Linda McHenry

Category: Check It Out

  • Insurance Career Mentoring & Coaching

    Insurance Career Mentoring & Coaching

    Insurance Mentoring & Coaching

    Why Work with Me?

    Do you think you might benefit from insurance mentoring & coaching? Would you like more clarity and support as you navigate the insurance industry? If so, you don’t have to face the journey alone.

    I provide practical mentoring and coaching to insurance professionals that helps them communicate clearly, serve clients better, and build sustainable success.

    You might be interested in my insurance mentoring & coaching services if:

    • You’re new to the industry and want to master its complexity
    • You simply want to elevate your expertise
    • You’d like a sounding board to help you face the challenges of agency ownership, someone who isn’t a competitor
    • You want to start your own agency and need guidance about the realities of independence

    I tailor each relationship based on the individual’s unique role, needs, and goals. We’ll focus on you and the situations you face; I’ll provide real-world experience based on my firsthand knowledge of the industry.

    Exclusive Content and Access to Mentoring Moments

    I also provide free content and services to those enrolled in my membership community. In addition to the public posts on my blog and my YouTube channel, I regularly upload exclusive content for my members. You’ll have access to articles, videos, how-tos, and information shared by other insurance professionals. Recent content includes What Do Clients Want?, Why Use a Client Intake Form?, and downloadable forms such as Client Confirmation of Coverage.

    For more information, check out the following video or visit the Membership page on my website. Once you join my membership community (there’s no cost for doing so), you’ll be taken to your Membership Dashboard. From there, you can access the exclusive content and request free mentoring services.

  • Craft Chat: The Place for Writer Collaboration

    Craft Chat: The Place for Writer Collaboration

    My Collaborative Framework

    I find more inspiration and motivation in writer collaboration than from any other pursuit. Are you one of those writers who agrees?

    Do you feel more in sync with other writers than with, oh, the people at work? Or your accountant? Do you find it easier to brainstorm with folks who don’t scoff at the ideas you come up with? Especially when those ideas might occasionally focus on topics such as the different ways one character can poison another?

    If so, consider joining my membership community and attending Craft Chat meetings. We:

    • Enjoy exchanging ideas and viewpoints
    • Strive to improve our skills and are open to different techniques
    • Work to become better storytellers and/or refine our writing styles and voices
    • Love the synergy of a small, intimate group

    Exclusive Content and Access to Craft Chat

    In addition to the regular posts on my blog, I post exclusive content for my members. For me, it really is all about writer collaboration. At the Craft of Writing level, you’ll find craft tips, videos, how-tos, and information shared by other writers. Recent posts include Birth Order Characteristics and Creating Character Profiles.

    You’ll also find downloadable forms, such as character profile templates. I upload new content on a regular basis, so keep checking back.

    Craft Chat: The Place for Writer Collaboration

    I offer access to monthly Craft Chat meetings to members of my community. They offer a casual but structured environment where  we chat about our craft, the challenges we face, and our continued progress. My hope is for each writer to connect with one or more other attendees, without pressure, to find what he or she needs.

    For more information, watch the quick video that appears above or check out the Membership page on my website. Once you join my membership community (there’s no cost to join), you’ll be taken to your Membership Dashboard. From there, you can access the exclusive content and register for Craft Chat.

  • Writer’s Block: Unsticking Yourself

    Writer’s Block: Unsticking Yourself

    I’ve found myself stuck on occasion–otherwise known as staring writer’s block in the face. I’ve tried lots of ways to unstick myself, thought I’d found the best, and just discovered the ultimate. Read on and be amazed…

    What being stuck looks like

    For me, writer’s block isn’t the inability to write; I can always write something. The block part comes when I can’t write something GOOD–otherwise known as brilliant, inspiring, or exactly the opposite of the boring, uninspiring trash I just wrote.

    Many years ago, a writer friend of mine (Nancy Harwood Bulk, who has since passed away), gave me some excellent advice. She said that if you hit a snag in your plotting, or you don’t know how your character should respond, make a list of options. And never use the first ten or twenty of them. Her take was that the first things that came to mind would also come to the mind of the reader and, therefore, were a death knell to good fiction.

    I’ve been using that advice for a long time. And, I’m sorry to say, it hasn’t helped me craft the opener my new book. (Which I’m pantsing, by the way. First time for everything.) In the past two weeks, I’ve rewritten the opener about eight times and changed the starting point as many times. I’m nearly bald from ripping my hair out.

    Image by luxstorm from Pixabay

    What getting unstuck looks like

    Because what we writers do when we hit a snag is conduct online research and become embroiled in procrastination, I began searching for creativity tips. Lo and behold, the creativity gods smiled and pointed me in the direction of my latest treasure. In turn, I’m sharing it with you.

    You’re welcome.

    After following this guy’s advice I completely turned around my block and have a TON of excellent ideas to work with … and already started putting them into action. I share the link three paragraphs down.

    My first go-to for any advice about writing is Writer’s Digest and it had some great articles. If you don’t already have a subscription, get one. The online version is much less expensive than the paper/mailed version. I get both.

    I stumbled across several by Jane Friedman, whom I love, which prompted me to visit her website. And that’s where I struck gold. FYI, I don’t know her, never met her, and am not being compensated in any way for this recommendation. She’s just too good not to share.

    Jason Keath wrote an article on her website in October of last year, which I obviously missed. Clearly, Karma knew I’d need it more now than I did then … and that you would too. Bad Ideas for More Creative Writing (https://janefriedman.com/3-bad-ideas-for-more-creative-writing/) contains three different tips:

    • The Bad Idea Method
    • Constraint Questions
    • The Fast & Ugly Draft

    The Bad Idea Method worked for me and is now my new go-to. How do you get unstuck? What do you think of Jason’s ideas?

  • What are Your Favorite Hobbies?

    What are Your Favorite Hobbies?

    If you were asking me the question,What are your favorite hobbies? I’d have a long list. At the top watercolor painting and crystals.

    I’m finding myself seeking something different from Social Media these days, something more in line with what matters to me. I know that sounds selfish (because it is) but maybe you feel the same way.

    Now that I’m semi-retired and able to spend more time doing what I love (writing fiction, watercolor painting, and crystals), I find that I prefer to “chat” with people who share the same interests. A flash of inspiration struck, so I’m now prompting conversations on these (and other interesting to me) topics on my blog over at https://lindamchenry.com/blog.

    Feel free to head over and join in the exchange! Some of the conversations appearing soon include:

    • What’s Your Favorite Type of Crystal/Gemstone? (posting at noon on Monday, 2/3)
    • Are You, or Someone You Know, a Highly Sensitive Person? (posting on Friday, 2/7)
    • Are You a Pantser, Plotter, or BOTH? (posting on Monday, 2/10)
    • Sometimes, Do You Just KNOW? (posting on Friday, 2/13)
  • Matt Medeiros Talks Content Marketing (Part 1)

    Matt Medeiros Talks Content Marketing (Part 1)

    If you’d rather watch a video than listen to a podcast, here’s Matt’s take about how you need to be sharing your business information. Matt talks about websites, blogging, podcasting, and creating video to help spread your brand.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vuGVvHXPzc