OVERRIDE! Connect : connecting communities + creative ideas
OVERRIDE! Connect is a unique opportunity to connect your community to a published author offering (free) creative workshops to get you thinking differently. The goal is to help re/connect you to yourself and your community.
(Note: I’m in my first book's early days, so this page will get updated and grow with me. As a general rule of thumb, I say catch people early in a project, don’t wait. The more time that passes folks get busier/less accessible, other projects come in, and rates get higher.)
When I wrote OVERRIDE! What if there was another way? A pocket playbook for possibility it was an invitation to do things differently from how things have always been done. Sometimes I need this reminder myself!
Here’s the situation:
One day I’ll write about the journey after a book is in the world. It’s a JOURNEY. One of the most surprising things has been how hard it is to connect with bookstores to do events. Granted I haven’t tried THAT hard (though I have tried in three countries). It’s been an unexpected hurdle—or dead end—and honestly a bit defeating. I see it as a mix of things: booksellers have a lot to do, they’re in the business of books (not in the biz of biz), it takes time and energy to put on events, it can be seen as a risk to do something with someone who is not a well-established author, and some shops only want authors within a few weeks of the book launch. (That being said, if you work for a bookshop I’d love to talk with you to see if we can make things happen! All my book events are engaging workshops with banana mapping!)
So this is where we return to the question I bring to the book and all of my work:
WHAT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY?
My goal is to get OVERRIDE! What if there was another way? into the hands of readers or potential readers. I find far more joy in connecting with readers than I do buying Amazon ads (I don’t even know what an ad would say to get someone to buy anyway).
I’m based in Paris, France I travel fairly regularly (Virginia outside of DC is my other “home” and I’m regularly in London and popping through different cities around the globe where I know people, attending conferences, events, etc.). When I’m visiting, I’d love to tap into an existing community/meet-up and run a creative workshop for you inspired by my book.
You bring the people, tell them to bring a banana 🍌. I’ll bring the pens and books.
BANANAS!?! Sure, you may be confused if you don’t know my work, so let me introduce myself. I’m Anne Ditmeyer, a creative coach, workshop facilitator, writer, and general guide for life who helps people explore the world in creative ways. I like to give you the confidence to explore and get lost.
I’m an American who has called Paris home for 15+ years, so I understand the insider/outsider perspective. I’ve only survived French bureaucracy because I learned to see things differently (frustrations are way more supportive when you think of them as creative constraints). My background is in design (graphic design, design thinking, UX design) and I bring this mindset to all of my work, and workshops I run. It’s the same spirit I bring to OVERRIDE! What if there was another way?
The pocket-sized book designed to shake up the status quo is full of mindset shifts, reflective prompts, and creative exercises to get you thinking differently. One of the exercises in the book is my signature move: banana mapping! It’s my invitation for you to get out of your head and mapping on a banana. Why? Why not! My goal is to get you out of default modes and inviting a bit of creativity and play into your day to day. You never know what you may unlock.
Banana maps are also one of my favorite tools to bring to the workshops I facilitate whether it’s with a school group, senior corporate leaders, or within the Mapping Your Path community I run. I’ve learned they have the power to change the energy and connect people quickly.
So that brings us back to you. Are you part of a group that I can tap into?
Here’s what I can offer you (for now):
I’d love to bring a mini book party / banana mapping event to you so you can experience it for yourself.
I like to treat these events as BYOB (yes, that’s Bring Your Own Banana!) because it instantly lightens things up, and if you run into someone on the way, you can ask them if they’re headed there too.
It all can be done in about an hour. Or we can hang out for two. I find my exercises help connect people so you’re not going to want to leave.
Here’s how it looks:
Your group/community invites me to one of your existing meetings (you just have to get the people there).
Tell people to bring a banana and an open mind. (It’s OK if they don’t fully know what they’re about to experience. Mystery can be fun too!)
I meet you where your group gathers
You sit back and relax
I’ll welcome participants and introduce myself, and tell you a bit about the book
I’ll give you a banana mapping prompt inspired by OVERRIDE! and without overthinking it, everyone maps on a banana (trust me, it’s FUN!)
You get to meet other attendees during the “banana mingle” (or get to know them in a new way)
There can be a Q&A if people have questions
I’ll bring some books for those who want to purchase it (easy with a QR code). (There is no pressure to buy, but it does make a great gift).
I can even sign them for those who are interested (I have special stamps for book events!)
You can eat your banana as a snack or take it home to make banana bread
Everyone leaves feeling energized after a good time!
Check out my OVERRIDE! launch party + past events to get a sense of the vibe! (It’s fun, friendly, and inviting. I was an introvert and “the quiet one” so I know how to facilitate an event where everyone feels welcome.)
This offer comes at no charge (this will not be the case forever!) with the option to purchase books after the workshop. I am prioritizing in-person workshops with OVERRIDE! Connect if I am in your city. I don’t always know where my travels will take me, so even if it’s not right away, please let me know where your community is so I can keep it in mind for the future.
If you have a group that meets online and you’d be interested in having me pop into your online community, book club, etc., you’re welcome to reach out. I know lots of folks who have bought several books to gift to friends or their book club. (It can be a loose “community” too.)
Note: I am prioritizing this offer for communities and not-for-profit groups that gather. This is separate from workshops I run and sell. If you’d like me to come into your company, I would love to—in a paid capacity. Please reach out!
You can learn more about OVERRIDE! or purchase a copy HERE. 📓 You can also find a facilitation guide on that page, or check out my companion Substack, which was created to continue the conversation around ideas explored in the book.
OVERRIDE! Connect is part of my bigger goal to foster connection and get people thinking differently. OVERRIDE! is more than a book, it’s a conversation starter.
Photo by Your Photographer in Paris.