EnterpriseZone.cc Connecting Global Entrepreneurs
Laurie Silver has many qualifications but the thing she loves doing most, writing, doesn’t require anything more than passion and imagination.
What’s your story?
My first college degree was in Advertising Design, my second in Landscape Horticulture and my third was a master’s degree is in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Additionally, I have many certifications, including rigorous training to become an Iyengar Yoga Instructor and several qualifications, including Reiki practitioner. However, my gift and my passion is writing – for which I have no piece of paper or proof of skill. I only have personal and professional feedback – which is worth much more.
What excites you most about your industry?
The freedom. With the internet and so many platforms for sharing, writers can easily be supported in their craft without publishing a book or otherwise jumping through hoops and over hurdles to do what we do naturally – write.
What drives you in business to push beyond what other people consider normal?
Anything so-called ‘normal’ has never interested me. I used to feel like I didn’t belong anywhere or that no one understood me; now I celebrate my uniqueness.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
My writing and editing journey has been gentle and kind. I moved into the New Zealand bush 15 years ago to get away from technology and social media, which were becoming more and more insidious and hard to avoid. Especially where we lived in California, just over the hill from Silicon Valley and all its influences. I started writing for a small boutique community paper in NZ that was still relatively low tech and as my work has grown I’ve learned what I needed to along the way.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
It’s not advice that was given to me, but rather something I told myself early on in my professional writing career…and that was to write as if no one was going to read it. Write straight from the heart and don’t think about who you might upset or what mistakes you might make – anything written from the heart will reach the heart. All writers know that when we write authentically we are fully present and totally absent. Writing happens through us – so it can’t be ‘wrong’.
Who inspires you?
No one inspires me professionally, (I’m not actually a fan of fiction and prefer mostly poetry from mystics, such as Hafiz). However, I can’t talk about my professional writing journey without mentioning the woman who believed in me so much she literally pushed me into my first writing job. It was a dream job and I flourished personally and professionally. She passed away, on my birthday, less than a year after giving me her job, and yet she is still very alive for me, especially when writing.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
That you can present yourself poorly on the page and still be well received. Many of my clients are financially successful, despite poor copywriting. However, once I start crafting beautiful sentences and newsletters that are enjoyable to read, their engagement rate goes up, and ultimately so does the uptake in offers and programmes.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
Only one thing – and that would be to follow through on a dream I had to travel with our children when they were younger. We came to New Zealand when they were 2 and 4 years old. My plan was to continue the adventure when they were 10 and 12, by visiting four countries (we’d each get to choose one) and then go live and learn from another culture. At that time in our lives, however, my husband lost his job due to the Christchurch earthquakes and I let fear win over jumping into the unknown.
How do you unwind?
Well, first of all, I never get wound up. I have a daily meditation, movement, and mantra practice that keeps me balanced. I love to walk in nature, along the beach, or in the forest, and if I really want to let it all out – well, then I dance.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your business?
Maybe it’s true for all artists, but I need to channel my creativity. I write, regardless of having a project or audience, but when my creative energy is shared with someone else and when my gifts are recognised and appreciated by others, that is special. It’s not about needing praise, it’s more about having somewhere to place this God-given talent. Although I get pleasure from writing, I get even more satisfaction when my words or images (I’m a photographer too) touch someone else.
Everyone in business should read this book:
Any book that moves you to tears of joy. Hafiz does that for me.
Shameless plug for your business:
With my background in the healing arts, yoga, biodynamic and organic gardening, eastern philosophy, and having lived a very alternative lifestyle, my interest and speciality are in writing and editing for people in esoteric fields, because I know the language and share the mindset. My brand name, Third Eye Editing – Seeing What you Can’t – is usually enough to bring the people to me who I can serve best.
How can people connect with you?
To really get to know me and my writing, it’s best to join my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/everydayyogi?fan_landing=true.
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series.
