Kellie Nissen is an author coach, editor and dragon boater with Dragons Abreast Canberra - Goanna. Canberra born, she still lives in Australia’s capital city, along with her husband, two teens and two pugs. Between work, writing, dragon boat training and pug duties, Kellie has no time to engage in any more conversations with cancer.

Social media links

https://www.linkedin.com/company/just-right-words/

https://www.facebook.com/KellieNissenEditWrite

https://www.instagram.com/justrightwords/

Link to website

https://justrightwords.com.au/

Overcoming Breast Cancer: "I need to start believing in myself and start being who I want to be and doing what I want to do and not saying yes to everything."

— Kellie Nissen [00:03:05 → 00:03:16]

Starting a New Business After Overcoming Cancer: "If you fail, you fail."

— Kellie Nissen [00:05:06 → 00:05:07]

Overcoming Challenges: "Dare tell me I can't do something. And that sort of stuck with me."

— Kellie Nissen [00:05:53 → 00:05:58]

The Reality of Being an Author: "Authors make a lot of money from their books, episode, which anybody out there who's listening and who has published a book either with a publisher or under their own steam would be like, no. We definitely we don't. We don't."

— Kellie Nissen [00:07:39 → 00:07:54]

The Cost of Book Publishing: "You get $100 worth of editing versus some proper, some real in-depth editing."

— Kellie Nissen [00:08:36 → 00:08:40]

Finding the Right Editor: "An editor who understands what you're trying to achieve I think is really, really important."

— Kellie Nissen [00:10:47 → 00:10:54]

Finding success in business with a business coach: "I didn't start working with a business coach until, I'd been I'd started the business about 3 years because f I could I actually couldn't afford a business coach. So because they're they're not cheap, but they are worth every cent you pay them."

— Kellie Nissen [00:12:28 → 00:12:44]

Overcoming Networking Anxiety: "I really had to convince myself that even now, if I go to a network meeting, I'm like, you know, what if, you know, what if I say something silly or whatever? And it's I think it's just putting yourself out there."

— Kellie Nissen [00:13:52 → 00:14:02]

Stepping out of your comfort zone: "So, I suppose, in answer to your question, on a daily basis or a weekly basis, I try to find something where I can put myself out there. So whether it's doing it's meeting with my business coach. It's going to a network meeting. It's connecting with somebody who I know might be able to help me in some way or, doing a Facebook live or something like that. That's still scary."

— Kellie Nissen [00:14:02 → 00:14:36]

Aussie Sausage Sandwich: "If you buy those, you throw away the white bread, you throw away the sausage, you eat the onion, you're probably a winner. Yes."

— Kellie Nissen [00:18:11 → 00:18:18]

Hello, and welcome to another episode of the travelling introvert, career conversations. I am here with Kellie Nissen. Hi, Kellie.

Hey, Janice. How are you?

I am not bad, and I'm realizing I've got the wrong set of headphones in, so we'll see how this goes. I I was like, oh, I should have yeah. Well, it is what it is.

Oh, I love it.

1st question I have for you FIS. What does introversion mean to you, Kelly? Introversion.

It it it is f I think for me, it's I'm using it now as a as a power and as a way to hear f that inner voice that's sort of egging me on to challenge myself. So in the past, introversion meant being very alone, and scared and and that sort of thing. But I want to I want to turn it around now to look at the strengths that it brings and use those strengths, in my business and in what I do and that sort of thing. So I don't see it necessarily as a bad thing, f Mhmm. But as something that you can, use to your advantage if, If you can, if that makes sense.

Yeah. Yeah. That's great. And so what made you change?

So that was my big turning point, and I've actually forgotten the question.

Episode. That is great. Thank you. And so you mentioned, that you took a year off and now do you do different work or are you still a teacher?

Oh, no. So I I do I wanna say it's very different work. It's actually not. So I'm still teaching that I'm teaching under my own terms. So I was a primary school or an elementary school teacher for 26 Ettees. And it was my it was my career. It was all I ever wanted to do. And f in the last 5 to 7 years of of that career, I'd started thinking, I don't wanna do this anymore.

