Lisa Tener
Book Writing Coach
We had an amazing group of authors in this year’s Bring Your Book to Life® program. And something interesting happened for one of them, Storyteller and Consultant, Dr. Senem Donatan Mohan: the book she was working on became a program, The Story Cure. In my first conversation with Senem, I was struck by the premise and promise…
“We’re sorry to see you go..” It was an email meant to go to one person who left my Get Your Writing Done program because of a health issue. A mis-take. One email gone rogue. It didn’t just go to everyone currently active on my email list. It went to twice that number. Would the…
Recently, a client wrote me about a literary agent encouraging her to send a book proposal before the beginning of the month. I didn’t think the proposal was ready, primarily because the author’s platform was just getting off the ground and she needed time to gather an audience. She was off to a good start…
Should I write this book? Do I have a solid book idea? Will I make any money with my book? I hear these questions often. A colleague recently sent a prospective author to me for support with a book proposal. The author’s first questions were: “Is my story worth writing about?” and “Can I make…
This Tuesday, after delivering a free preview training of my Get Your Writing Done Program, I was interviewed on PIX 11 by Anchors Tamsen Fadal and Arrianne LeBeau about the research on journaling for mental health and how to get started. You can watch it here. I’ve learned over the years how important it is…
I recently caught up with a former client, Carrie Rowan, singer/songwriter and author of Tell a New Story. During our original consultation, I suggested she incorporate QR codes to play original songs that help bring the material in the book to life. So, she wrote a book AND incorporated music from two of her CDs! Carrie…
I love summer. Every summer I promise myself to work less, play more. And I did some of that this summer. Many days and evenings I walked the length of Narragansett Beach (my favorite time is when the stars are out), enjoyed several visits from family members and out of town friends, read more novels…
You did it! You nabbed a TV News Interview. Lights, cameras…hold on… I’ve done my share of TV news interviews and some went well, some barely okay, and some truly inspired: I nailed the TV news interview. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things to make the most of the opportunity. What do I…
It started out with my rummaging through my partially filled journals and notebooks, looking for a barely used journal so I could tear the pages out and start anew. My plan? I don’t even remember what I planned to use it for. Some new project that required its own space. I skimmed the first few…
When my sister Sara visited last week, we spent our most luxurious moments painting small watercolors on my deck while listening to birdsong and later sitting on the beach, painting a favorite cove as the sunlight sparkled on the ocean and huge waves sprayed off the rocks the day of the full moon. Creative Lessons…
Authors often ask me how to attract a publisher for a self published book. It’s not easy but it happens. You need to be strategic. In this post I share four steps to attract a traditional publisher for a book that you originally self-published. Since one of those steps is to sell more books, I…
What’s the secret to engaging readers? I recently edited the book proposal for a TV journalist and found myself writing, “Where’s the B-roll?” I’m in awe of writers who have a gift with metaphor. So, on the rare occasion I come up with a clever metaphor, I milk it. Okay, milk may be trite, but…
Post revised 8/1/23 People often struggle with their book concept: “How do I write the book that brings my vision to life and creates transformation for my readers and for me?” “How do I write a book that takes my business to the next level?” How about a book that launches your new business or…
I have exciting news: The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day won the Silver Nautilus Book Award! Since the Nautilus is an award I often recommend my clients apply for—whether their books are traditionally published or self-published—(and we’ve had several winners over the years!), I always check the list…
Last week, I got an email from Susan, a participant in my Bring Your Book to Life® Program. Susan had signed up for the Nonfiction Writers Conference, including the pitch-the-agents session. “What if I get chosen to pitch? What will I say?” I offered to get on a call with Susan and give her some…
I met Kate Hanley years ago at a salon in the home of our friend Deb Walsh. Kate is always writing interesting books and articles and when she wrote How to Be a Better Person, I interviewed her for the how to write a book website about her book writing and publishing journey. Since then,…
On the Luxury of Journaling Many mornings, of late, I roll out of bed around nine thirty or ten, after hours of lazy writing. It’s relatively new to me, to spend so many hours lying in bed, recording my dreams, dialoguing with dream characters and journaling, followed by–sometimes–working on one of several books in process….
Benefits of a Virtual Conference I have had the privilege of being a presenter for the Nonfiction Writers Conference a couple of times now, and a pro for the ask-a-pro sessions for many years. I enjoy attending as much as presenting and I’ve learned to block out my schedule that week so I can attend…
I had an interesting thought on a call with a client. Imagine that your book is taking the reader on a hero’s journey. How do you meet your reader where they are right now at the beginning of their quest? How do you engage them for this quest? What do they need to do or…
Many of my clients write a book to grow a business, launch a new endeavor or even enable a career pivot. A couple of months ago, Bring Your Book to Life® program graduate Janet Snoyer shared, “What surprised me the most is how the book helped my business. My hits on LinkedIn and my website…
