Autocorrect Your Language

I’m delighted to announce that Kelsey Makaiwi has joined the Your Bestselling Book team! We are absolutely thrilled to welcome this intelligent and radiant young woman, who has impressive sales experience, social media chops, and best of all, a warm and compassionate heart. 

And Kelsey has a favorite expression: “Autocorrect your language.”

She says that she and her best friend will use this saying any time they catch each other framing some life event in a negative way. 

For example, you’re not “unlucky” that it rained during your picnic with a friend today. You may be “bummed” or “disappointed,” but you can still appreciate that you were lucky enough to even get to envision having a picnic with a friend in the first place. And that you have a nice, warm home to take it back to and eat it inside… on a blanket on the floor with your picnic supplies, should you so desire. You’re not unlucky at all. 

Here’s one of my least favorite words that I’d like to autocorrect: “Ghostwriter.” I never liked the term. Never. It seems sketchy. Derogatory. And simply inaccurate!

So, now that Kelsey and my bestie/ Stanford classmate Jen Tate have joined the Your Bestselling Book team, we’ve decided to autocorrect our language about what it is that we do. We are:

• Book collaborators 
• Book coaches
• Story doulas (this one via Jen!)
• Story guides

All these terms are far better, IMHO. Language matters. 

A little more about Kelsey:

• She’s part Hawaiian, which is just so cool given that I am a 3rd generation Hawaii kama’aina (local)
• She grew up in the Bay Area but now lives in a fabulous, creative, multi-generational and vibrant community in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
• She is full of positive energy, a can-do spirit, a relentless work ethic and all the things we love at YBB

Welcome, Kelsey!

Writing Tip of the Week: Word Swap

Think of a word or expression that you’ve always disliked. Now come up with a different way of saying it. Bonus points if you tell a friend or loved one, and get them to commit to “autocorrecting your language” with you!

Share your autocorrect with me. I’ll come up with a list and post it to social media, tagging you.

Aloha,

MeiMei

Quote of the Week

The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. Tis the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

~Mark Twain