Freelance writer and editor, Yvonne Perry tells how she works with clients to bring forth healing that is so inherent in the writing process.

Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services has been in business five years. During that time, I’ve written, edited, or ghosted about thirty books, and a lot of those are books I have done for paying clients. Some of them are short children's books teaching holistic concepts.

I do a lot of interviews for writing shows, teleseminars, and podcasts. Almost every host asks me, "Did you always want to be a writer?" I have asked many of my podcast guests the same question, so it must be the standard "How’s the weather" or "What are you doing" kind of question for writers.

I've always loved to write, but it wasn't something I really aspired to do until I hit midlife. I was a songwriter many years ago. I wrote a lot of poetry and song lyrics and even had a few songs recorded and published. But, it wasn't until 2003 that I realized that some of the other types of writing could perhaps bring a substantial income. I pondered that idea and meditated about it. Following my inner guidance, I decided to start a freelance writing business and hoped to make money at it.

Not knowing a lot about starting or running a business, it was a big leap of faith to leave a corporate job and start solo as an entrepreneur—especially starting a business requiring types of writing that I was not as familiar with. At the onset, I was doing mostly poetry and songwriting and helping people write articles, but over time my skills developed and I started offering different types of writing. Now, I serve as a ghostwriter and editor for non-fiction books, articles, and media releases. I help a lot of authors get their books ready for a conventional publisher, a publish-on-demand company, or for self-publishing.

The clients who come to me for assistance with writing their books always intrigue me. They have different reasons for wanting to write a book. It may be a how-to book or a manual to help create a platform for their speaking career. Some need to tell their story because they need the healing that comes with the process.

Writing can be very therapeutic. In fact, some of the clients I've worked with have very traumatic stories they want to write. I warn them upfront that writing their book is going to be a healing journey because they’re going to have to delve into some issues in order to tell their story and really put their heart and energy into it. Many times, I serve almost like a ... I'm not going to say a counselor because I'm not qualified as such ... but I’m there as a support for them to stay on track. I understand the writing and healing process. If a writer can't get past the pain in Chapter Three and the aftermath in Chapter Four, we skip those chapters for the time being and go on to look at something different for a while. We come back to those chapters when the time is right.

Why do so many people write books these days?

It's not necessarily an issue of letting the whole world know that we’re a writer. I think it is because there is an internal healing mechanism that comes through writing. So, if you are planning to write a memoir or biography, you may as well expect it to hurt a little, but it will be a good hurt if you let your muse take you through the entire process. If you get stuck, you can always call a ghostwriter to help you get past the rough part.

Running a business and writing books has been a learning process, for sure. But, I love it and the relationships I make along the way. It’s one of the ways I use my spiritual gift as a healer combined with my writing and editing skills to make a positive difference in people’s lives.