Client Stories

From burnt out academic to sought-after author and international consultant – Talal Mohammad’s remarkable journey

Sometimes you have a coaching client who is so successful, it’s almost intimidating! I want to share Dr Talal Mohammad’s story of publishing his book and skyrocketing his consultancy to inspire you to finally get unstuck with your writing in 2024!

The story starts at a low point.

Writer’s block during and after Covid

When we met, Talal said he was “all over the place” because Covid-19 had taken its toll on him and hindered him from finishing his book. As a visiting researcher at a prestigious college at Oxford, he knew how to write. But Covid had drastically affected his work pace. “I was struggling for days on end just staring at the screen” he said.

He suffered from writer’s block, fatigue, and being overwhelmed – and it seemed his book manuscript would never get done. At the same time, he knew that his unique language skills and and access to documents no one else had analysed could make a huge difference in foreign affairs in the Middle East and globally.

Today, Talal is a published author and sought-after writer and consultant.

“Finding Nicole has been one of the best things I’ve done since I signed my book contract! It all changed after I had my first session!”

Here’s a snapshot of how Talal’s life transformed with writing coaching:

  • “In the space of a few months, I managed to write over 30 thousand words”
  • “We tracked my weekly goals and accomplishments – encouraging me to just get on the saddle and seize the day”
  • “I now have strategies against writer’s block, fatigue, and overwhelm”
  • He later emailed me that the book reviewers had no substantial requests or corrections. ON the contrary, they praised “your unique position in using both Arabic and Persian sources, the skilful analysis, and the impact the book will have on the field for years to come”

After editing and final proofreads, Talal announced his book’s publication on Twitter:

He also thanked me (@camwritinghub) getting him to the finish line in our coaching:

Talal’s remarkable future after publishing his book

Following up from the book, Talal published articles in Foreign Affairs and was invited to contribute to global media.

A thriving consultancy and deep impact on policy

Best of all, Talal’s book “Iranian-Saudi Rivalry since 1979: In the Words of Kings and Clerics” led to invitations to present his book in policy circles, royal courts and regional elites in the Middle East.

He gave keynote speeches at UN agencies, influencing behind-the-scenes decisions.

Now, Talal has established himself as the to-go-to expert of Middle East developments with a thriving political consultancy career.

Talal’s full testimonial

“Finding Nicole has been one of the best things I’ve done since I signed my book contract. I was all over the place and Covid-19 had taken its toll on me and had drastically affected my work pace. I was struggling for days on end just staring at the screen. That all changed after I had my first session with Nicole. In the space of five months, I have managed to write over 30 thousand words. Nicole has helped me with finding strategies when I suffered from writer’s block, fatigue, or just being overwhelmed. I appreciate the emails I get every morning, encouraging me to just get on the saddle and seize the day.  In our weekly meeting, we track my weekly goals and accomplishments. Nicole has also been a tremendous help in finding editors. I would certainly recommend her to all those struggling, overwhelmed, and stressed writers out there. I see the light at the end of the tunnel!” Talal Mohammad, International Consultant & Researcher, University of Oxford

Check Out Talal’s Book and Consultancy Activities

Did this story inspire you?

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