Corey’s Story Journey: Hanging a Picture Frame Around Your Life
January 22, 2010
When I started working with Annie Hart and Katie Gutierrez Painter on my book, I really had no idea where it was headed, or how it would all come together. In fact, like so many of my own clients, I often felt lost throughout this process.
Over the last eight months the three of us got together weekly and Annie pulled out my most poignant business, creative, and personal stories so that Katie could document them. But remaining objective was something I have not been able to do well. My view of my life is infinite, it has no edges, and yet, we have to put a frame around my stories to build the book. We have to give the stories context.
A short lesson on context. One thing I have learned through working with so many books is that readers, as they read, are constantly pulling information, ideas and lessons from what they are reading and are subconsciously filing them in their brain as they travel down the page. If an author fails to provide their reader with enough context, files quickly get backed up and create clutter as the brain slows down and tries to determine how to categorize them. For most readers, a single uncategorizable file can knock the reading experience off course. I call this a roadblock.
The brain starts directing extra focus towards determining how to unclog the road block. But information, like cars, is still being added to the equation. So now attention is being split between trying to unclog the road block and trying to direct new traffic to where it needs to go. One little road block can lead to a pile-up if an author is not careful. And a pile-up is a quick indication to a reader to drive in the other direction—away from what they’re reading!
Throughout the process of telling my stories, I have been waiting for the context to become apparent. I’m a strong believer in not forcing it, and so I have been patient. Then yesterday it happened. Annie and Katie and I were coming to the end of the storytelling portion of our work together and over the last couple weeks we had begun pulling out the themes we saw running through my life.
Simultaneously, I’ve been dealing with some very difficult company setbacks and trying to untangle some rough terrain. To be candid, I felt recently like I was watching my company fall down around me. From an authentic conversation around my life and the business, my picture frame popped out and into view. What a joyous moment to arrive at, and we did it together.
This weekend I plan on taking my first stab at the introduction to the book, and next week, Katie and I will begin to assemble my stories based on our new context. Phase 1 is over. Now we breath and enter phase 2.
From Annie: Corey has been a delight and a joy to work with over these months. Together we dove deep into the stories of his life and I am so happy that he’s able to go to phase 2 now. What a beautiful journey!
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Corey’s Book: From the Writer’s Perspective
December 2, 2009
From Annie: for those of you who have been following Corey’s story journey, we are working in a wonderful collaborative trio and I’d like to introduce the third member of our team, the wonderful Katie.
Hello! I’m the third member of Corey’s book-writing, storytelling, epiphany-creating team—Katie, the writer. Corey has asked me to contribute one blog per week describing our unique process from my point of view, and I’m happy to do it. The truth is that, to many, the writing part of this equation is quite mysterious. I’d like to shine some light. But, first,a little history.
Corey and I have been collaborating on projects since fall of 2007. That was when he hired me to proofread Robert Renteria’s wonderful book, From the Barrio to the Board Room. Because of the subject, Robert and Corey specifically wanted feedback from a Latino or Latina editor. I fit this bill, and I was also thrilled to work with and support a project—a cause—by a fellow Latino.
That brief project (the proofreading took maybe two weeks) quickly parlayed into dozens of small assignments and several large ones, including writing two books with The Table. In the last two years, Corey and I have established mutual respect and trust. He’s one of the most fun and brilliant people I’ve had the pleasure of working with! 
Now for his book: He approached me several months ago about the possibility of co-writing his own book, his own story. This is a big deal. For a guy who spends his life helping others tell their stories, and championing those tales to the world, telling his own was never going to be a light undertaking. I knew he’d give the process the same dedication and fire he brings out in his clients, and I was honored and excited to be a part of it.
My calls with Corey and Annie are different every week. Mostly, I listen as Annie leads Corey into telling the stories that compel him most in that moment. Sometimes I’ll ask questions, if the answers won’t get too tangential; otherwise, I’ll bite my need for detail back and insert those questions in the manuscripts I send Corey each week. But the cool thing in these calls is that they’re rarely what any of us expect. The only real structure is a deliberate unstructure, a kind of stream-of-consciousness storytelling that Annie always maintains invisible hold over.
Because we’re all creative people and we’ve all been a part of this process before, we’re rarely bothered by the seeming lack of concrete goals; instead, we enjoy the stories and realizations that are made this way. Of course, there are times when we feel we’ve gone off track, even if we haven’t, but we trust in our process and our guide.
Here’s where I’d like to talk about the writing—but this post is long already! So I think I’ll leave you hanging here, but next week, come back to see what new discoveries we’ve made, and what it’s like to translate oral storytelling to the written word . . . and all the beautiful complications that arise in the process!
Annie - Thank you Katie, great to have you on the team!
