more than a calling card but not your whole calling,
your book is YELLOW on the Clarity Spectrum.
here's what that means.
You want to build trust with new audiences through resonant storytelling and lived experience.
This book helps people feel seen and connected to you through the power of story.
Meet the
Magnetic Connection
A Magnetic Connection book moves beyond teaching or advice, instead tapping into our deepest human instinct: to feel seen and connected.
These books tell your story in a way that makes readers feel like you’re telling theirs. As they recognize their own journeys mirrored within yours, genuine trust begins to build.
You don't have to instruct explicitly, and you definitely don't have to lecture. Your honest, lived experience is more than enough to draw readers in. The emotional resonance that your vulnerability creates becomes that magnetic pull.
If your deepest hope is for readers to feel less alone, or if you believe your story proves that change is possible, you’re holding the seeds of a Magnetic Connection.
Your story itself is all the reason readers need to keep listening, keep connecting, and ultimately, keep moving forward with you. When they close your book feeling understood—and like they understand you—they won’t want to let go.
how a magnetic connection book takes shape
start with:
a genuine, lived experience that shaped who you are today. (bonus points for vulnerability and a sense that your story isn't finished yet.)
layer in:
enough awareness of the wider human journey to resonate with readers as if your story were their own—no lectures or lessons required.
build toward:
connection-based trust that opens the door to the deeper conversations, community, or work you want readers to explore next.
how to spot a
magnetic connection
On the page, you might see...
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Emotional honesty that doesn't shy away from complexity or uncertainty
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Reflective narratives rather than prescriptive frameworks
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Moments of vulnerability that quietly invite readers closer
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Gentle mirrors to the reader's own experiences and feelings
Off the page, the author might be…
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Known (or quickly becoming known) for authenticity, vulnerability, or empathy
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Comfortable sharing openly—not just the polished moments, but the messy and unfinished ones too
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Engaging a community or creating shared experiences
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Found in conversations that help others feel heard, validated, and understood before ever mentioning structured solutions
When you're reading, the book might feel like...
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A conversation with a friend who really gets it
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Relief at finding words for something you couldn’t articulate yourself
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Emotional resonance that pulls you gently forward, page by page
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An unspoken invitation to trust, to relate, and eventually, to connect
3 shapes a magnetic connection book can take
pure
magnetic connection
relays deeply personal, lived experiences in a way that helps readers feel more seen and less alone​​​​
I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy
magnetic connection
with a solution layer
leads with connection, then opens the door to the ideas, tools, or practices that helped the author grow.
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Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
magnetic connection
with a perspective twist
gently shifts assumptions through empathetic relatability and personal storytelling.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
what you need to know about writing a magnetic connection
A Magnetic Connection book has its own specific needs, pitfalls, and expectations. Here's what you can look for along the way.
You'll need: A willingness to share your story before you’ve tied it up with a bow.
You can expect: Readers who want you to be real, in a way that few other spaces allow.
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You'll need: Trust that emotional resonance is its own form of impact.
You can expect: Moments of doubt about “not being helpful enough.” Showing up fully helps readers feel seen, which does more than any how-to steps ever could.
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You'll need: Intentional vulnerability—go deep enough to resonate, but stay safe enough to sustain.
You can expect: To be asked for more: more honesty, more story, more of you. Set your boundaries early.
You'll need: A sense of where you want this connection to lead (newsletter, community, conversation).
You can expect: Readers who want to stay close. Be ready to invite them into something deeper.
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​Watch out for…
Mistaking detail for depth. Listing out things that happened won't resonate as much as we think it does. Readers relate when they know how it felt—not just what you did.
Oversharing without grounding. Vulnerability is powerful, but only when it’s purposeful. Don't trauma-dump unprocessed experiences. Your reader is not your therapist.
Forgetting about the reader entirely. Yes, it’s your story—but if you forget who’s listening, the connection breaks. Remember that you're meeting a real person with your real story. What do they need to hear most?
try this magnetic connection 5 Minute Outline
1. What is your reader feeling, facing, or questioning right now that mirrors what you’ve been through?​
2. What themes—relationships, internal tensions, choices, influences—shaped the story that you're sharing?​
3. What moment or experience changed something in you—and might change something in your reader, too?​
4. What would it mean for your reader to feel fully seen in this experience?
5. After "that something" changed in you, what other changes followed? (Tell the whole truth!)
What's Next?
Whatever book you’re building, it’s easy to overthink the next step. Or any step. All of the steps. It happens.
Here’s the simplest way to stay connected to what matters most. Simply—and frequently—ask yourself:
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How does this book fit into my larger work in the world?
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What would help my reader most in this moment?
These two questions will keep you aligned every time you start to second-guess.
And when you’re ready for deeper support, here are two more ways to keep moving at your pace, in your way.
Get Free Weekly Coaching
Subscribe to B is for Book Coach on Substack for weekly guidance created for authors like you—nonfiction writers and non-writers crafting books with meaning and heart.
Every Monday, you'll get a short episode that you can listen to via podcast or read right in your inbox. Behind the scenes insight, grounded prompts, and steady encouragement as you find your way forward.
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Get Unstuck Right Now
Need traction faster? Book a One Hour Clarity Session to identify your next right step and the support you'll need to take it.
Whether it’s an idea you’re circling, a draft that feels messy, or a process that’s stalled, this space is ready for you. No prep required. No pre-reqs to hit. I'll meet wherever you are and move your book forward with practical clarity.
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​​Remember that you’re writing toward something bigger than a $24.99 sale.
Remember that you’re offering the reader something more than a few hours of escape.
You’re building a bridge between your truth and theirs.
Be kind to both of you (author and reader) as you bring that vision to life.
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You already are the magic.
I’ll be here when you’re ready to bring that magic to the page.
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