You know the conversation is going to be good when Cate sits down with Kate O’Donnell. In this episode, Cate and Kate discuss the creative process, the editing process, and the marketing process; what it’s like to produce deeper works in the midst of day-to-day work; and why their first books were so revolutionary.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How to write an Ayurveda book
• What are the biggest challenges in writing a book
• Deep work + Productivity

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• Kate’s facebook
• Kate’s website
• Be a coach
• Have a conversation
• Apply for Living Ayurveda
• Join October Yogidetox!

Show Highlights:

• Why their first books were so revolutionary.
• What it’s like to produce deeper works in the midst of day-to-day work.
• The creative process, the editing process, and the marketing process.
• What publishers look for in prospective authors.

Timestamps: 

• 0:45-3:50 – Kate talks about how people living in large cities often have trouble starting to cook for themselves and how she decided what her cookbooks needed to include in terms of Ayurveda. Cate explains how she never intended to write a book but felt like the information in Body Thrive was needed by the general public.
• 3:50-9:30 – Cate and Kate discuss why their first books were so revolutionary.
• 9:30-16:15 – Producing deeper work like books in the midst of day-to-day work.
• 16:15-21:20 – Cate and Kate discuss the editing process in light of Ayurveda and yoga philosophy.
• 25:50-27:55 – Cate and Kate continue to discuss the editing process.
• 27:55-33:15 – Cate and Kate discuss how the ego can get in the way of getting your ideas out there and why the promotion and marketing of your product is just as important as creating the product.
• 33:16-37:20 – Cate talks about the identity evolution that goes along with releasing any major work out into the world.
• 37:21-40:00 – Kate and Cate discuss considerations in book publishing, including whether or not you’ve already cultivated an audience and/or whether there’s an audience out there that is already tuned in to what you have to say.
• 42:20-46:05 – The importance of achieving “10,000 hours” or mastery of a subject before publishing a work on that subject, AND how to know if you’re capable of effectively relaying your information to others.
• 46:08-49:58 – Putting in the time. Letting go of attachment to the outcome.
• 49:58-52:04 – Closing thoughts. When Cate’s and Kate’s next books are coming out.

Favorite Quotes:

• “The whole thing is in service of the reader. That’s something that bothers me about people who don’t have the patience to edit their work ‘cause they’re all about that creative energy, and it’s like the glamorous and fun part. But if you don’t do nose-to-grindstone and make the matter to the reader, then it’s just for you. It’s for the writer.” — Kate O’Donnell
• “You run that risk in publishing something. You run the risk of putting yourself out there and being wrong – having something set down in stone and in that print, and then you might look back in five years and be like, ‘Yeah, I don’t really think that’s right anymore.’” — Kate O’Donnell
• “I never know if a book is awesome or not until it’s making sense to readers.” — Kate O’Donnell

Guest BIO: 

Kate O’Donnell is an author, lecturer, and senior yoga teacher. She is the author of three Shambhala books, the forthcoming Everyday Ayurveda Guide to Self-Care; The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook, and Everyday Ayurveda Cooking for a Calm, Clear Mind: 100 Sattvic Recipes. An Ayurvedic Practitioner and Ashtanga yoga teacher, Kate is on faculty for Kripalu School of Ayurveda and Boston Ayurveda School. She travels to India annually for study and teaches internationally. Connect with Kate on her website and facebook page.