Hello everybody,
This is how my client went Viral on TikTok, got signed to a super cool book publisher, Pluto Press, who have released “rebellious non-fiction books since 1969.”
And got interviewed on Fox 8 News Now.
Rayelle is a therapist from Appalachia.
She is doing her PhD. She wrote a fascinating dissertation on America being the Narcissistic Mother to Appalachia.
Her Professors thought she was onto something.
In the dissertation, she talked about toxic individualism and colonisation as generational trauma. She talked about the psychological damage of the Hillbilly Stereotype.
It’s mind-blowing work
The Curse of Knowledge
“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see” — Arthur Schopenhauer
The curse of knowledge is seeing things others can’t see. If they can’t see it, it misses the target.
We need to simplify our ideas.
Like all my clients, Rayelle is a smart cookie. The trouble with being a smart cookie is our ideas or work is often too complex for a 90-second TikTok or IG Reel.
Sadly, it’s hard to create a buzz in our long-form work without short-form social media.
I was immediately struck by Rayelle’s work
But it was complex. How do we simplify a dissertation exploring cultural trauma into short-form video content?
We spent the six sessions diluting and distilling it down further and further.
It was not easy work.
At the end of the 6 sessions, I wasn’t sure whether we had nailed it or not.
But it worked.
And full credit goes to Rayelle for doing so.
She put out this video on TikTok in Nov 2024. It went viral with 50k views.
Pluto Press Publishers reached out to her.
Her book was launched in June; she was invited onto Fox 8 News Now to discuss her work.
This is the power of sharing contrarian, rebellious ideas that reshape the cultural lens for those who connect with these ideas.
Writing a book is psychological warfare—the self-doubt, the perfectionism and dealing with the inner critic and creative ego.
I haven't been able to do that so far. Rayelle deserves huge credit for having the courage to put herself out there and share ideas that matter.
To learn more about Rayelle’s work, you can check out “ Money in the Mountains” and see why she has 4.8/5 stars on Amazon.