I I I don't like what's happening in education in Australia. I'm not happy. I love the students, but I don't love anything else. And so that year off with the with the breast cancer, I I knew that I wanted to do something else and I knew I loved writing and I love editing and I love helping people Make Their Words Sing and Shine, but I didn't know how to actually start my own business and I was really scared because 26 years in the one career that's stable and my kids were still teenagers at that stage. So, STABLE career. I was petrified of failing and, I just I thought I can't I can't leave teaching because it's it's permanent. And I can't I can't go off and, you know, what if I fail and blah blah blah. So having cancer made me go, you know what? If you fail, you fail.

You know, there's more to life than that. I ended up working with a business coach who knows how to push my buttons like you would not believe and he said to me, f When I said to him, look. I need to keep teaching until my business is successful, my editing and author coaching business is successful. And he said to me, you'll never succeed if you if you don't put a 100% into your business f And that that you'll never blah blah blah. He sat back with this smile on his face. He knew He'd actually hit a sore point. Exactly. And I said to him, don't you episode.

So, technically, we're still teaching.

Yes. Yes. Exactly. Yes. But it's my terms.

Right. And so with that in mind, Can you tell me some maybe misconceptions people have about the your your industry and the role that you play right now?

Yeah. I think that there's there is a lot of misconceptions around and they're not they're not deliberate ones because Before I started working in the publishing industry and the writing industry, There was so much I didn't know and one of the biggest misconceptions is that authors make a lot of money from their books, episode, which anybody out there who's listening and who has published a book either with a publisher or under their own steam would be like, no. We definitely we don't. We don't. You've got to work so hard to, you know, to start earning money back. F And along with that misconception or the misunderstanding is that, people don't understand how much it costs to get your book edited professionally. And I often have people say to me, oh, you know, how much would you charge to to edit or work with me on 60,000 words. And I give them my price and people go, oh, that's so expensive.

F And, yeah, it is. But if I if you go somewhere else and they charge you $100, You get what you pay for. So you'll get $100 worth of editing versus some some proper, some real in-depth editing. So I think the biggest misconception is just how much money it costs to, write a book and to publish a book and that sort of thing. But if you're committed, we all have ways we can find we can find money and I certainly have ways that I don't want to see anybody who's really determined and has a great story to tell. I don't want to see those people go out there and go, oh well, I'll just publish my book and if it's full of mistakes, that's too bad because nobody wants to see that as well. So I always think there's always a solution to a problem. You just need to be creative ed in finding that solution.

And I guess my follow-up question therefore is for people who don't know what to look for in a good editor for a book.

You need to in this is editor. In my opinion, you need to find somebody, an editor, who is willing to have a conversation with you. So for me, it's it's not about, oh, okay. You've written some words. You send me your words. I make corrections all in, you know, red pen or red, you know, the track changes and send them back to you. And that's it. You have to follow.

What do I say? It's a very collaborative process. So f there are some editors out there who don't like the collaboration, and there are other editors who essay. No. These are your words. These are your decisions. These are my suggestions.

Mhmm.

If you have a question, please ask. So if you want the editing process to be collaborative, that would be the first thing that you would look for in an editor. The second thing you would want to look for is just An editor who understands what you're trying to achieve I think is really, really important and f I always like, I I insist if anybody sends me or, you know, sends me a query, I insist that week. We will I want to have this half hour conversation with you for free. It's about you getting to know me and me getting to know you and just to see if we're on the same page with the book. So sometimes I will be talking to somebody and I'll be, you know, this this person, I really don't think I can help this person or we're not on the same page or they've got a manuscript that is in a genre that I don't f fully understand. Mhmm. So and I will say to them, look, I don't think I can help you.

However, I'll put you in touch with so and so. I think you have to be very cautious of any editor who says, oh, yes. I do everything because we don't we can't. You can't. So yeah.

Thank you for that. No. It's really, really, helpful. And so can you tell me something that you do regularly that has improved your business?

Oh, yes. Okay. So I think something that I do regularly is, I meet with my business coach on a regular basis. Now, I didn't start working with a business coach. Until, I'd been I'd started the business about 3 years because f I could I actually couldn't afford a business coach. So because they're they're not cheap, but they are worth every cent you pay them. So f I do commit and I set aside money to work with him now, and he's a he's a sounding board, in the business. Prior to that, though, And this is hard for an introvert, but I forced myself to go and attend network meetings, where there are other business owners, who you don't necessarily go there to sell but you go there because f day.

