Write for Self; Publish for Them
Episode #037
Guest Speaker ~ Charlie Gray
“I didn’t know how important writing was to me and how healing it was to me until I got about half way through the writing process. … I wasn’t able to verbalize; I wasn’t even able to conceptualize unless it was coming from my hand. That’s when the truth came out of me. When I put that pen to the paper, I was able to get it out without judging myself. It was coming through my arm and onto the paper and I would go back and read it. I learned, through writing the book, who I was.”
– Charlie Gray
“Listen, friends, I stopped the madness. The depravity. The shame and guilt. How? I started to forgive and nurture myself. To love and cherish the beautiful, perfectly imperfect man I am. For those who feel wrong, wasted, and useless, you are not. Take a gander at my stories, where you’ll find a skinny gay boy who couldn’t quit drinking. Until he did. It is possible, you are not hopeless. It took fifty-four million times before I was able to see the light, but I saw it, nonetheless. And you shall, too. This I know for sure. Let’s start your journey together, shall we?!” – Charlie Gray
No one claimed life was going to be easy. It’s a common understanding that we are all here, in this life, to learn and share our experiences to help others on their journey. Each of us has a role in the lives of others. As they say, “We are all walking each other home.”
Charlie Gray found sobriety on July 8, 2020. Between then and the summer of 2021, Charlie penned his memoir chronicling his journey of alcoholism and self-discovery. In July, he self-published At Least I’m Not The Frog: A Zany Memoir Of Alcoholism & Recovery. His memoir offers personal insights into the method and mind of a chronically relapsing alcoholic, and the transformation he has undergone to heal himself.
Our conversation begins with how writing saved his life. When he was sober, and put pen to paper, he was able to express the emotions he was unable to verbalize into words. There is something powerful that happens when we allow ourselves to be open, honest, and let the words to flow without hesitation or editing what we write next. In our journals, there is no audience. No one to impress. No one judging.
Listen to Charlie share what he did to empower himself to achieve his goal of reaching #1 New Release on Amazon in three categories: Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Twelve-Step Programs. As any self-published author will share, this is not an easy feat. No only does Charlie have a deep sense of compassion; he has the determination to heal.
Pour yourself a mug of hot herbal tea and enjoy listening our heartwarming conversation of hope, courage, and empowerment that is certain to inspire you to vocalize emotions through your written words.
Biography:
Charlie Gray is the best-selling author of At Least I’m Not The Frog: A Zany Memoir Of Alcoholism & Recovery. After 54 treatment facilities for alcoholism, across twelve states, four DUIs, three fractured vertebrae, and two stints in jail, he found sobriety and penned a memoir chronicling his journey of alcoholism and self-discovery. Follow his journey and read his blog at atleastimnotthefrog.com.
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Podcast music by Joseph McDade
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“I was very moved by his story and his advice to “write for you, publish for them” sums up writing for me in a nutshell!” – comment posted on social media.