More Than Words

Back in the 80's I was in love with a band called Extreme--especially their song, More Than Words. When it plays, my husband and I still belt it out to each other, but it's really not our song, it's my song.

I've been writing my whole life in various forms, poetry, creative fiction, short stories, then in work, as an instructional designer writing training programs for almost 20 years. I'm a singer, an actress, and now a speechwriter and public speaking coach. And if you know me--I can sometimes talk the leg off a chair!

I guess you can say my life has been about words, but (here it is...are you ready for it?) it's really been about more than words. It's been about reaching people, touching people, communicating a message, trying to change lives. So that's why the song title seemed an appropriate name for my business. It has continued to work even as my work has shifted over my adult life because it is my theme--even if the way in which I am using words has changed, it is still my preferred tool for connecting with others. (On a side note, I really don't enjoy watching ballet/dance simply for the reason that there are no WORDS! I prefer the opera to the symphony because opera has words--even if I don't always understand them.)

For most of my life, my words have been other people's words--the script writer's, the song writer's, my clients'. It seems like this is the time of my life to start sharing my own words, my own thoughts, and using my own expertise to shape others' experiences and help them reach their goals. This site will hopefully be a place of sharing insights, resources, and passing along other people's great ideas as well as my own. That's my plan--but I'm not much of a planner, so we'll see how that goes. Welcome, to More Than Words--Dana style.