Episode 09: Writing Her Own Story
The literary world erupted for author Ashley Audrain’s The Push as it set records and became one of the most anticipated releases for 2021. And, although it may appear to be an "overnight success" as a New York Times, Sunday Times and #1 international bestseller, including appearances on Good Morning America, the real story is actually the making of the story, and the making of a brilliant writer…one small step at a time.
Ashely has always been a lover of writing, and after studying media, followed by a career in PR, she found herself happily working inhouse for Penguin Publishing. Unforeseen circumstances arose with the birth of her first child, dramatically altering her path. A constant throughout her life, Ashley found solace in the written word…this time it was her own.
It is extremely rare to achieve the type of success that Ashely has, especially in the literary world. This conversation covers so many important topics, not just professionally but personally as well. Ashley has quietly worked on her craft for years, sometimes not even realizing where a particular decision would take her but finding a thrill in the uncomfortable spaces she knew were inching her forward. Ashley is dedicated to her craft, follows what she believes in and, lucky for us, continues to write her own story.
Some takeaways from this episode include:
how having an early morning routine sets her creative mind up to keep burning for the remainder of the day
gravitating towards doing the uncomfortable and how that has continually pushed her to extend her boundaries
getting real about the trepidation of motherhood and how her experience drastically altered her life
the importance of protecting the small amount of time mothers have to themselves, questioning how she wanted to show up in the world with that time, not only for herself but for her children
her thoughts on how she doesn’t feel vulnerable about sharing her writing and creative thoughts with the world
the process of making decision and bets on ourselves in different parts of our lives, and the impact they may have
an open, honest and realistic insight into what “overnight success” actually looks like and how the success of The Push has brought about so many important conversations for mothers
You can connect with Ashely on Instagram @ashleyaudrain , Twitter @audrain or on her website ashleyaudrain.com . Additionally, you can learn more about The SickKids Foundation in Toronto, as well the Global Pathways School in India, both of which Ashley is passionately involved with.