About Mike Shoreman:
Mike Shoreman, aka "The Unbalanced Paddleboarder," experienced the most significant crash he has ever known as a neurological condition called Ramsay Hunt Syndrome came rushing in to take away every joy in life that he had worked so hard to obtain. He decided to take the next right step in his darkest hour, finding power and confidence and began to rise higher than he ever thought possible. Mike was named the SUP Man of the Year in 2020 and won Speaker Slam, the largest North American Inspirational Speaking Competition that same year.
What inspires you to write?
It all happened very quickly. Winning North America's Largest Inspirational Speaking Competition: Speaker Slam, the speech going viral on all the platforms and then what that did. Writing "Crash and RISE" was the next logical step— the one that made most sense. The book details the journey and events that happened after that. The story didn't end there and neither did my takeaways and learning lessons which I felt were of value that could help others rise up also and take their place in a new way they never thought possible.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
So many good ones- I come from a marketing and public relations background which is why I talk about the power of that in my book, so I tend to read a lot of marketing books for entrepreneurs. Anything by Seth Godin is brilliant. Jim Kwik, Todd Herman, Ann Handley's "Everybody Writes" is a great one and of course Elizabeth Gilbert who makes a cameo in my book. Her writing is raw, clever and inspiring.
Tell us about your writing process.
For me, writing came very naturally when I started. I have always been a lover of telling a story and looking for the lessons in it — the takeaways. At first in my journey, writing wasn't in the realm of possibility, but eventually I began journaling in a diary format. This made it easier with writing a first draft which was then sent to the publishing house to send to the editors. It then went through several stages of edits and here we are.
What advice would you give other writers?
Be prepared. It is challenging and rewarding. Take the little wins and leverage those with yourself to do more and go further. Win building and celebrating your accomplishments with yourself gives us the confidence that we can carry on and go the distance. I would suggest putting in place a successful launch team and having a thorough understanding of the why. Who is this book for — what will it help people do — achieve.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Life to Paper Publishing's model allowed me the first and most important thing — I never lost my voice — both in my story and throughout the process of launching and publishing “Crash and Rise: Diaries of the Unbalanced Paddleboarder”. I had options when the editors returned it throughout at various stages, asking me if I wanted the story told with my voice or if I wanted my voice taken out completely. I felt like I had a partner who understood me and supported my vision, and the comfort of knowing I retained 100% creative control.
The traditional publishing routes may have limited my ability to express myself in a way which I felt was raw and authentic. Part of that was having an expedited timeline. I like seeing results, fast! I had documented the journey extensively through journaling. I worked with Life to Paper to develop, edit, publish and market “Crash and Rise” in just over a year. Some may feel that to be too fast, but it worked best for me and my audience and that was what mattered most. To provide hope and answers, a road map out of struggling in a time where people are struggling most was and continues to be the priority.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Publishing is always changing. There are so many options available to every kind of writer. Whether they want to go the traditional route or self publish, work collaboratively with other writers. I was speaking with a friend who works with writers the other day launching a program that would accelerate an authors launch pad driving sales and readership and was so impressed with what is happening right now and what is coming out to market. It's a very exciting time to be a writer with the opportunities out there.
What genres do you write?: Non-fiction, Mental Health, Motivation, Inspiration
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Mike Shoreman Home Page Link
Link To Mike Shoreman Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
