What Makes Your Story Connect?
One of my not-so-guilty pleasures is watching cake-decorating videos.
Scott’s Cake Art and TFLC Bakery share videos that walk viewers through the process—from choosing colors and deciding on a design to turning an idea into an edible work of art.
Then, like magic, in four minutes or less, a plain cake becomes a masterpiece.
Layers are stacked. Buttercream is smoothed. Fondant becomes tiny creatures, delicate ruffles, pearls, flowers, and other intricate creations. Add a little glitter, and suddenly the cake is almost too beautiful to eat.
I’m in awe every time, especially since my decorating skills extend to a swirl on a cupcake or Bundtini.
Years ago, I made a pale green sheet cake for my son’s birthday. I stuck a Hulk figurine on top and added those little candy letters to spell out “Happy Birthday.” (Do they still make those?)
My good friend used to be a master cake decorator. She created amazing cakes. The previous year, she had made a set of 3-D dinosaur cakes for my son’s birthday. But that year, she wasn’t available, so I proudly presented my pitiful pale green Hulk cake.
She looked at it and said, “If everyone were happy with that, I wouldn’t have a job.”
Fair enough.
I hadn’t taken the classes or bought any of the tools. I had simply added a little green food coloring to a container of Duncan Hines vanilla frosting, smeared it on with a butter knife, and called it “good enough” for a four-year-old's birthday party. (Thank goodness it tasted good!)
My cake decorating skills have improved slightly since that Hulk birthday, but it's easy to spot the cake artist's work!
My friend and the artists in those videos make cake decorating look effortless.
What those sped-up videos don’t show are the countless hours decorators invest in learning to level layers, smooth icing, mix the perfect color, shape fondant, fix mistakes, and bring someone else’s vision to life.
In real time, a four-minute video represents hours of work: baking, mixing icing, piping, rolling fondant, and adding each intricate detail. Then there’s the time required to edit and post the video.
Their work is creative and custom—not mass-produced. It takes time, preparation, and training. And the work they have put into honing their craft shows.
Creating with Heart
Recently, a new coaching client told me, “Erin, what I need most from you is accountability and for you to push me to make the book its best.”
I love that.
We live in a world where AI can generate pages of reasonably coherent words in seconds. It’s easier than ever to produce content. You see it every day.
But quantity doesn’t equate to quality or originality.
The writers I work with don’t want to churn out mass-produced content that sounds like someone else. They care about quality and original ideas. They want to share the messages on their hearts, the stories only they can tell, and the lessons they have watched unfold in real life. They are willing to revise, trim, question, and hone their work until they find the words that will reach the intended reader.
So we develop our craft by putting words on the page, discovering what works and what doesn’t, and trying again.
We sharpen our editing skills.
We use AI as a tool to support our work—not to replace our creativity or dull our voices.
And we become better writers as a result.
Instead of piping intricate lines of icing, we shape ideas, experiences, and imagination into words.
It's your heart, perspective, and creativity that make your story unique and allow you to connect with people in a way no one else can.
Story Practice
Think about something you’ve written recently. Where might you have settled for “good enough” when you know there's more to share?
Choose one paragraph, scene, or section and spend fifteen minutes honing it. Look for vague language, unnecessary words, or places where you could add a detail only you would know.
Let's Connect
If you need accountability, direction, and someone to help you make your book its best, I’d love to talk with you. Schedule a free consultation here.
Improve your craft as you learn from best-selling writers and publishing industry experts at the Texas Christian Writers' Conference, March 22-25, 2027. Learn more at TexasChristianWriters.com.