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Corey’s Story Journey: The Weight of Story
November 18, 2009
Annie’s Note: Corey just got back from a trip where he spent intensive time capturing a client’s story and we felt it important to Corey’s own creative process and story to tell it. So here is the story fresh and real from Corey’s own heart.
Corey: This morning on my call with Katie and Annie I spoke mostly about my recent trip with Daniel Cardwell and our work together on “A Question of Color”. I told them about my first trip to the grocery store with Dan to stock up our cabin in preparation for our five days together and how unusual it was to go shopping with someone for the first time.
The experience opened my eyes to how stories are often told between the lines. Imagine how much I learned about Dan when he reached for a dozen tins of sardines, four boxes of Nutrigrain bars, two cans of beans and three onions.
As we worked, which we did for an average of 18 hours each day, Dan would cook so I could keep my fingers working on the computer keys and it was through his cooking that I learned more about his life, about his journey.
He was a farmer and a survivor who had lived on his own on a farm from the age of 14. He knew how to throw whatever we had in the fridge together in such a way that it was tasty, nourished us, and kept our minds focused as we toured his life.
I also learned about myself this trip. About my creative process. Working 18 hours a day was difficult for me. At home I flip flop between projects every few minutes, but here I had to remain intensely focused for long stretches, both in listening to Dan’s stories and in then capturing them on the page.
Listening for long stretches taxed me emotionally; I knew that only 10% of what I was hearing was going to end up in the book, and yet I had to sift through the other 90% to find those gems. My mind clouded over numerous times and yet as soon as we came across a nugget, I would find myself invigorated, inspired and attentive again.
Because Dan’s book focuses on his search for his mother that spanned more than 25 years, in many ways we were putting together a detective story. That was his role as he traveled around the world, searching for his origins, accumulating about 24 inches worth of documents that we had to pull the greatest pieces from. Dan’s story and his struggle for survival in a world that wanted to throw him away was heartbreaking.
At the end of our trip, as we said our goodbyes at the airport, we had a “dude” moment as Annie called it on the phone this morning. We had shared this intimate journey of Dan’s life and his love for his mother and when we shook hands, we knew we had been through a special experience together.
The moment turned a bit awkward as we tried to navigate letting go of the week we had spent together. Part of me wanted to hug Dan and cry with him – to release all the pain of his story, but we settled on a fist-bump and a nod.
When I walked into the airport I became overwhelmed with emotion as it all finally hit me. His story is both beautiful and tragic, and he walks away the hero having overcome adversity beyond measure. He had the strength to not only search for 25 years but to then share that story (the good the bad and the ugly) for the sake of others. That’s a hero.
In the days since we have parted, I have dreamed of Dan and his book every night. In those dreams I always wake up started, feeling like I was searching and so close to something. That tells me we’re on the right track here and I’m excited to bring this story to the world.
Annie: Beautiful, touching, inspiring!
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Corey’s Story Journey: A New Epiphany
September 30, 2009
Today, in speaking with Annie and Katie on our weekly call to develop my book we dove into some new waters.
My book has started taking on the appearance of a memoir as I change through the process of putting it together. It began as a book very much about the two sides of the brain and combining art and business. But that is such safe territory for me. It’s overly comfortable.
Thankfully, as we are putting this book together, I am also in pretty intense therapy and my aggressive therapist and Annie my aggressive storytelling guide are having an exponential effect on my growth. I’m being challenged in new ways. One of the new ways revolves around growing up.
I’m a 35 year old man who has been trapped in some very old behaviors. The work I have been doing over the last few months really revolves around the process of recognizing those old behaviors, assessing where they came from and then breaking free from them to release myself from old bad habits that are inhibiting my own joy in life.
It feels like a very profound time as I redefine my relationships with my family, with my wife, with my business, with my self. As opposed to being a victim of my past, I am taking control for the first time and the impact has been tremendous. This is the hardest work I have ever done, but I am finally letting go of an imprisoned version of myself and giving birth to a much more powerful me.
How this will affect the book? I’m not sure we know yet. But we have definitely seen and felt that this is a vital piece of my story…more to come.
Annie’s note: I am very excited for Corey’s continued breakthrough into new ground. Corey has had the courage to let the story lead the way, rather than deciding where it should go. This is allowing the real life energy of the true story to come forth. We’re breaking new ground and now with our wonderful third partner Katie, who is our writer, we are developing a great structure for the book. Stay tuned!
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Corey’s Story Journey: The Radio Show
September 13, 2009
From Corey: Yesterday, I was interviewed on Annie Hart’s radio show and wow – did we fly. Annie and I discussed the creative process we have undergone, highlighting the emotional roller coaster of creation, dealing with the uncomfortable aspects, using creative thinking to overcome obstacles, remaining flexible but committed and more.
