Story-Only Chapter Policy

Updated: May 16, 2025

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📚 A Gentle but Clear Reminder: These are Story-First Books

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At AYW, we believe in the power of real, human stories to inspire, connect, and heal. That’s why your chapter should focus on your personal journey—not your services.

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Readers come to our book titles looking for stories that move them—not marketing. We want every chapter to feel authentic, heartfelt, and safe from pressure or persuasion. Your wisdom, your experience, and your growth are more than enough.

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✅ What Belongs in Your Chapter

• Honest, lived experiences from your personal life

• Tools or practices you used for your own healing

• Reflections, turning points, and truths that helped shape who you are today

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If you used breathwork, meditation, or therapy in your own journey—share it!
If you teach breathwork, lead retreats, or run programs—that belongs in your bio or featured author add-on, not your chapter.

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✨ Let your story lead.

You don’t need to convince anyone of your credibility. The truth of what you’ve lived—and how you’ve grown—is enough. Your chapter doesn’t need to teach, pitch, or prove. It just needs to be real.

That’s what connects. That’s what inspires.
Let your story do exactly what it came here to do. 💫

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❌ What to Leave Out

• Promotional references to your business, services, programs, credentials, or modalities

• Client references—stories, testimonials, or breakthroughs. (Your chapter is about you, not the people you’ve helped.) 

• Language that turns your chapter into a showcase of what you offer professionally

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Even subtle self-promotion can pull readers out of your story—and erode the integrity of the collection. ​

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💬 Inspiration isn’t the issue—redirection is.
Motivational language is welcome if it’s in service of your story. It becomes promotional when it shifts focus to the reader, your clients, or your work.

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🧭 How to Tell a Story That Connects (Without Selling)

We know many of you are using this book as part of your professional platform. That’s not only okay—it’s smart. These stories often become business cards, door openers, and launch points for deeper work.

But here’s the truth: the best entrepreneurial storytelling doesn’t feel like marketing—it feels like meaning.

If you want readers to trust you, refer to you, or work with you down the line, the most powerful thing you can do is help them feel something real.

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Here’s how:

✅ Tell the truth. Not the polished version—the version that costs you something to share.

✅ Take us into your turning point. Don’t just say “everything changed”—show us what hurt, what healed, and what cracked open.

✅ Let the reader draw the connection. If they resonate with your story, they’ll look you up. But you don’t have to hand them a pitch—they’ll feel the impact.

✅ Save your offers for your bio. That’s where your programs, credentials, and contact info belong. That space is yours to shine.

When you trust the power of your lived experience, readers do too.
Let your story do the work—and let your bio carry the business.

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If you're unsure what crosses the line, here are common patterns we've seen that can slip in unintentionally:

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🚫 What Counts as Self-Promotion? (And Why It Doesn’t Work)

These are real patterns we’ve noticed that may seem subtle or well-intentioned—but they still cross the promotional line. We’ve grouped them to help you identify themes more easily.

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🛠️ Structure-Based Promotion

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❌ Turning your chapter into a business origin story

E.g., “This is how I discovered my purpose as a coach.”
(These can feel personal—but they reframe your story as a launchpad for your brand.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “That moment didn’t just change me—it revealed a part of me I didn’t know I was missing.”
*(You’re still pointing to transformation—without hinting at future services.)

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❌ Turning personal transformation into a professional arc

E.g., “This is the work I now do.”
(Even if softly stated, this shifts the chapter from story to setup.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “The healing wasn’t fast or linear. But I became someone I barely recognized—in the best way.”
*(Focuses on who you've become, not what you now offer.)

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❌ Embedding a call to action in the story

E.g., “That’s when I launched my program to help others do the same.”
(This reads like an invitation, not a reflection.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “That shift wasn’t just for me—it cracked something open in how I see the world.”
*(You can still show impact, just keep it internal.)

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❌ Mentioning your books, tools, or paid resources

E.g., “I cover more of this in my journal/workbook/course.”
(Acts as a teaser rather than a story.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “I started writing everything down—not because I thought it would matter to anyone else, but because I needed to remember who I was becoming.”
*(Use process, not promotion.)

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🎤 Role, Authority, and Positioning

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❌ Dropping credentials or roles in the body of the story

E.g., “As a certified executive coach…”
(Shifts the reader into “marketing filter” mode.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “At the time, I wasn’t speaking from a stage or holding it all together. I was just trying to breathe.”
*(Deconstructs authority and builds trust.)

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❌ Implying professional authority without naming it

E.g., “I’ve helped many people through this…”
(Positions you as a guide—even without your title.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “It wasn’t just something I knew—it was something I had to live through to finally understand.”
*(Keeps the wisdom personal, not professional.)

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❌ Using coaching scenarios as credibility builders

E.g., “I once worked with a burned-out executive who…”
(Even anonymized, these read like indirect testimonials.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “I used to think burnout looked like collapse. But mine came as silence, and I didn’t even see it coming.”
*(Ground the insight in your own story—not someone else’s.)

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📂 Content From Your Work

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❌ Using the chapter to teach something adjacent to a service or certification

E.g., “Let’s explore how to build XYZ…”
(If it sounds like a workshop or blog post, it doesn’t belong.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “I didn’t know I was building anything. I was just trying to find the next breath, the next yes.”
*(Narrative, not curriculum.)

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❌ Including structured tools or frameworks from your work

E.g., “These are the five shifts I teach…”
(Looks like program content—even if unbranded.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “What helped? Honestly—rest, honesty, and a friend who didn’t flinch when I told the truth.”
*(Organic and personal—not a list from a course.)

