BRINGING OUR BOOK HOME

BOOK DELIVERY FRAMEWORK
Working Title: Modern Leadership(Alternate: Collective Leadership / Collaborative Leadership — final title TBD)

This page outlines exactly what each author (and I) need to deliver for the first full draft submission to the editor.

Deadline: Sunday, 5:00 PM PST
This is a delivery draft, not a perfection draft. Honest, embodied, and complete matters more than polished.

THE SHAPE OF THE BOOK (HIGH-LEVEL)

1. Opening from Adera – Why Leadership Now
2. Introduction of Each Author (short profiles 150-250 words) - by Adera
3. Part I: Individual Leadership Stories (one chapter per woman)
4. Part II: The Spheres of Modern / Collective Leadership (co-led chapters)
5. Short Interstitial Sections (tools, practices, values, NVC, etc.) spread throughout the book potentially 
6. Part III: The Workbook (reader reflection + team application)

This book models collaborative leadership by how it is written — voices in conversation, not hierarchy.

PART I: YOUR INDIVIDUAL CHAPTER
Your Leadership Story – Draft One Word Count: 1,200–1,500 words
Think of this as a first telling, not final polish.
Writing Prompts (use what resonates)
You do not need to answer all of these. Let them guide you.

1. Your Leadership Origin

• When did you first realize you were a leader (even if you didn’t call it that yet)?
• What moments shaped your relationship with leadership — positively or painfully?

2. Leadership Through Your Lens

• What does leadership mean to you now?
• What values do you refuse to compromise when you lead?
• How do you choose to show up when it’s uncomfortable, uncertain, or unseen?

3. The Evolution

• How has your understanding of leadership changed over time?
• What have you unlearned?
• What old models no longer fit who you are becoming?

4. The Future You’re Walking Toward

• What kind of leader are you consciously choosing to be now?
• What change do you want to help create — in your work, community, or the world?
• What feels possible in leadership that didn’t before?

5. Why This Matters to the Reader

• What do you hope the reader feels, questions, or claims for themselves through your story?
• If they take one truth or permission from you, what do you want it to be?

AND HOPEFULLY IT LEADS INTO YOUR SPHERE. 

PART II: THE SPHERES OF MODERN / COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP
Each sphere is co-created.
Structure for Every Sphere Chapter
Total Word Count: 1,500–2,000 words
Each sphere chapter should include:

1. Opening Context – why this sphere matters now
2. The Light Side – when this sphere is embodied well
3. The Shadow / Tension – when it’s avoided, misused, or distorted
4. Lived Leadership – real examples, not theory
5. Invitations – questions or reflections for the reader

The Sphere Lead writes the core narrative and invites short contributions (200–400 words) from other authors who feel called. Please reach out to each author to see who would like to contribute.

SPHERE 1 - MAGGIE

Self-Leadership: Inner Authority
Before Outer Influence
​Lead: Maggie
Inner work, integrity, courage, accountability, alignment
Focus:

• The light: self-awareness, regulation, congruence
• The shadow: self-betrayal, burnout, external validation

SPHERE 3 - CHERI

Power: Responsibility, Not Entitlement
​Lead: Cheri
Impact, privilege, stewardship, ethical influence
Focus:

• The light: conscious power, humility, responsibility
• The shadow: avoidance, misuse, unconscious or conscious harm

SPHERE 5-TERESA

Collaboration: Shared Leadership in Practice
​Lead: Teresa
Co-creation, shared ownership, dialogue, collective intelligence
Focus:

• The light: partnership, co-leadership, shared responsibility
• The shadow: ego, silos, competition, performative collaboration

SPHERE 2- ASHLI 

Trust: The Currency That Connects Us
​Lead: Ashli
Psychological safety, listening, consistency, transparency
Focus:

• The light: collaboration, safety, relational power
• The shadow: control, mistrust, silence

SPHERE 4 - JEANNETTE

Momentum / Direction: Collective Movement
​Lead: Jeannette
Vision, clarity, adaptability, shared movement
Focus:

• The light: alignment, momentum, belief-in-motion
• The shadow: chaos, stagnation, misalignment

SPHERE 6 - DONNA

Legacy: What We Leave in People
​Lead: Donna
Culture, mentorship, values, long-term impact
Focus:

• The light: continuity, stewardship, ripple effects
• The shadow: short-term wins, extraction, leadership without succession

​

MICRO SECTIONS 

1. MICRO-SECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE BOOK
   
2. Short, practical inserts (300–600 words total across the book):
3. Values in action
4. Nonviolent Communication
5. Regulation & nervous system awareness
6. Language shifts that change leadership culture
7. These may appear between chapters or inside sphere sections.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

 (OPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS)
​If you answered 3 or more of these already — perfect. These may live in sphere chapters, micro-sections, or the workbook.
Themes include:

• Influence vs. control
• Inner authority & belief
• Authenticity & visibility
• Energy & frequency
• Courage & being seen
• Vision & collective buy-in

