Be My Guest

Hello, I’m Marshall Mitchell. I’m the publisher at Write Now Publishing House, where perfect endings are just the beginning. I develop books and brands around intentional legacies. I enjoy thrifting the perfect mug and book, and currently live in Springfield, MO with my wife and young daughter. 

How do I fill my days? I speak, I write, I edit, I consult, and I collect more books than you.

What happened before that?

I was born at a very young age.

I started out editing books. Over time, that led to project management within a very small publishing house. I enjoyed book production, product photography, design, the creative process, branding, marketing, conferences, making long lists, and talking with interesting people on a regular basis.

A few years ago I left the publishing industry due to frustrations within the publishing house I was working for and within the industry itself. The thing is, I had most of the responsibility, but none of the authority to make the final decisions. I couldn’t give my all.

After I left, I did everything I could, but not publishing. Anything but editing. Anything but book production. Anything but helping authors build their brands.

I worked for a water treatment company on a frac pad.

I walked door to door for a couple months.

I was nearing the end of myself.

My new family was suffering.

On one occasion, as I walked door to door, the very door hanger that I was putting on doors was in a pile on the homeowner’s porch. There, not two feet from me, was a pile of the things that, ultimately, didn’t matter and wasn’t furthering anyone’s life.

The sum of my life that day was a pile of litter on an uncared-for porch.

I had walked down my last dead-end street.

I went home and made a list of people I could talk to about getting back into the thing that I knew—that I loved doing.

I texted a speaker I used to gopher for that I was back in editing and to see if he had any work or knew of anyone who did. I asked to meet.

Pat called me.

“Marshall, we don’t need to meet. I have confidence in you. This is in your blood. You’re already an expert and an authority on marketing. You got this.”

It was the shot in the arm I needed. I had been so down on myself that I was shortchanging my abilities, my present, and my future. I was focusing on only editing, but he raised the bar and told me to help authors.

He continued.

“I’m speaking next week. Come be my guest.”

I went to two of his speaking engagements the following week, and moment after moment unfolded that put me on the right track. The right timing led to multiple friend and business connections that would never have happened if I had never reached out to him and followed through with his invitation.

I started my own publishing house. I helped authors and brands establish themselves.

Fast forward a couple years.

I realized that there’s a lot of things in this life that I want to do, but that I can’t unless I change the way I live life.

I can’t care for my family, help authors, and right the wrongs unless I’m intentional about the legacy I build. What happens when I’m gone? More importantly, what happens between now and then?

So what do I do? I guide authors and brands toward intentional legacies. In this life, we build stepping stones or walk down dead-end streets.

Come be my guest.