We’re so excited to graduate Alli Prince! It’s been an amazing privilege to work with her for the past two years.

We’ve watched as God has stretched and grown her in amazing ways. She’s worked so hard to accomplish a great many things, and she’s now on an unbelievable trajectory with her writing. We can’t wait to see what happens next!

Melissa and I each spoke at Alli’s graduation. Without consulting each other, we both decided to talk about how Alli teaches us to say “yes” to God. She sets such an amazing example of continuing to press in to grow in her faith and in her writing, even when it’s hard or uncomfortable.

Alli is originally from Las Vegas, Nevada. On the eve of her graduation, I sat down with Alli to talk about her experience. She has watched God move in so many powerful ways during her time with us. Check out the full conversation here: https://writers.company/interview-with-alli-prince-happy-alli-day-episode-142/

Our full-time apprenticeship, which we call “The Three” after David’s mightiest mighty men, guides aspiring professional writers to grow in three critical areas: their Christian faith, their writing craft, and professional publishing. As an apprentice, Alli made tremendous progress in all three of these areas.

Spiritual Walk

Alli’s journey of faith with The Company began before she even arrived! Prior to coming, Alli was very ill and was having seizures daily. The day she decided to say “yes” to God’s invitation and come to The Company, she never had another seizure again!

She shared this incredible story on The Company Podcast one year ago. Catch it in her own words here: https://writers.company/interview-with-alli-prince-the-company-apprentice-episode-115/

As an apprentice, Alli has witnessed (and participated in) miraculous healing, demonic deliverance, inner healing, and so much more. It’s incredible to see the way that she’s grown. Alli has faith today to operate in things that before she came she wasn’t even sure really happened outside of the Bible.

Her confidence has grown tremendously. Today, Alli can articulate, explain, and defend beliefs that she once just held as general feelings.

All because she said, “yes.” There were so many opportunities for Alli to shrink back and explain away the things she witnessed. Instead, she chose to believe that God is who He says He is, and that we can believe what the Bible says.

Writing Craft

Prior to coming to The Company, Alli had never written a complete book manuscript. She had a lot of great ideas, an obvious talent, and a lot of partial projects…but little to show for it.

Today, Alli can write a full-length novel in three months. Literally, she can go from nothing, and walk the process from idea generation to complete draft in three months. Isn’t that incredible?

And that’s because she says “yes.” She committed herself to grow beyond her comfort zone and she followed through. And she did a tremendous amount of hardwork to grow in those skills.

While she was here, Alli led our Lawless project and published a first-class book of 14 powerful short stories.  Alli talks about her experience publishing Lawless in this podcast episode from last winter: https://writers.company/lawless-did-we-go-too-far-interview-with-alli-prince-episode-126/

Lawless presents a collection of short stories inspired by the book of Judges, set in a dystopian sci-fi western setting. Check it out on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/4ed1PTT

Watch for her first solo book, Copper Lies, due out in December! Copper Lies is a YA steampunk coming-of-age adventure about the adopted daughter of a mad scientist. It’s a really neat book, and I think you’ll love it. Sign up for her mailing list to stay in the loop: https://alliprince.com/subscribe/

Professional Platform

While she was here, Alli also built a robust author’s platform, building an audience of friends with whom she can share the encouragement God has placed on her heart, and who will also be ready book buyers to support her continued writing ministry.

When Alli arrived at The Company, she struggled to put her name and face online. As she talks about in our podcast episode, cyberbullying that she experienced as a teenager had damaged her ability to step forward and make herself heard.

Alli has such a vibrant personality. She’s a natural leader and she can command attention in a social setting. She’s a hoot to hang out with, and is obviously gifted as a leader. It wasn’t OK for the enemy to stand in her way.

So for two years we worked on it. Sometimes in little steps, sometimes in big ones—we prayed and made opportunities for Alli to push herself further.

In time, she led all of our public writing workshops. She did a series of eleven live broadcasts on Instagram and Facebook. She continued to push herself and say “yes,” and today she leads one of our Novel Challenge Cohorts.

This fall, she’ll lead one of our Arche Year Cohorts to share her skills and encouragement with other writers. (Learn more and sign up here if you want to hang out with her.)

As she said on our podcast, these things that just two years ago were terrifying, debilitating even, are now fun. Only God can take us from terror to fun! But only if we say “yes.” God has restored something that Alli is clearly gifted to do.

She was joking, but she put it best: “Putting in work actually creates progress. Who knew?”

You can check out Alli’s platform by following her on her website at AlliPrince.com. She has a couple of free offers you can grab there, including your choice of two great short stories that you can download.

You can also follow Alli on Instagram at @alliprinceauthor.

God is so good about inviting us into what He made us to be. In His grace, it’s not one offer and then we’re out of luck if we miss it. He invites us over and over again and gives us so many chances to agree with who He says we are.

But it’s up to us to say “yes.” And that’s what I see in Alli.

That’s what made it so fun and encouraging and exciting to work with her. I can’t wait to see where she’ll go next as she continues to say “yes” to God.

Alli worked so hard to write books, build her platform, and learn more about her faith. She accomplished so much in two short years! I’m honored to be her mentor.

For the time being, she’ll continue to be with us here in Cambridge. Alli will be joining The Company as an intern in the coming year to help out and continue to thrive in this community of writers.

If you’d like to join her, the invitation is open. It’s up to you to say “yes.” If you think The Company might be the right fit for you, start a conversation by filling out the apprenticeship application here. Let’s talk and figure it out together.

As Alli said on the podcast, “I don’t think you’ll ever feel ready for what God has for you. You just kind of have to go and do it.”

Whether it’s with The Company or somewhere else, keep saying “yes” to God. That single attitude is absolutely the difference-maker in your life.

“It comes down to understanding that God has called you to this school for a reason,” she told me. “He wouldn’t call you here just to leave you here… It’s not on your strength, it’s not on you, God’s going to grow you, it’s your job to say ‘yes’.”

Leave a note of congratulations for Alli in the comments below.