An Interview with Whale Song Founder Jaime Fleres about The Author Adventure
Writing Transformational Nonfiction, Memoir, and the Soul-Led Journey of Authorship
One:
How does it feel to finally share this book that’s been so long in the making?
Surreal. Satisfying. We all publish books for different reasons and with different goals. I really wanted to bring this work into book form so that authors of transformational non-fiction and memoir could have these resources and this support at their fingertips.
Writing a book has many off-ramps, and I wanted to make it easier for people to stay on the path—because we need the voices of the change-makers, the deep feelers, the visionaries, and the messengers “on the mic” at this time in our world more than ever.
I’ve sent parts of this book to clients throughout the years and shared courses on this material, but I’ve always wished my clients had this book in their hands. It always felt like I wasn’t giving all the support I could in the most accessible way possible, and this feels like a huge upgrade in what I can offer to the people we serve. That brings me a lot of joy.
I also feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment because my dream of making these resources into a book is eight years in the making, and I finally did it—despite my own resistance and life obstacles. It is also a gesture of tending and nurturing my own creative inner world, and that helps me be right with my own soul, which is really important to me.
Two:
For someone just hearing about The Author Adventure, what makes it different from other books on writing or publishing?
My background as a college writing professor and my advanced degree in written communication really differentiate me from other voices in the field and have given me a distinct set of skills, training, experience, and perspective that are not common in the publishing world.
Further, my background in the healing arts—including movement practices, art, ritual and rhythm, somatic support, and psycho-spiritual support—shapes everything I offer.
My “come from” is author-soul-authentic expression first, creation/product/result second. All aspects of our life and psyche affect the authorship process. Writers need to be supported as whole humans.
Some books focus only on publishing, just editing, just technique, or just mindset. I wanted to bring all of these together in a no-fluff, author-centric guide for writing transformational nonfiction and memoir.
My work sits at the intersection of authorship and transformational work around psycho-spiritual identity, soul embodiment and creative expression.
Three:
You describe writing a book as more like a wilderness adventure than a subway ride. What first inspired that metaphor, and how does it shape the way you support authors?
I started using that metaphor back in my early days of working with authors. With so much in the business and authorship space focused on efficiency—book-in-30-days promises and simple five-step processes—I knew that writing a book, at least in a soul-honoring way, was different.
Writing is not a predictable or domesticated process. It’s the wilds of creativity, which has its own wisdom, intelligence, and timing. If we are really letting a book work on us as we work on it, it will take the time it needs for us to navigate the adventure.
You need tools and resources. You need a plan. You need to be prepared for the unexpected. And you need psycho-spiritual support for the inevitable human transformation underway. Writing a book is a journey of discovery—not a predictable commuter route.
Four:
You often describe authorship as a transformational journey. How have you seen writing a book change your clients on a personal or spiritual level?
I see my clients step into such expansion through this process. It’s not without its ebbs and flows, grace and gritty moments, but the trajectory is always growth. I know that signing up to write a book is signing up for a unique transformational experience because I witness it in my clients day in and day out.
We receive the medicine of our work or life experience again through the writing process. We step into the river once more and have an immersive experience that deepens our embodiment of the work. Writing helps us process our experiences at a whole new level.
We also encounter what stands in the way of our fullest creative expression—which is why I talk about the inner critic in the first chapters of The Author Adventure. There is a lot at stake when we step forward to write a book.
Core questions arise:
Does what I say matter?
Will people care?
What will people think?
Who am I to do this?
What if I speak my truth out loud?
Do I matter enough to invest this level of time and energy into my dreams?
I see clients emerge from the authorship process with more confidence, aliveness, and soul satisfaction. It’s a tremendous joy and honor to walk this path with others.
Stay tuned on the podcast for much more about this and related topics.
Five:
You mention in the introduction that The Author Adventure is “the yang to your coaching yin.” Could you share what that means and how the book complements your hands-on coaching work at Whale Song?
When I first started book coaching, I believed it was my job to make people want to write their books and to prove my worth by delivering enormous value. Much of the work in this book came from those early efforts.
As I’ve matured in myself and in this role, I now see my job as being deeply attuned and present with my clients in the moment—without agenda or expectation. As a channel and intuitive guide, I listen closely to the Field and allow the guidance that wants to come through to do so in service of my clients.
Sometimes we process creative blocks. Sometimes we dive into the nuts and bolts of publishing. Sometimes we workshop a piece of writing. The work is always present-time oriented and in service of what is most alive.
As my work has evolved, I don’t always do as much direct teaching or information sharing in sessions. I wanted this book to carry that piece—to ensure that authors have foundational guidance, resources, and support at every stage of the writing journey. This offering comes not from hustle, but from deep devotion.
Finally—what’s next on your creative horizon? Any new adventures in store for Whale Song or your own writing?
I’m deeply lit up about the podcast—and about being a guest on more podcasts as well.
I’m dreaming up retreats, in-person offerings, and online small writer’s havens.
I also have four more book babies patiently awaiting my attention, along with a lot of soul writing that wants to happen outside of a book context—writing that is just for me. I often joke that someday I’ll stop writing books about writing and do more soul-revealing work within my own books.
Stay tuned for that.
Learn more about Jaime Fleres’ book The Author Adventure and her approach to writing transformational nonfiction and memoir HERE>