Immediate feedback we received was that listeners enjoyed our energy and my business expertise combined with listener Erin Cohen’s perfect phrasing of “Annie’s ability to comfortably encourage you to free your soul.” Annie has an uncanny ability to do so! Next time we’ll need 60 minutes for sure!
Brian also shared, “It was excellent! I appreciate your transparency and authenticity. You and Annie have a special bond, and it’s awesome to hear that.”
From Annie: It was a wonderful show! Corey spoke loud and clear about the challenges of the creative process when you’re trying to open up the stories that are raw and real inside of you. I love working with Corey Blake and I’m very much looking forward to his story coming out fully and shining in the world.
Stay tuned. I’m going to have him back on the show again in the future.
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Corey’s Story Adventure – Team Hard at Work
September 10, 2009
Today I got my ass kicked. Annie took on more of the directorial role and pushed me to dive into some new areas. We explored my producer side and where it was really born – which was in the world of catering of all things! My work at Universal Studios Theme Park was a launching pad for leading people and inspiring them to bring their best to the game.
We also explored more about Elevation 9000 films, the film company I led back in early 2000. I had the wonderful and joyous experience of describing all the members of our company – there were 9 of us, such bright and shining personalities.
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Fro, the Egyptian Stoner
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Brad, my big bear sidekick who looked like he should be a country music star
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Christina, the beautiful no holds bar Texas tornado
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Cambria, the part time nurse who could act up a storm when she got rolling, but never quite had the confidence in herself
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John, the older, wiser business owner of the group. Chris, the religious conservative Hawaiian who was a teacher at the school we all went to
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Lisa, the woman I desperately loved against my better judgment
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Ward, we called him The KID
This was my family for a year and half. What a gift to revisit what I loved about each of them. What a shame that we crumbled to pieces. Life, like the storytelling process, is a roller coaster ride!
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Create Your Own Raw & Real Story Journey
September 9, 2009
Holy Cow. Creation is an emotional ride. Today I’m feeling the effects of HARD work after a call with Annie Hart. She is a dynamo.
This Friday we’ll discuss the creative process on her Radio Show and I’m excited to be able to discuss it not only from the outside in, but from the inside out.
The majority of my work is in pulling story out of people, but now I have this firsthand experience of being the one the story is pulled from and it is so freakin eye opening. I’m excited to dive into a discussion that can inspire others to take the ride!
Corey Blake
President, Writers of the Round Table Inc.
CEO, From the Barrio Foundation
Join us this Friday September 11th at 12:30 PM EST, on Blog Talk Radio
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/inspiringchangethroughstory
call in: (646) 716-5069
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Corey’s Story Journey, The Team is Formed
September 2, 2009
Today we officially brought Katie Gutierrez Painter into the mix as the writer for my book. I’m functioning as the expert and Annie Hart is my storytelling guide. Katie and I had gotten on the phone to do a test run in which she prepared a section of the book: The Dreamer.
I knew instantly that she had the ability to tell my story in my own voice. Today the three of us got on the phone for the first time and we dove together into my “performer” character.
Katie brought a wonderful inquisitiveness and I called Annie my Mother Earth. She is so wonderfully calm and wise, nurturing me in the right moments and challenging me in others. 
They brought out memoires of my past that defined where I learned the difference between an analytical performance and one that was alive. This is a skill I mastered as an actor and have hit and missed with books.
I’m excited to dive further into this. What wonderful synergy. Annie and I were pacing and Katie was spinning in her chair. Good signs of what’s to come!
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Corey’s Story Adventure, July 17
July 20, 2009
Corey’s really breaking some exciting new ground with his story! I love working with him. He is so much fun and always ready to dive into the raw and real story and find out what’s there.
This is the latest revelation between his two inner characters the Dreamer and the Wimp. Let’s hear from Corey:
I worked yesterday to take portions of my last call with Annie to build my script. Annie ended up taking on the role of my heart. Nurturing and fighting for the many sides of me to work together for the benefit of all of us. Today we talked for an hour and role played further into the dialogue between the Dreamer and the Wimp in me. In this sample my Dreamer is caught trying to BS my heart and the Wimp. He’s a good debater and he almost fooled the Heart! Enjoy this 6 minute snippet into me being busted.
Warning: I do cuss a bit, so be prepared. *Annie’s note, it’s all fun stuff don’t worry.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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Video of the Week, Corey’s Thank You Video
July 14, 2009
video management, video solution, video streaming What a surprise! I didn’t find this sweet little video before Corey left. He recorded it on my own Flip camera and left it for me to find. This was after our weekend of working together. Thanks Corey, you were a dream to work and create with!
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