry Zguda, an eighty-five-year-old Polish Catholic who survived three years in Auschwitz and Buchenwald during World War II. He lived a mile from my house. Intrigued, I soon offered to write his incredible story. This led to over ten years of research on Poland, World War II, and the Holocaust. My friendship with Henry changed the direction of my life and gave me keen insight into the plight of Poles, both Jewish and Christian, during World War II.
I am most proud of two things. First, the Polish American Congress of Arizona is the 2018 Polish Heritage Award. The award tells me I got it right, especially for someone who isn’t Polish, and did not write about a family member.
Secondly, I have gone international. The book is available both in Poland and the Czech Republic. I regularly receive emails from readers overseas, (end with a period.)
My writing roots began when I wrote editorials for The Arizona Republic newspaper for eleven years. I became passionate about the power of the written word to influence opinion, provoke discussion, and inform folks of interesting people and organizations. My words impacted the community, and I heard from readers. Similarly, in any business, the ability to convey ideas and messages through stories has a more memorable impact than just presenting facts.
I am also an experienced public speaker for any size audience from book clubs to filled auditoriums. Connecting in person is one of my favorite things to do. The life of a writer is isolated and solitary.
I love that my book introduces readers to lesser-known history, that of how Polish Christians suffered and endured both German and Russian occupations. Like today, the discrimination and targeting of specific classes of people is as current now, as it was in World War II. And still, people stood up for their beliefs and fought to survive.
I blog and speak regularly on both life in general, and history, and combine my passions to write, and convey interesting history by highlighting lesser-known history.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I love Atomic Habits by James Clear. The concept of tiny changes (the one percent) and remarkable results is a powerful and enabling concept. The process of writing a book is a marathon and can be overwhelming. But if you measure your successes not by quantity, but by showing up, then productivity will inevitably follow.
Productivity is based on how well I manage my own time…and marketing.
A writer must manage his or her own time, set a project schedule, and meet reasonable goals. The second half of being a writer is marketing, which means a writer must think like an entrepreneur, adapt, and be creative to sell books. It’s a tough balance between creating new stories and marketing the ones you have.
I love the story series of This I Believe, The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women. The concept began in 1952 with Edward R. Murrow. First famous people, then unknowns wrote short essays on what they believed. As but one example, “I believe it is possible for ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things.”
If we are to live our truth and operate with ethics, we need to stay true to those things we hold most dear.
One of the most important questions anyone should ask themselves is “What is your why?” Why did you start your business? What message and benefits does your business bring to your readers and customers? And is a change a productive pivot, or a tangent off-course from your purpose and beliefs?
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I wish I had learned more technology and research skills. I could have written so much faster and more efficiently with access to writing software, graphics software, and knowledge of so many online resources. Similarly, I am still learning the best ways to organize a ton of research and background info so I can find it in an instant. I have also built up a personal library of books and advice on writing craft. The more you learn the better you get.
Whether it is managing a website, or email list, creating memes, or advertising graphics, productivity leaves more time to focus on other parts of the business. For me, that means creating new content and increasing my craft level.
The latest, and most controversial tool is AI. There are some AI programs developed for writers. Now it’s even included in my editing software. I was amazed to ask one question, and my screen filled with five paragraphs in thirty seconds. As AI gets better, more businesses will use it, but there is a learning curve for best uses. It still needs proofing and editing for accuracy and to suit your own purposes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://katrinashawver.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinashawver/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=katrina+shawver
- Other: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Swimmers-Friendship-Auschwitz-America/dp/1734572981/