Your Journey Could Inspire Someone Else
—Let’s Hear It

Hi! I’m Ruth Hetland. On November 16, 2024, I completed my first marathon—at age 58! While training, I searched for stories about runners like me—“everyday” women who’ve overcome challenges and kept going. I realized there aren’t enough of these stories out there, so I am partnering with Jessica Buchanan, bestselling author and founder of Soul Speak Press, to change that. We are looking for 10 women who are pushing themselves forward through running and want to inspire others by sharing their stories.

Please tell us a bit about your story and why this project caught your eye:

How did you learn about this project?

While we are looking for women who want to share their stories of navigating life’s toughest moments, finding strength, and hitting their stride, we are also looking for women who would like to learn more about the memoir writing process and publishing experience.


Please tell us a bit about your writing practice and your writing goals:

This anthology experience takes nearly 8 months to complete. We will have monthly group coaching calls and 2 one-on-one coaching calls with Jessica, as well as the time spent on writing your 5,000 word chapter. We aim to begin the project in fall 2025 with a projected publication in summer 2026.


Is this something that will fit into your schedule and lifestyle for the upcoming year?

So many women come to Jessica with incredible stories, but feel overwhelmed with how to start writing about it or what to do with it once it's written. Jessica offers support from the first word that gets written to the final stages of book promotion.

Is this something that could be of service to you?

• If yes, why?
• If not, why not?

Every part of this journey is intentional, well thought out and carefully implemented. Jessica's priorities when working with authors are that they feel safe with her, feel supported by the group, and have the opportunity to learn about memoir writing as well as heal some parts that may not have healed yet.

What is your purpose in sharing your story in this way?

Soul Speak Press is a non-traditional, boutique publishing house for women who have been through something, now they know something and can teach us something. This is not a "Chicken Soup for the Soul" type anthology! Like the Deserts to Mountaintops anthology series, Why We Run is a collection of beautifully crafted stories that is accompanied by a highly curated experience from developmental editing support to a day of filming for the book trailer. We consider this a "Masterclass in Memoir Writing" with a bestselling book as a final product. Each of these books takes Jessica's team an average of 1500 hours to put together so there is an initial investment required.


Before we hop on a call, we want to be sure you understand all the different components that are being offered to you:

• Writing and editing support by Jessica 
• Professional coaching individually and in group 
• Professional copy editing by Jessica's team 
• Author book copies available at wholesale prices 
• One day filming in Minnesota (exact location TBD) for the book trailer
  • *travel and accommodation are not included 
• Coaching and editing services for recording your audio book chapter 
• An opportunity to become a bestselling author 
• A community of women who are all working to share their stories and support each other


What level of budget are you willing to put towards your writing dreams?

We are committed to authentic story telling, supporting women, diversity in all facets, and we seek to use our own personal stories in the service of others. We are looking for women with different backgrounds, ethnicities, experiences, socioeconomic statuses, as well as overall beliefs and religions.


Does this sound good to you?

Are podcast interviews or other types of PR opportunities of interest to you?

Is there anything else you would like us to know before we meet?