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❌ Recreating your method or offering inside the story

E.g., “We walked through my clarity sequence step by step.”
(Feels like a guided session, not a personal story.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “We sat in the quiet for a long time. Then I asked the question I’d been avoiding.”
*(Keep it human. Let the moment speak, not the method.)

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❌ Naming your business, framework, or brand inside the chapter

E.g., “I engineered the H.E.A.L. framework…” or “Learn more at mywebsite.com.”
(This belongs in your bio—not your story.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “That’s the moment I stopped fixing and started feeling. And everything changed from there.”
*(Describe the why, not the brand name.)

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👥 Client and Service-Based Examples

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❌ Subtly framing the chapter around a service

E.g., telling a personal story that conveniently revolves around a client outcome
(This is one of the most common ways promo sneaks in.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “I realized I was showing up for everyone but myself. And that had to change.”
*(Still powerful, but centered on your own awakening—not a client.)

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❌ Inserting “client-like” scenarios or disguised testimonials

E.g., “One of my clients created a unique solution by…”
(Reads like proof of concept—even if anonymized.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “I kept bumping into stories like mine—but I wasn’t ready to name my own until now.”
*(Still contextual, but no implied authority.)

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❌ Describing a client transformation

E.g., “A client of mine felt stuck…”
(Highlights your work’s value, not your personal truth.)

✅ Try this instead:

E.g., “I used to think I had the answers. Until I hit the wall I swore I’d never hit.”
*(Your vulnerability is the transformation. That’s the hook.)

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Important Example from Kyra's Chapter

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Let us give you an example: This is from Start-Up to Stand Out. In this book, the authors were allowed to use self-promotional language about their business. This is a section from Kyra's chapter that would be done differently if used in upcoming books.
 

📝 Original (Self-Promotional Framing):

“I launched As You Wish Publishing to give authors a safe, supportive path to tell their stories—and we’ve now published over 80 bestselling books. I walk alongside each author, offering strategy, emotional support, and publishing know-how. I’ve worked with writers from all walks of life, helping them break through doubt and become proud, published authors.”

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✨ Rewritten (Story-First Framing):

“I didn’t start out trying to build a publishing house. I wanted to give one book a place to land—a book built on joy when joy felt hard to reach. What I didn’t realize then was how much that project would change me. The more I helped stories come into the world, the more I was forced to look at my own: my perfectionism, my people-pleasing, my fear of not doing enough. Each chapter we published cracked something open in me too. That wasn’t the goal, but it became the gift.”

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✅ Quick Rule of Thumb:

If your chapter talks about anything other than your own experience, growth, or healing—pause.
Your work, clients, and business all belong in your bio.

✨ Let the story be the gift. Your lived experience is enough.

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⚠️ Important Publishing Standards Notice

If your chapter includes promotional language, we may edit or remove it to maintain the integrity of the project. In some cases, chapters that don’t meet these standards may be declined—without refund—at the publisher’s discretion.

We appreciate your understanding as we protect the reading experience for all involved.

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💡 What If My Chapter Doesn’t Pass?

If your chapter includes promotional content that doesn’t align with this policy, it may be edited or declined to maintain the integrity of the book.

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In some cases, we may invite you to revise and resubmit your chapter. You’ll have 7 days to return the updated chapter. If it isn’t received within that timeframe, your chapter will not be included in the book, and no refunds will be issued.

 

Please note:

• Resubmissions are reviewed against the same publishing standards.

• Approval is not guaranteed.

• We strongly recommend using the "Not-So-Obvious Self-Promo Filter" and reviewing this page in full before submitting your revision.

• We'll let you know via email if your chapter hasn't passed the Story-Only Chapter Policy and would require a rewrite before being reconsidered.

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If you’re willing to revise with care, we’re here to support your next draft—and your success.

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🔍 Why We Spell Everything Out Up Front
Because your story matters—and so does your investment. Authors invest hundreds of dollars with us, and we take that responsibility seriously. That’s why we’ve clearly outlined what’s expected in your chapter, what to avoid, and where you can share your professional offerings instead.

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You’ve been given:

• A full, accessible policy

• A clear checklist of what’s welcome and what’s not

• Real examples of what crosses the line

• A supportive tool: the “Not-So-Obvious Self-Promo Filter” (recommended)

 

And to be extra clear: you’ve been asked to agree to this policy before you register and again before you submit your chapter.

 

There’s no fine print, no bait-and-switch, and no wiggle room for confusion—unless you skipped the reading. So if you're here, reading this now: you're doing it right. And we thank you.

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✅ Where to Self-Promote

You’re welcome to share your professional offerings in:

• Your author bio

• Your featured author add-on (if you selected this option)

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Your author bio and featured author add-on are the places to include:

• Promotional references to your business, services, programs, credentials, or modalities

• Client references: stories, testimonials, or outcomes you’ve helped others achieve

• Your website, email, and social media handles

• A clear invitation for readers to learn more about what you offer

 

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📬 Submitting with Confidence (No Email Needed)

We created this page to give you everything you need to write your chapter with clarity, confidence, and alignment.

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Please note: we do not offer pre-submission checks on your chapter. Our team doesn’t have the capacity to preview chapters in advance—and the good news is, you don’t need us to.

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If you’ve followed the policy outlined here, your chapter should be in great shape.

There’s no need to email us to confirm—if you’ve followed the guidance on this page, you’re on track.

 

And if you need extra support, explore our Author Tools, which offer guidance on everything from writing confidence to spotting subtle self-promo patterns.

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You've got this—and we’re cheering you on every step of the way.

 

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💡 Need Extra Help?

Check out the Author Tools section — it’ll help you spot the sneaky stuff that can slip through when we’re writing from habit.

(If you need help navigating the tools, try the Author Tool Finder.)

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We’re so honored to help you share your story — and we’re here to support you in doing it beautifully.​​​