I can joke and say anyone who’s ever had a past or wants a great future, but it is really for anyone struggling to get on with their life and feels ready to shed their old baggage once and for all so they can finally move on.
Melanie Smith – 8 August 2023
The Back Flap
Melanie Smith knows from experience how complex and immovable grief and trauma can feel. She used that experience to fuel her research into the issues of trauma, loss, and finding happiness, which led to the creation of Unfinished Business—an eight-step, actionable process that will help you overcome the emotional wounds, limiting beliefs, unconscious habits, and misalignment that have held you back from succeeding in love, relationships, business, finance, and health.
Grounded in a scientifically supported and solution-based methodology, this system has already transformed people’s lives globally through her one-on-one and group coaching sessions; now Melanie has put it on the page so everyone can access it and change their lives once and for all. With her guidance, you will clear out the heartbreak, trauma, and grief of your past and make space for joy, hope, and possibility—giving you the self-awareness, clarity of vision, and courage to create the purpose-filled life that was meant for you.
About the book
What is the book about?
I suppose you would say it’s a combination of my own personal “traum-ology” and the IP I have created to move myself and others from a sense of overwhelm, heartbreak, and self-misunderstanding into a place of peace, emotional neutrality, self-clarity, and courage so we can all create the life we’ve dreamed of living. In short, Unfinished Business: 8 weeks to Heal Your Trauma, Transcend Your Past and Transform Your Future is an eight-step, actionable process that will help readers uncover the story of their life from the perspective of heartbreaks, emotional wounds, limiting beliefs, old patterns, and unconscious habits. The process the book guides the reader through will help them to examine who their models and influencers were and are, as well as the relationships in their life that remain unresolved and incomplete. They will also learn to heal past traumas, forgive, and overcome long-held beliefs, patterns of behavior, negative self-talk, self-judgment, and misalignment that have held them back from succeeding in love, relationships, business, finance, and health. They will come to know themselves at the deepest level, experience clarity of vision, and find complete self-awareness. The book is grounded in a scientifically supported and solution-based methodology and has already transformed my clients’ lives globally through my one-on-one and group coaching sessions and programs.
When did you start writing the book?
It started as a workbook that I used for webinars beginning in 2017 but I didn’t start on the book itself until the end of 2019.
How long did it take you to write it?
Approximately two and a half to three years.
Where did you get the idea from?
I started developing this IP nearly 30 years ago to deal with my own trauma and loss issues. However, it has evolved greatly over the years through many channels of study, practicum, and thousands of hours of one on one and group work that has supported its success.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Yes, writing a book in general is hard work. Especially if you want it to be impactful, compassionate, and inspiring. But for a book like mine, it must also be translatable into a process that can be completed without me in the room. That’s hard! But I loved it!
What came easily?
The tone came easily. And the words. The structure and the organization of the material were a bear.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I adore the English language and I love to read. So much so that when I was a kid I would come home from school, lay on the floor, and read the Encyclopedia Britannica for hours. I still dream of getting a full set for my birthday someday. In my home I have several custom-built bookcases, and they are filled to the brim, or brink if you will, with books of every genre. All of which I have read. Most, more than once. That’s a lot of books. I am dyslexic so I am a slow reader, but I live for knowledge. I read everything and everyone and their words show up in my soul and then on the page.
The book I keep by my bed is The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
Do you have a target reader?
I can joke and say anyone who’s ever had a past or wants a great future, but it is really for anyone struggling to get on with their life and feels ready to shed their old baggage once and for all so they can finally move on. My clients tend to be of all ages, but they are all inspired by and deeply desire growth, change, and success in all areas of life.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I sit down. I tell everyone to leave me alone. I come out 8 hours later. Rinse and repeat.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I think when you are dealing with a proven process or a program like mine an outline is intrinsically built in. My process was certainly my scaffolding, but the rest came from a sense of what my readers might need based on what my one-on-one clients experienced with this work when they were in session with me.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
Both.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
If anything, classical at a low volume.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I decided early on that I did not want an agent. I have been approached by agents in the past that I liked very much, but I wanted to keep this grassroots. It’s deeply personal and passionate work for me and I didn’t want anyone changing it or trying to make it into something it is not inherently meant to be.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher?
I spoke to several traditional publishers who wanted the book. However, there seemed to be a great deal of conversation about marketing and budling big platforms. This work is truly about healing hearts and souls not growing platform numbers. I mean absolutely no disrespect, but this book needed to have very clear energetic intentions.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
My publishing company co-created it with me. I used their brilliant graphic artist; Elke Barter and it is beautiful! I’m very proud of it!
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I hired Booksparks to wade me through those waters. I love them because they have worked with some very soulful books like Glennon Doyle’s Love Warrior.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
It’s an enormous undertaking so be extremely clear why you’re doing it and what you want your outcome to be. The deeper the “why” the greater the outcome. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help from people who have gone before you. As far as the Indie route; you have to be willing to get involved and to know exactly what you want. Also, if you want to have real ownership you should consider the hybrid model. I am not referring to vanity publishing. True hybrids vet as intensely as traditional publishers so you know they are very serious about who they take on as authors, and because most of the founders of hybrid publishers come from traditional publishing they tend to have a stable of incredible talent on staff. Also, the costs are honestly and equally split and there is a fair balance. The upside is also balanced, unlike traditional publishers who typically own 80%-90% of your book, often in perpetuity. Of course, everyone’s deal is different so you need to do the research and the math yourself to be able to decide what is right for you. Lastly, I would advise against vanity publishing as they will typically take anyone who can afford their prices, and the recoup is unrealistic unless you have a huge corporate or public following.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Scranton, PA
Where do you live now?
I split my time between New Hope PA. and Naples Fl.
What would you like readers to know about you?
That I have been through it too. This is not a book based only on my years of study and practice, although that aspect is important too. But this work is built on my emotional blood, sweat, and many, many tears. I love this work because I deeply love helping people heal, and I also know what we are all capable of. What we deserve because we are human and alive at this moment. If this book helps even one person free themselves from heartache, trauma, or an unresolved past, then I have succeeded. Truly.
What are you working on now?
I release my jazz LP in early 2024. I am also co-developing and producing a limited series for television based on the life and death of one of the greatest female illustrators of our time. So, I’m keeping myself busy!
End of Interview:
Get your copy of Unfinished Business from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
