From the Cover: From Childhood Trauma to Publicity Coach: Lilian Sue's Journey to Reclaiming Her Voice

I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't love storytelling.

As a child, I devoured every hardcover fairy tale and chapter book I could get my hands on. Before I turned six years old, I had moved from Encyclopedia Brown to Goosebumps.

Reading served as my safe space, as I grew up in a household where dysfunctional communication, gaslighting, and emotional abuse were commonplace. It sparked my imagination and ignited my creative writing journey.

My first love as a writer was fanfiction. I wrote stories within fandoms such as Dark Angel, Roswell (1999), and Power Rangers, publishing various works over the course of six years. Original short stories and poetry followed, inspired by my lifelong fandom of NHL hockey.

It was in high school that I first seriously thought about turning my love of storytelling into a career. During my senior year, my English teacher encouraged me to submit my writing to contests. This resulted in my work being published in two different anthologies—the Young Writers Poetry Institute of Canada Short Stories Competition and Creative Communications Inc: A Celebration of Young Poets—all before I turned eighteen!

Riding high from being a first-time published author, becoming a novelist was my first career choice. But as I entered university, my older brother pointed out that I would starve waiting for traditional publishers to accept my manuscripts.

Since self-publishing had yet to be developed, I faced a crossroads. I loved storytelling, and my gut told me I could still make it a career. My major in Communications inspired me to bridge the gap: I would use marketing to help entrepreneurs share their stories with the world.

I decided to build a marketing portfolio and started cold-calling and emailing over forty agencies and companies a day for months. It eventually netted me a position as a copywriter and social media strategist with a marketing agency.

For six years, I created copy for websites, trade show and showroom collateral, and social media posts for vacation rental companies, regional newspapers, and a Swiss-made bathroom cabinetry dealer. The results spoke for themselves: the regional newspapers saw a 15% increase in subscribers, the vacation rental company saw an uptick in luxury bookings within six months of opening, and the cabinetry dealer enjoyed successful trade shows, booking numerous residential installations.

I loved my role, but I frequently had entrepreneurs asking if I could write media releases for their events and product launches. I turned many away because it wasn't a skill I possessed at the time; copywriting felt like the opposite end of the spectrum from publicity. But new opportunities were soon on the horizon.

Following a move back to my hometown and amidst wedding planning, I decided it was time to challenge myself and evolve my business. I knew that if I could spend six years bringing stories to life online and in print, I could work with entrepreneurs to build their reputations as global industry leaders by sharing their authentic stories on stages and through interviews.

The campaigns I launched—both with agencies and as a solo publicist—changed lives. I landed articles in PopSugar and Cosmopolitan for a relationship and grief coach, which led to her client base growing by 20%. Landing local Canadian TV and radio spots for notable chefs at a regional food and wine festival led to sold-out tickets for signature tasting events. A ten-day campaign for a client's award-winning short horror film at San Diego Comic-Con even resulted in a two-year distribution deal with the international streaming platform, Shudder.

But I still felt a tug to do more than just launch campaigns. Conversations with entrepreneurs in my network revealed a gap: they might book fantastic interviews, but they had no idea how to keep the momentum going once the campaign ended. They didn't know how to find the right podcasts or magazines to pitch to, much less how to write the pitch themselves, because agencies never taught them the "how."

I spoke with women entrepreneurs who knew they had a story to share, but they were afraid of being judged, rejected, or reduced to a "box" that their families and society deemed appropriate. Above all, they wanted to feel safe with visibility.

I struggled with how to close that gap until my first business coach suggested coaching. They reminded me of my years of experience and the wealth of knowledge I had to share. Yet, I hesitated, filled with self-doubt. I’d spent years hiding behind positive reviews and client testimonials. Was coaching really the best way forward?

Tired of feeling stuck, I invested in subconscious rewiring. It revealed the truth: I was hiding. Just like the entrepreneurs I spoke to, I didn't feel safe being visible. Years of judgement and emotional abuse at home had convinced my subconscious that I was only safe if I stayed small—even though I’d already broken the family mould by becoming an entrepreneur.

I realised that to be a successful publicity coach, I had to lead by example. I had to build safe visibility for myself.

The more I shared my story of resilience—how I pushed past cultural barriers, generational trauma, and abuse—the more I heard from women entrepreneurs, particularly women of colour. They told me I inspired them to reclaim their own voices.

I have since worked with women to share stories of beating alcoholism, opening the first-ever allergen-free bakery in their region, or becoming the first woman in motocross to jump an airbag. We build safe visibility that aligns with how they want to be seen. Today, they are sharing their stories as mothers, wives, and trailblazing pioneers.

These phenomenal women also inspired me to come full circle with my first dream. In 2024, I self-published the now multi-award-winning Powerful Publicity Prescription to critical acclaim. It is full of practical strategies and actionable tips to empower others to launch their own campaigns. I am also currently writing several adult contemporary romances and a crime thriller.

It is never too late to reclaim your voice, to feel safe being vulnerable, and to share your unique story. Stop shrinking yourself to fit inside a box. Your story is your superpower, and it is absolutely worthy of being shared.

The impact of sharing your story with international audiences is immeasurable. Come find me at In Retrospect Writing Services; let’s share our stories with the world and step into being global industry leaders together!