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This week I am interviewing a woman from St. Louis who worked as an insurance agent until she felt called to change careers and help people write books instead.
Wendy Melrose enjoyed a good life when she worked as an insurance agent for four years. Then in 2023, she sold her agency with the intent of using the proceeds to start a business helping people write books they’ve kept bottled inside them for years.
Yet, she allowed the demon of doubt to derail those plans to the point she looked for a different job instead. But, it just didn’t feel right. She felt prompted to quit that job and trust God to be faithful in helping Wendy carry out the assignment he gave her.
It was after she read a poetry book that Wendy realized how much she enjoyed creative writing herself. It was a skill she developed in college, but abandoned when a guy she was dating ridiculed her work. She tossed her portfolio of written work into a dumpster.
However, a smoldering wick remained. When Wendy told her story to a pastor after a church service, the pastor admonished Wendy by telling her to never throw away a gift God had given to her.
A short time later, a mischievous bear, named Ben, kept escaping from his enclosure at the local zoo. Wendy wrote and illustrated a fictional story about the bear’s escapades. She showed it to officials at the zoo hoping they’d buy the book to offer for sale at the gift shop.
However, the zoo didn’t want to draw attention to an embarrassing problem. A few years later, Ben was transferred to another zoo and Wendy wrote a new book titled “Ben’s Big Move,” and self-published it on Amazon. Since then, Wendy has written and published six books.
Now she helps other authors who are stuck in turning their book ideas into reality.
When Wendy talks about the demon of doubt and how the lack of self-confidence derailed what she felt called to do, I knew what she was talking about. I had experienced a similar problem myself. But, by trusting God instead, I launched Forward From 50 and, recently, Life Story School.
Fortunately, Wendy eventually got back on track in carrying out the vision she had for her new life as a writer.
Wendy believed God when he told her to trust him in providing for her needs, and that’s when things started falling in place. She has been helping several people to write books and publish their own life-changing stories.
One thing Wendy loves to do is to help people who are self-publishing books to get their project across the finish line.
Technology exists today that literally takes away any excuse people have for not writing books they’ve thought about for years. In fact, people can speak into their computer, phone or tablet and have artificial intelligence transcribe the notes for them. Wendy said technology can even be used to put thoughts in cohesive order.
People who are interested in connecting with Wendy to get help to write a book can visit her website at inthezone.live. She is also active on Facebook and TikTok.
Her books are available on Amazon under her pen name, Soel Love.
That’s all I have for this week’s show. If you’d like help in identifying a purpose for your life or to get help planning your next steps, I’m offering a complimentary brainstorming session to members of the Forward From 50 Facebook community. For details, connect with me on Facebook or visit www.forwardfrom50.com.
I’ll have another inspirational interview on the next episode of the Forward From 50 podcast. Thanks for listening. If you like this show, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.
If you order one of Wendy’s books from the link above, Forward From 50 may earn a small commission.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.