It's it's for social purposes, but they also understand what it's like to own a you know, to run a business. And you can talk to people, you can get ideas, you can get referrals, and that sort of thing. So My very 1st network meeting that I attended, I had to talk myself into going because I didn't know anybody. Episode. And I'm like, oh, all these people, they know so much more than me. I'm going to look like an idiot and that sort of thing. I I really had to convince myself etchigo. And even now, if I go to a network meeting, I'm like, you know, what if, you know, what if I say something silly or whatever? And it's I think it's just putting yourself out there.

So, I suppose, in answer to your question, on a daily basis or a weekly basis, I try to find something where I can put myself out there. So whether it's doing it's meeting with my business coach. It's going to a network meeting. It's connecting with somebody who I know might be able to help me in some way or, doing a Facebook live or something like that. That's still scary. But some way where I can challenge myself and put myself in front of other people because you grow that way. And as an introvert, that is the hardest thing in the world to do is to force yourself to do that, but ultimately, it's also very valuable.

Okay. And then can you tell me something that you regularly say no to?

F Oh, something I regularly say no to. Yes. So in the past precancer, I would say no to nothing at all. When I was very much a yes person because I was a people pleaser. When I first started my business, I said yes to every job because I was scared that I wouldn't earn any money. Now, though, anything that gets those little sort of sensors tingling where I'm just like, that doesn't feel right, that makes me uncomfortable. That doesn't align with what I believe. It won't make me happy.

I f Have no qualms in saying no to that at all. So if it doesn't sit well with me, like a non business related thing. I don't like dressing up as in fancy dress. Mhmm. I've never liked it. I spent 40 odd years going along to fancy dress parties and book week in the schools here where they all dress up in costumes, doing that because that was the expectation and having an awful day because I really I just feel uncomfortable. Now I'm just like, no. You know, I'm I I will come but I'm not dressing up because it doesn't make me comfortable and I can guarantee you will have not have a good time if I am uncomfortable.

Episode. So I think it's part of the ability to say no is part of believing in yourself and saying, look, episode. If I say no, then some people won't like it, and that's okay. I need to like myself first.

Ep alright. Yeah. So thank you. Thank you very much. So one, surprise question that's not on the list. There is no wrong answer. Etter. In your opinion, is a hot dog a sandwich or a Sammy?

A hot dog? Yeah. Episode. Is no. No. Because a hot dog is on a roll on a bread roll. Mhmm. And for me, f A sandwich is between 2 slices of bread. Alright.

Okay. Thank you so much. But that being said, in Australia, right, we do have these iconic things called sausage sandwiches, f And you get them they're used for fundraising, for community centers and clubs and stuff, and it's a f barbecued sausage. Sometimes it's a like a hot dog, like a Frankfurt, but it's a generally, it's a very, very cheap and nasty sausage Barbecued on a untoasted slice of 9 times out of 10 white bread. B I'm not selling this, am I? White bread, barbecued onion, which is seriously the best bit of the whole thing, and plonked on top sauce, tomato sauce, or barbecue sauce on top. It's a fundraiser. So I think If you buy those, you throw away the white bread, you throw away the sausage, you eat the onion, you're probably a winner. Yes.

But we call that a sausage sandwich.

Hi. Alright. Yep. Thank you for that.

I love that question. It's a curly question.

Episode. And so, lastly, can you let the, my listeners know where they can find out a little bit more about you and the work that you do?

Okay. So I have, my business is called Just Write Words. It's j u s t r I g h t, words, w o r d s. And I'm on Instagram and, I have a Facebook page and my website is www. Justrightwords.com.au. Very responsive, very happy for people to comment, connect, email, essay. Hi. Whatever.

What about your book? Oh, my book. Oh, yes. And my book, which I don't need to hold up because this is a podcast, not a video. Episode. Thank you, Janice. So I've just, self published a a book about my cancer journey. It's called What Cancer Said and What I Said Back. That book is it's not, it's I describe it as a a memoir but not like you know memoirs.

So I'm quite, upfront in the book about the journey and what I thought at the time it talks about why I left teaching, and there are many, many voices, including the voice of cancer, who I argue with constantly throughout the book. That book is available, I believe, on Amazon, f And but if people, email or message me, I can sign the book and Send it to you, post it to you. I have bookmarks, quotes, all sorts of things. So I'm very happy to connect with people in that way. Yep.

Awesome. Oh, thank you so very much for letting everyone know about that. So this is Janice at the careerintrovert.com helping you build your brand Get Hired. Have a great rest of your