PART III: THE WORKBOOK (LED BY ADERA)

This final section helps readers:

• Reflect personally
• Apply insights with their teams
• Use the book as a living leadership tool

Includes:

• Individual reflection questions
• Team discussion prompts
• Values clarification exercises

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUBMIT BY SUNDAY 5 PM PST
​Every Author:

• ✅ Your individual chapter (1,200–1,500 words)
• ✅ Optional: short contributions to other spheres if invited

Sphere Leads:

• ✅ Draft sphere chapter (1,500–2,000 words)
• ✅ Clearly mark where other voices are included

Adera:

• Opening chapter
• Author introductions
• Sphere framework intro
• Personal chapter
• Workbook draft

AUTHOR BIOS

AUTHOR BIOS (END OF BOOK)
Each author will include a short professional bio at the end of the book.
Length: 120–150 words max
Purpose:

• Ground the voice the reader has just met
• Offer context and credibility
• Invite continued connection (without selling)

Suggested Structure:

• Who you are + how you lead / serve
• What you are most known for or committed to
• A line that feels human and true (not a résumé)

Headshots and links will be gathered later — not required for this draft.
And please list any books that inspired you or any quotes etc. you might have pulled from

Fifth Writing Session 

Meet Ryan our Editor! And here are the Spheres and my thoughts on who leads what: 

1. Self – inner work - Maggie 
2. Trust – relational work - Ashli 
3. Power – systemic reality - Cheri 
4. Momentum – collective movement - Jeannette 
5. Collaboration – shared leadership - Teresa 
6. Legacy – future impact - Donna 

That arc mirrors:

• personal → interpersonal → structural → societal
• awareness → action → sustainability

Fourth Writing Session 

The 5 Leadership Buckets (Formal + Informal, Power-Aware, Bridge-Building)

​1️⃣ Self-Leadership: Inner Authority Before Outer InfluenceHow we lead ourselves sets the ceiling for how we lead others.
This bucket applies to everyone, regardless of title.
Includes:

• self-awareness
• emotional regulation
• integrity
• courage
• accountability
• alignment between values and actions

Why this bridges the gap:
Informal leaders gain legitimacy here.
Formal leaders regain credibility here.
This bucket says: Leadership starts inside — not in a role.

2️⃣ Trust: The Currency That Connects UsWithout trust, leadership becomes control. With trust, it becomes collaboration.
Includes:

• psychological safety
• consistency
• listening
• transparency
• reliability
• respect

Why this bridges the gap:
Trust allows people to work together across power differences.
It’s how influence flows upward, sideways, and outward — not just downward.
This bucket reframes leadership as relational, not positional.

3️⃣ Power: Responsibility, Not EntitlementPower is always present — the question is how consciously we hold it.
Includes:

• decision-making
• awareness of impact
• privilege and responsibility
• humility
• ethical influence
• stewardship

Why this bridges the gap:
This bucket names power without villainizing it.
It gives:

• formal leaders language to lead responsibly
• informal leaders permission to name influence they already hold

It shifts the conversation from “who has power” to “how power is used.”
This is where real leadership maturity lives.

4️⃣ Direction: Creating Shared MovementLeadership gives people a sense of where we’re going — and why it matters.
Includes:

• vision
• clarity
• decision-making in uncertainty
• prioritization
• momentum
• adaptability

Why this bridges the gap:
Direction is what aligns people across roles, titles, and perspectives.
Entrepreneurs bring courage and speed here.
Formal leaders bring structure and continuity.
This bucket answers: How do we move forward together?

5️⃣ Culture & Legacy: What We Leave in PeopleLeadership is measured by what continues when we step back.
Includes:

• culture
• modeling values
• mentorship
• inclusion
• norms and systems
• ripple effects

Why this bridges the gap:
This bucket lifts the conversation beyond individual success.

For Trust:

• When did trust change the outcome of a situation — for better or worse?
  
• How have you earned trust without authority?
  
• What breaks trust fastest in leadership?
  

For Power:

• Where do you hold power — even if you didn’t choose it?
  
• How have you misused, avoided, or reclaimed power?
  
• What responsibility came with influence you didn’t expect?
  

Third Writing Session 

Today’s goal was to answer at least 3 of these questions. 

1. Influence, Not Control

• How do you invite people into a vision rather than convince them?
• What shifts when leadership becomes about inspiration instead of persuasion?
• What is the cost of trying to lead through force, urgency, or pressure?

2. Belief & Inner Authority

• What do you have to believe about yourself in order to lead others?
• Where did your sense of inner authority come from — and how was it shaped?
• How do you strengthen your belief when doubt or fear shows up?

3. Authenticity & Visibility

• What parts of yourself did you once hide in order to be “acceptable” as a leader?
• How did revealing more of your true self change the way people responded to you?
• What does authentic leadership look like in real life — not on a stage or a quote card?

