Dear Nora,

As we embark on this journey of writing our “book”, I want to take a moment to explain why we are starting with a blog instead of diving right into a book. Our way of thinking isn’t linear, and we want to write the way we think. We’re only writing to each other, which means that if no one else follows along or understands, our definition of success is still met because the goal is to help us learn to communicate more effectively with each other and the people we love.

The beauty of writing a blog about writing our book is that it allows us to have daily conversations about the things we learn while chasing our dreams, even if we don’t know where those dreams will lead us. By focusing on the process of learning and self-discovery, rather than a specific end goal, we can grow and evolve in ways we never thought possible.

Our journey of self-discovery and personal identity so far has taught us that true success comes from embracing our differences and using them to our advantage. By opening ourselves up to the world and sharing our unique perspectives, we can make a profound impact on others.

The reason we are writing a blog about our process of writing our book is that our stories are not just for us, but for everyone who may benefit from hearing them. By sharing our journey of self-discovery, we can inspire others to embrace their unique qualities and find success in their own way. In doing so, we are not only expanding the impact of our personal growth but also contributing to a more inclusive and understanding world.

So let’s keep writing, keep discovering, and keep shining – together. Our stories matter, and by embracing our unique identities, we can make a real difference in the lives of others.

With love,

Auntie Paige

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Living the Dream: Writing a Book on Self-Discovery – Our Way

• When it comes to pursuing success and achieving our dreams, there is no one-size-fits-all approach but there is a one size fits ME approach.

• Each individual’s journey is unique, and it’s important to find what works best for us.

• In dedicating to blog about the process of pursuing our dream of writing a book, Nora and I will be exploring OUR journey of writing a book on self-discovery and personal identity – in OUR own way.

Miscommunication and Dreams: When Aligned Minds Don’t Think Alike

When Nora and I started communicating with each other, we quickly realized that we were discovering new ways to express ourselves. We hoped that we would be able to learn from each other and share what we learn with others so that they too can benefit from our experiences. However, because of my imprecise use of words and my tendency to forget that Nora’s neurosparkle does not include an internal concept of time, I told her that we would write a “book.”

In truth, I have always wanted to examine and verbalize the framework I developed as an undiagnosed neurodivergent woman and share my story with the world. The title “Get to No University” has always been in my mind, but what it looks like in reality is still unclear to me. When I shared my dream of writing a “book” with Nora and asked her to write it with me, she immediately understood what I meant, but we quickly realized that we were talking about two different things.

The problem was that I was speaking of “book” in the conceptual sense, and Nora was thinking of it as a physical, finite object. This led to misunderstandings, as we were discussing two different sets of problems. However, we soon realized that the key was to focus on the process of writing and communicating with each other, rather than the end result of a “book.”

Writing a Blog About Writing a Book About Writing a Blog

As neurodivergent individuals, both Nora and I have brains that don’t process information in a linear way. This means that the traditional method of writing a book, which often involves initially organizing our thoughts, doesn’t work for us. Instead, we have found that writing a blog allows us to embrace our stream of consciousness style of problem-solving and deal with issues as they arise in our minds.

By writing a blog, we are able to naturally close the loops and answer our questions as they come up. This approach allows us to delve deeper into the topics we are exploring and to share our thoughts and insights in real-time with each other. We don’t need to worry about sticking to a strict outline or trying to fit our ideas into a preconceived structure. Instead, we can follow our natural thought processes and explore the topics that interest us.

Embracing a Stream of Consciousness Approach

Additionally, writing a blog allows us to receive feedback from our audience, whether that’s just each other or others who may be following along sometime in the future. This feedback can help us refine our ideas and gain new perspectives on the topics we are exploring. It’s a collaborative process that allows us to learn from each other and grow together.

How Neurodivergent Thinking Can Be Misunderstood

It’s easy to dismiss someone’s train of thought as a non sequitur, especially if their thought process doesn’t follow a linear path. However, just because we may not immediately understand how someone arrived at a certain conclusion doesn’t mean that it’s not a valid thought.

This was something that I learned when Nora and I started discussing the idea of writing a book together. The day after we discussed writing a “book” Nora asked me if I was finished which was challenge one. The following day she began a weeks-long obsession with questions about how many copies we were going to print and how we would distribute them. At first, it was frustrating to have to answer questions about shipping a book that was still a concept, but I soon realized that her questions were actually incredibly valid.

I had to learn that Nora and I have different ways of processing information, and that’s okay. Nora’s mind works in a way that is incredibly focused on results, and that means that she’s always looking ahead to the next step. Her questions about shipping and printing were not a non-sequitur, but rather a necessary step in the process of writing a successful book.

When Non Sequiturs Aren’t Actually Non Sequiturs

It turns out that Nora was right to ask the question about what happens if our book is successful.

To become a New York Times bestseller, a book must meet certain criteria, including being widely sold and having a significant impact on the cultural conversation. The New York Times uses a combination of data to determine its bestseller lists, including sales from a variety of retailers, such as independent bookstores and online retailers like Amazon. Kindle sales do count towards bestseller status, but the total number of Kindle sales is not released to the public.

Nora’s questions about shipping and printing were actually valid and something I needed to understand BEFORE the book was written. They were a reminder that, even though we were still in the early stages of planning, we needed to think ahead and consider all the possible contingencies. In her mind, we were writing a book that would be successful and people would want to read it, including those who would want physical copies. By considering the logistics of printing and shipping, we were able to get ahead of potential roadblocks and ensure that our book would be successful both in print and digital formats.

We don’t know if we will ever publish a #1 New York Times bestseller that has a significant impact on the cultural conversation but we know that what we are doing is helping us!

Embracing Neurodivergent Thought Processes in Collaborative Writing

Working with Nora on this writing project is teaching me a valuable lesson about embracing neurodivergent thought processes in collaborative writing. It’s easy to get frustrated when we don’t understand each other’s way of thinking or communicating, but that doesn’t mean that one way is better or more correct than the other. Instead, we should celebrate and embrace our differences, as they bring unique perspectives and strengths to the table.

I had to learn that Nora and I have different ways of processing information, and that’s okay. Nora’s mind works in a way that is incredibly focused on results, and that means that she’s always looking ahead to the next step. Her questions about shipping and printing were not a non-sequitur, but rather a necessary step in the process of writing a successful book. By working through her questions and concerns, we were able to identify potential challenges and create a plan that takes them into account.

This experience has taught me that we should trust each other’s thought process and be open to new and unconventional ideas. By doing so, we can expand our understanding of the world and discover new solutions to problems. Our neurodivergent thought processes may not always align with traditional thinking or frankly with each other’s particular neurosparkle, but they are still valid and valuable. In fact, they may be the key to unlocking new perspectives and approaches to writing and problem-solving.

As we continue on this writing journey together, I am excited to see how our different ways of thinking and communicating will shape our work and lead us to new discoveries. By embracing our own thought processes rather than trying to organize our thoughts, we can create something truly unique and impactful and let our message evolve naturally.