In the world of business and nonprofits, clarity is rare, yet invaluable. Decisions are made in complex environments, priorities change at a moment’s notice, and strategic paths are often obscured.
That’s where Discern comes in—a consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations navigate complexity and find clarity in their story, akin to the role of an editor for an author.
Step into the shoes of Peggy, a young lady from Atlanta, Georgia. Being an aspiring writer, even at the early age of 10, she already had her short stories published in her local school paper and ultimately pursued a career as a journalist at the Atlanta Journal.
Peggy had shown strong promise in her early years but slowly tapered off into a life of seeming mediocrity. This was due to a problem that many of her contemporaries would ubiquitously experience as well—lack of direction.
One fateful spring evening, Peggy experienced an accident that would change her life forever. While crossing the road she was struck by an oncoming car and sustained severe injuries. Bedridden over many months, these painful and difficult days of recovery were actually a blessing in disguise as Peggy started writing about her interest in the influence and cultural importance of the South during the American Civil War.
A vision was formed. She knew exactly what she wanted to convey. She even had a rough draft by fall, but she did not feel the words were compelling and, as she recovered from her injuries, drifted back into her work at the Atlanta Journal. The draft she had written, however, continued to wane on her passion for journalism over the next few years. She decided to finish her novel and, in so doing, stepped away from the Atlanta Journal.
After struggling through her draft in the following years, on the advice of friends and fellow writers, Peggy pursued external guidance. Enter Harold Latham. Harold was a well-renowned editor for a major publisher in New York City. When Peggy approached Harold with her manuscript, Harold recognized the immediate vision. His candid and direct approach to the editorial process was invaluable for Peggy.
He immediately got to work assisting her in refining the characters, removing redundancies, and parsing through excess material both good and bad to deliver an authentic literary work that would resonate with her readers. Harold helped give clarity and discernment in the writing process by asking the right questions in order to bring out Peggy’s best. Peggy, better known as Margaret Mitchell, went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for her novel…
Gone with the Wind.