Bonnie Marcus: On Being Vulnerable in Nonfiction
Award-winning entrepreneur and executive coach Bonnie Marcus shares what it was like to write her prescriptive nonfiction book Not Done Yet.
Bonnie Marcus, M.Ed., is an award-winning entrepreneur, Forbes contributing writer, and executive coach, who assists professional women to successfully navigate the workplace and position and promote themselves to advance their careers. With 20+ years of sales and management experience, her extensive business background includes CEO of a ServiceMaster company and VP of Sales at Medical Staffing Network and two other national companies in the healthcare and software industries. She has also held executive positions in startup companies and Fortune 500 companies. Learn more at BonnieMarcusLeadership.com.
In this post, Marcus shares what it was like to write her prescriptive nonfiction book Not Done Yet, as well as her publishing experience and more!
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Name: Bonnie Marcus
Title: Not Done Yet! How Women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence and Claim Workplace Power
Publisher: Page Two
Release date: March 6, 2020
Genre: Women in Business
Elevator pitch for the book: For women over fifty, this invaluable guide combines practical advice, and exercises, and no shortage of sass that will inspire readers to defy ageist limitations and own their talent, wisdom and experience.
Previous titles by the author: The Politics of Promotion: How High Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead (Wiley, 2015)
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What prompted you to write this book?
As a woman in this age demographic, I am passionate about the topic of gendered ageism and how it marginalizes talented women who still have much to contribute to their workplace and the world. I wanted to write a book that would not only highlight how gendered ageism affects professional women but would give sound advice on how to stay marketable and employed.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication?
The book took over two years to write. My first idea was to draw from research and interviews to highlight the challenges women over 50 face in the workplace. But I lost my voice in the content. I decided a much better approach, though more challenging, would be to draw from my own experiences and feelings about my own aging process and the book became much more personal. My hope is that this approach will connect with my readers who are having similar issues with aging and staying visible and credible.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
The publishing process with PageTwo has been much different from my experience working with a traditional publisher like Wiley. It’s been a much more hands-on and involved process through every step.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
At first, it was difficult to write about my personal feelings. I realized that sharing my thoughts and feelings about aging caused me to feel more vulnerable. As I wrote the book I also became more aware of the ageist assumptions I hold, and how these internalized assumptions can hold me back from reaching my potential. All the exercises in this book, have helped me to reframe and let go of what no longer serves me. In writing this book, I coached myself through many of the issues I address in my own life.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope my readers will understand that they have control over their career trajectory. Yes, gendered ageism is a barrier. But I give advice on how to stay marketable and deal with the challenges women face at this age. It is my hope that women will also understand how their own internalized bias can prevent them from reaching their full potential.
If you could share one piece of advice with other authors, what would it be?
Take the time to find your authentic voice and let it shine in your work.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