4. Frequency & Energy

• How would you describe the “frequency” you bring into a room?
• How does your energy impact trust, safety, and momentum?
• What practices help you regulate and raise your frequency as a leader?

5. Courage & Being Seen

• What are people actually afraid of when it comes to being visible?
• What did it cost you to hide — and what did it give you to be seen?
• How do you lead others through fear by modeling courage yourself?

6. Vision & Collective Buy-In

• What makes a vision compelling enough for others to commit to?
• How do you communicate why something matters, not just what needs to be done?
• When have you seen alignment create effortless momentum?

Second Writing Session 

First Writing Session 

As we begin our writing journey together, I’d love for our first session to start where leadership truly lives — inside your lived experience.
This book is not about “how leadership should look.” It’s about how it has lived through you, how it has shaped you, and how you are choosing to carry it forward in a new way.

For our first writing session, I invite you to begin with your own leadership story — told from your perspective, in your voice, grounded in truth rather than perfection.

​Your Chapter (Draft One)

• Word count: 1,200–1,500 words
• Think of this as a first telling, not a final polish.

Writing Prompts (use what resonates)You do not need to answer all of these — let them guide you.
1. Your Leadership Origin

• When did you first realize you were a leader (even if you didn’t call it that yet)?
• What moments shaped your relationship with leadership — positively or painfully?

2. Leadership Through Your Lens

• What does leadership mean to you now?
• What values do you refuse to compromise when you lead?
• How do you choose to show up when it’s uncomfortable, uncertain, or unseen?

3. The Evolution

• How has your understanding of leadership changed over time?
• What have you unlearned?
• What old models no longer fit who you are becoming?

4. The Future You’re Walking Toward

• What kind of leader are you consciously choosing to be now?
• What change do you want to be part of creating — in your work, your community, or the world?
• What feels possible in leadership that didn’t before?

5. Why This Matters to the Reader

• What do you hope the reader feels, questions, or claims for themselves through your story?
• If they could take one truth or permission from you, what would you want it to be?

Write as if you are speaking to one person who needs this chapter more than they realize.
We will refine, shape, and deepen together.
This is simply the beginning — and it’s meant to be honest, alive, and yours.
I’m so honoured to be creating this with you.

Chapter Length Recommendation for your individual story:

• 1,200–1,500 words per woman
  • Long enough to be meaningful
  • Short enough to stay focused and embodied
• This usually equals 4–6 printed pages

PS: I have drafted up this google doc with my first thoughts of how we’ll shape our book if you want to see and you’re also welcome to add too!! 

With so much respect and excitement,
Adera

Author Meet and Greet

Be Part of a Movement that Inspires Change

​This isn’t just a book — it’s a movement of purpose-driven women entrepreneurs who are using their voices, their stories, and their leadership to light the way for a better world.

Join Adera and nine extraordinary women as we co-create Light Up, a professionally published book and live speaking experience designed to amplify your message, elevate your brand, and ignite your purpose.

What you Receive:

Your Published Chapter

• A professionally edited 2,000+ word chapter featuring your business and personal story.
• Full author rights and your own Amazon Author Page. 
• Inclusion in the international launch and promotion campaign.

​Guided Writing Experience

• Four live writing calls to help you structure, write, and polish your story.
• Expert feedback to ensure your message connects and inspires.
• Professional Editing, Interior and Exterior Book Design 

Mainstage Speaking Opportunity

• A 10-minute talk at the Light Up International Women’s Day event (date TBD) where your book will be given to all the participants. 
• Professional video recording of your talk to use for marketing and your website.
• Opportunity to upgrade to a custom Speaker Reel package for even greater visibility.

Visibility & Promotion

• Collaborative social media and press promotion during the book launch.
• Highlighted author features across multiple platforms.
• A built-in network of purpose-driven women supporting each other’s growth.
  
• BONUS ACCESS to the LUM Membership until April 1st 2026 if you're not already a member. ($830 added value). 

Investment$2,500 CAD
or 5 payments of $500
Includes all writing, editing, design, publishing, video and marketing support.


Why Join Light Up
You have a story that can spark change — in your business, your community, and beyond.

By joining Light Up, you’ll:

• Become a published author and featured speaker.
• Build credibility and visibility around your brand.
• Connect with other mission-driven women entrepreneurs.
• Share your light to inspire others to follow their purpose.

Who This Is For
This experience is for women who:

• Lead or own a purpose-driven business.
• Want to use storytelling and visibility to grow their impact.
• Believe that success means making a difference.

If you’ve felt the pull to share your story — this is your invitation.

🌟 Join Light Up
Be one of 9 featured authors in Light Up: How Women Entrepreneurs Are Leading the Way to a Better World. (title and book cover not exactly finalized but along these lines). 

Together, we’ll write, speak, and shine a light on what’s possible when women lead with purpose.
👉 Apply now or book a call with Adera to learn more.