Aggie Jordan is the former founder and CEO of Jordan-DeLaurenti, Inc, a training and contract management company, and the author of “A Woman’s Voice Should Be Heard. My Journey from the Convent to the Battle for Women’s Equality.” Since selling this business, writing has been her life’s work. A former small business columnist for the Dallas Times Herald, Prime Women, an online magazine, and a writer for The View, the monthly magazine for the Sun City Shadow Hills Community in Indio, California. Aggie has produced over 60 articles for these publications. Aggie has enjoyed traveling with her husband to over 75 countries. She has been a guest on many television shows, including the CBS Morning Show and ABC Good Morning Dallas, as well as several radio broadcasts. A native of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, a former nun, a teacher, and a relationship counselor, Aggie hopes to inspire women to have their voices heard whenever, wherever, and by whoever challenges their rights to human equality.
First things first, how did you develop an interest in writing?
I joined my local library in West Pittston, PA, at seven. I loved writing book reports about those books. Even in the summer, I would read and write from an early age. English was my major in college, and when I went to graduate school, I thrived on research and writing. In my training company, we would write marketing proposals and training manuals. I also wrote a Small Business Column for the Dallas Times Herald newspaper in Texas. After I sold my company, I knew my first task was to write my book (“The Marriage Plan: How To Marry Your Soul Mate in One Year or Less”). So many women over my years of management training have followed the plan. They encouraged me to write that first book. I was delighted with its success. But because I have written the first book, it doesn’t make the next ones easier. Writing a memoir is the most difficult because you must tell the truth as you know it. Capturing the truth takes time, much thought, and research.
When did you realize you had a story that the world needed to hear?
In working with women in corporations, I used personal examples in my life that would serve as helpful models to assist the class in being assertive. The women eventually saw that their situation was not unique, and my stories were their stories. One exception was my life as a nun, of course. People would ask me, “Why did you leave the convent? Why did you enter?” And rarely, “Why did you stay?” My answers to those questions always felt inadequate. I gave off-the-cuff answers to solemn questions. And so I began to examine my life from childhood on. When we start that serious examination of our lives, stories evolve. Things I hadn’t thought of in years began to make sense as I wrote. And finally, the book was born, “A Woman’s Voice Should Be Heard: My Journey From The Convent To The Battle For Women’s Equality.” I also took a memoir class led by a woman who encouraged me to “write that book.” I want women to know the history of the most recent battles for equality and how we have progressed. It was because we spoke out.
What was the writing process like? Did you come up with your title first and build around it, or did the manuscript come first?
The title evolved as I wrote and edited the manuscript. When we write, we often don’t know where the stories are going; one has to go with them. As you review, you find some connections you never thought about before. As I weighed my stories: the introductory of my grandmother’s voice, and then my mother’s, and then the lack of voice in the convent, the lack of women’s voices in the Catholic Church, my struggles to be heard as a university administrator in a male environment, the attempt to silence my voices in the convent, and other women’s in so many situations, I asked the question: Where did I first know that my and other women’s voices needed to be heard? It was at General Motors with the help of three powerful and articulate women.
This led to my dedication to training women and managers to co-exist by listening to each other. Both voices are worth hearing. Managers need to respect their female employees’ insights. Women are often more willing to pay close attention to their managers’ words. I hear from women today that misogyny is rampant in their work environment. Progress has been made, but the battle is still going on. Women all over the world are paid less than men. The same injustice is raging in America as well.
What is the message behind your title?
I wanted women to know that our voices, often ignored or silenced, can only be heard when we make our point worth hearing. Women must believe in themselves, in their own worth. My book intends for women to know the history of this battle for equality and why now, they must be heard. With the Dodd decision of the US Supreme Court sending the abortion decisions back to the states, women of all ages must be awakened to the need to be heard. We must rise to action. We must understand that our vote will determine whether we will retain our rights. Today women throughout the world suffer from misogyny. They are treated like chattel. American women feel free. At least, we did until June 2022. When others deny their freedom, they will fight.
Can you share 3 takeaways you would like women to take away from your book?
1. Women, let your voice be heard for those causes and values you find most important.
2. Do not hesitate to believe in yourself as a woman. Enjoy your femininity. Take pride in your talents and your choices.
3. Do one thing each day to make another woman’s day better. It will make yours fantastic and honor your women friends.
At any moment during your writing process, did you experience writer’s block? What tips do you have for overcoming it?
If writer’s block is a disappointment with what you produce or have produced, the answer is yes. I have rewritten the book many times over the last ten years, each time abandoning it for another version. The result after the first year ended up in the trash. I eventually turned my attention to writing articles for a magazine. Then I completed a dull autobiography. It had no theme, which a memoir must have. Until I decided to take a year dedicated to writing my memoir, it just didn’t happen. I hired a developmental editor who inspired me to bring my stories to life, and the manuscript became something I was proud to finish.
Take me through the first moment you held your book in your hands; what did that feel like for you?
When the box the publisher sent arrived, an electric charge passed through my body. As I drew back the tape and raised the top, the book appeared with my photo and name on the cover. I grabbed the book, yelling like a maniac for my husband. He thought something terrible had happened. But when he saw the book, he just hugged me. My graphic designer did a fabulous job. I was overjoyed at how striking it was. At that moment, it was also a relief. After all those years, I finished it, and it looked great.
Although this was my third book, seeing one’s book in print never gets old. But equally exciting was the moment the email from my publisher, Legacy Book Press, came, announcing that it wanted to publish my book. This publishing company is a woman-owned publisher. I was just about ready to self-publish when it arrived. That was a thrilling relief for me.
What would you say was the most challenging part of your writing process?
So many challenges. Writing the Epilogue on the importance of friendship took time and thought. I wanted to get that right. My friends, both men and women, have been a treasure. I recognized throughout the writing process that it is the women who urged me on, who spent time listening to my bitching sessions about the book, or so much else, that has always given me the courage to go on. My women friends at the University of Notre Dame started and encouraged my transformation, my belief in myself. And there have been women supporting me at every transition in my life. This recognition deepened my determination to honor my women friends through this chapter.
What key tips do you have for marketing your book and getting it out to the masses? What audience is your book written for?
Marketing can be more difficult than writing your book. For me, it is not my expertise. I’m a writer, not a salesperson. There are plenty of tips online that work. One that sparked more ideas than any other in this digital age was Sandra Beckwith’s Book Buzz. Another is to hire a digital publicist if you can afford it. Another—use your website. If you don’t have one, get one. Yes, get one. Use your email list and your friends to direct you.
My book is written for all adult women. Women who fought the late 20th century battles identify with the memoir easily. Women are currently trying to move ahead in their careers, and women entrepreneurs find the courage to win the conquests on their fronts. Young women fighting for their rights over their bodies learn how much courage they need to win their battles. They recognize that their vote in coming elections will determine their freedoms, and they are ready for the struggle. I want to be there to support the cause. I hope our readers will also.
Connect with Aggie by visiting her online at www.aggiejordan.com
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