Today, we’re highlighting Stephanie Cansian, author of Change the World in $10 or Less.
Stephanie says that becoming an author feels surreal. She adds, “This is something I've wanted to do since I was a child.”
How did she manage to get it done? Read on to hear her story.
Stephanie, tell everyone about your book. What's it about?
Change the World in $10 or Less contains 100 actions you can take to enhance your life and change the world.
The book includes tips on proper self-care, caring for others, giving back to your community, helping the planet, and helping animals.
Was writing a book a lifelong dream of yours?
Yes. Since 2nd grade, at least. I always wanted to be a writer but was afraid to go after it. Then in 2021, this perfect storm of circumstances finally made me decide to do it.
I was overweight, unhappy with my job, and profoundly stuck in a survivalist mindset. I could not see any possibilities to thrive in my current state. So, I started working with a coach (whom I thank in my book) and things began to shift. I decided to write down all the actions I’d been taking to change my own life.
I wrote the first draft of my book in about a week. As I was editing and figuring out the next steps, I got an email about The Tiny Book Course. That email brought me to you. And well, here we are!
Your book was born from a very personal place. You took your own life experiences and poured them into the pages. What was the hardest part about creating this book?
The hardest part was getting over my own fears and limiting beliefs about my writing ability.
I constantly asked myself, “Will anyone pay money to buy this book? Would anyone pay to listen to me?” But gradually I realized, “Yes. Somebody will.”
Every author has a different process. Some people like to write first thing in the morning, while others are night owls. Some write for 30 minutes a day, and others need to block out a bigger chunk of time. What was your writing process?
For the initial draft, I worked early in the morning for at least 10 minutes—or until someone needed me. I blocked out an hour for editing and admin in the late morning—or early afternoon—as part of my workday.
Writing happens in my office. I've set up my office to be as close to my ideal work environment as possible, and I love being there.
You hired Get It Done to help with your book. Our Book Production team provided copyediting, proofreading, cover design, interior layout, and publishing for your book. What was your favorite part of the process?
Seeing everything morph and come to life. Creativity feeds more creativity. Watching other people being creative with my words and vision inspired me to keep showing up to build my business and brand.
Imagine someone out there who dreams about writing a book. But this person feels like, “I’m nobody special," "I'm not a very good writer,” "Who would want to read my book anyway?" What would you say to this person?
I was you. I even wrote those exact words down in my journal.
The final turning point was a vision of a potential future that I would never have if I didn't start by putting out the first book. This vision of my future was so intense and emotional, thinking about it would make me cry.
If you want to write a book, find your most “emotional why” and hold on to that vision tightly.
Now that I've published my first book, I am one step closer to having that future. And I know that publishing my next book will be 1,000 times easier. I've been down this road before, and I can do it again.
When people work with us, they often catch "Book Fever" and immediately start working on their next book. Did this happen for you? Are you planning another book?
I had numerous books planned before I even contacted you!
The first is Change the World in $10 Or Less and that one is done! My second book (which I'm currently editing) is about the emotional connections people make around food. The third is tentatively titled How to Be Hype. It’s about cultivating a positive growth mindset even in the worst of times.
I’m also working on a fiction project. It’s a YA fantasy series about a neurodivergent princess. She is cursed by her father to never show her temper. She must break the curse or be forced into an arranged marriage and lose the future she planned for herself.
This YA series emphasizes personal responsibility and the dangers of unchecked anger. The three books all have titles and plots. Now I've just got to world-build and write!
I’m so proud of my first book and ready to share what I've learned with the world. Excited to do this all over again.
Go check out Change the World in $10 or Less. If you’re feeling especially generous and kind, send Stephanie a personal note to say, “Congratulations on becoming an author.”
It is never too late to achieve a goal you’ve had ever since you were a kid.