Don't Wait to Share Your Message

Episode 282 | Release Date: September 10, 2025

Quick Summary

In this episode, Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach, explores how we can share our ideas and messages immediately through digital platforms rather than waiting for traditional publishing timelines. Learn why starting small today can make a bigger impact than waiting for the "perfect" long-form project to be complete.

In This Episode You'll Discover:

How digital publishing has transformed our ability to share ideas globally
Why waiting to complete a book means delaying your impact on readers
Practical ways to repurpose book content for immediate publication
How to overcome algorithm anxiety and focus on genuine connection
The value of reaching even a small audience with your message

Key Moments:

[00:00] - Introduction: From farm life to digital publishing
[03:15] - The Jetsons-like reality of modern publishing tools
[06:30] - The lengthy timeline of traditional book publishing
[09:45] - Creative ways to repurpose book content for immediate sharing
[12:30] - Overcoming algorithm anxiety and focusing on real connections
[15:45] - Why even reaching a few people matters
[18:20] - Practical first steps to start sharing your message today

Memorable Quotes:"Someone out there needs exactly what you have to share—and they need it today.""Your message going out means you're intersecting with readers and potentially changing lives.""That chapter you're polishing for your book proposal? You probably have several subsections. Pick one and modify it to become a LinkedIn post."Resources Mentioned:

annkroeker.com/ypm

Connect & Continue the Conversation:

Email me: annkroeker.com/contact
Explore all my offerings, both free and paid: annkroeker.com/everything
Get free coaching in your inbox: annkroeker.com/connect

I grew up on a farm before email, before social media, before any Internet existed for the general public. We had phones, of course. We had walkie-talkies. But we didn’t have Instagram or websites.

If you traveled back in time and told young Ann (I was “Annie” back then) that at the click of a button—from the palm of my hand—I’d be able to write something that would be available to people anywhere in the world, I wouldn’t have believed you.

I would have laughed, thinking you were teasing me. “Come on,” I would have said, “that’s like something out of The Jetsons.”

Publish from the Palm of Your Hand

Yet here we are, with publishing and distribution platforms literally in the palms of our hands. From your phone or a laptop, you can write something, click publish, and it’s live as an update on social media, a blog post on your website, a newsletter via email.

Anyone in the entire world can read it.

That really is like something out of The Jetsons.

Have you stopped to think how fast and easy it is to write and send a message into the world from your computer or phone—how it flies through the ether and into a follower’s feed or a subscriber’s inbox? The immediacy is mind-boggling.

The Power of Publishing Now

If you're working on a long-form project like a nonfiction book, you’re writing for a reader whose life you hope to impact, whether through a major transformation or a subtle shift in perspective. It takes a long time to complete a polished version of those 50,000+ words, ready for publication. When you seek traditional publication, you pitch agents in hopes of an offer.

All that work and waiting, and not one word has been read by your intended audience.

Let’s say you finally sign a book contract today. After all that time, your message still won't reach that reader for another year-and-a-half to two years.

That's a long time before your words finally reach your readers.

Why wait when you have Jetsons-like gadgets on hand? Why not start making a difference in your readers’ lives right away? Your full manuscript may still be in progress, but your message can begin changing lives today:

Blog posts and Substack newsletters let you do a deep dive into your concepts for readers to ponder
Social media posts allow you to test ideas and connect directly with your audience
Podcast appearances help you reach listeners who might never discover your book
Online publications can feature your expertise to established audiences

That chapter you're polishing for your book proposal? You probably have several subsections. Pick one and modify it to become a LinkedIn post.

The research you’ve done to support your main argument? Some could become an infographic for Instagram.

The personal story illustrating your message? Share it on your Substack.

Deliver value now while building anticipation for your completed book that will launch later. You even test your ideas to find what resonates most and strengthen your draft.

But the Algorithm…

If you’re thinking social media algorithms will throttle your reach, try to relax and have a little fun. Imagine how your post might reach a few of your ideal readers and make them think, laugh, feel something.

Remember to be social on social media: Like other people’s content. Leave a comment. Share their posts. Worry less about the algorithm and be social with people you care about.

When you focus on creating helpful content and engaging with others, you connect directly with the people who need your message most.

Sure, maybe fewer people interact with your Instagram carousel post than they used to. Maybe “social media” seems more performative and less “real,” maybe the algorithm change really did show your work to fewer people, but even a few views means you brushed against each other virtually. An interaction in the DMs can be two people chatting and not just an