Experience Doesn't Eliminate Discomfort
Hey everyone,
How’s your week going?
Mine has reminded me that experience doesn’t eliminate discomfort.
It had been a long time since I created a formal presentation. I speak regularly, but usually I just speak. Give me a topic and a good question, and the conversation tends to find its way.
A slide-by-slide presentation is different.
I had to decide how to fit close to fifty years of publishing experience into one hour without turning it into a lecture or overwhelming everyone.
Eventually, I stopped trying to make it perfect and focused on making it useful.
People Don’t Need More Information
The response reminded me of something important: people don’t need more information.
We’re already drowning in it.
What people need is honesty, context, and someone willing to tell them what really matters.
Attendees particularly valued the discussions about publishing options, professional editing, distribution, AI, and the extended Q&A.
A few comments stayed with me:
“The Q&A was awesome!”
“I appreciated his no-nonsense manner. He gave his listeners insights regarding the use of AI and other industry standards and trends. I liked his encouragement to ‘Get your story out there. We need to help each other.’”
“Great session. I found every part valuable. I also valued the fact that the Q&A allowed for more questions.”
For someone who wasn’t entirely comfortable with the format, that meant a lot.
Finding the Goldilocks Zone
I also came away knowing how I want to improve the next session.
I want to spend more time on the issue every author is now confronting:
How do we use AI without allowing it to replace the thinking, experience, and humanity that make a book worth reading?
That’s what we call the Goldilocks Zone.
It doesn’t mean rejecting AI or handing it the keys. It means using AI in the right way, with human judgment guiding the process.
It’s also the thinking behind Human2AI, our approach to combining the speed and capabilities of AI with the perspective, creativity, and accountability only people can provide.
Warmly,
Jan
-30-
In a world of noise, your authentic voice is the rarest asset there is.
Here are a few ways ContentKitchen can help you:
Book Production: Make sure your book looks professional and stands out.
eLearning Course Development: Turn your expertise into courses that reach more people.
Content Engine: Streamline content creation with a system that combines human creativity and AI.
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