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 helps you make a career pivot?
One of my most popular offerings is a Book Concept Consultation, because it helps you answer these questions. In this process, you’ll clarify your vision for the book, get into your readers’ minds (and be clear who they are, and conceptualize and structure an exceptional book that can bring your vision to life. The consultaton also offers you a feel for working with me before making a bigger commitment such as a coaching program or book proposal package.
My Highly Effective Book Concept Development Process
The Book Concept Consultation takes you through a process:
A Book Concept Consultation clarified this book’s focus, audience, features and inspired the winning title! The proposal led to a 6-figure book deal!
Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book: Work through a series of exercises and lessons that help you think about your book in ways that tend to produce an exceptional book that meets the vision and goals you’ve set forth for yourself. You’ll get clear on vision/mission, audience, features, structure, voice and more. Bonus: If you have more than one book idea, it can help you choose which book to write first.
Get Your Writing Done (optional): You are invited to attend my Get Your Writing Done program group calls (formerly Bring Your Book to Life(R)) at no extra charge for a full month to get into a state of flow and make progress with working through the exercises. You also have the opportunity to ask questions and get laser coaching during those sessions (offered twice a week).
Fill out and return the Book Concept Questionnaire two days (or more) before our call to help prepare us both for the call. I will use that time to make notes, brainstorm ideas and develop a plan for our session.
2 Hour Book Concept Consultation Session: Meet with me on Zoom to clarify your book concept and structure, a chapter template (if desired), get coaching on any specific challenges you are having (such as self-doubt, making time, certain artistic choices, etc).
Let’s walk through each component in more detail…
Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book
I created my self-study course, Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book, to help you answer the questions posed earlier and:
Nautilus Book Award-winning client, Rhonda Spencer-Hwang
Identify the best match for target audience.
Gain clarity on your readership’s demographics, pain points and desires, so the book you write matches their needs.
Choose features and format that make your book engaging to readers and help them get the most out of the book (making your book both effective and highly recommendable!)
Realize how to make your book stand out and succeed.
Get clear on content—what goes in the book and what you save for the next book, an accompanying ebook, website content or a paid course or program!
Create your book’s outline and, if desired, a template for typical chapters.
Get Your Writing Done
This aspect of the Book Concept Consultation package is entirely optional. However, if you are:
Struggling to find time to work on your book
Looking for a way to get into a flow flow state for your most inspired and creative work
Interested in working through the Quick Start exercise in a session where you can ask me questions while you work
Excited about being part of a community of people working on similar goals
then make some time on your calendar to join us for several Get Your Writing Done sessions. We currently meet Wednesday evenings 7-9 pm ET (4-6 pm PT) and Thursdays 11:30 – 1:30 ET (8:30 – 10:30 PT). While we spend most of our time writing (which can include working through Quick Start or writing a chapter or a book proposal section), there is some time for sharing insights, asking/answering questions, or even a bit of laser coaching.
While sessions are two hours long, it is fine to come for only the first or second hour, as each hour is a complete experience. However, if you can swing the full two hours, you may find you get more than twice as much done!
While this program is normally $249/month, you receive a month of the program at no additional charge when you sign up for a Book Concept Consultation. That’s up to 8 two-hour sessions and up to 700 minutes of working on your book concept, structure and writing. Imagine how much you can accomplished, writing in a flow state and having access to my powerful tools, a supportive community and immediate answers to your questions!
The Difference Between Writing a Good Book and a Great One
While you can purchase Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book for $97 as its own separate program, most aspiring authors benefit greatly from a book concept consultation after working through the Quick Start exercises. In your book concept consultation we will:
Discuss your current thinking on all the bullet points above, and apply them to both market forces, your vision and my experience with books of your type.
Answer any questions about the book concept and structure that you’re struggling with, so you can get clarity by the end of our call.
Brainstorm new ideas to make your book stand out. Here’s where we often come up with features or concepts that make your book exceptional. My clients’ many award-winning books and 5- and 6-figure book deals are testament to that.
Upgrade your title. “The Creativity Cure” and “The Secret Language of Cells” are examples of the powerful titles co-created during a consultation.
Overcome anything that might be getting in the way of making progress on your book (from imposter syndrome to procrastination to structure issues and more).
Tap into your own inner knowing through a powerful exercise I call “Meet Your Muse” —a guided visualization that connects you with your creative source for answers. More about that below.
Meet Your Muse and Tap into Your Creative Genius and Inner Knowing
My muse often appears to me as a wise woman offering alphabet soup. (AI generated image)
While this is an optional aspect of the Book Concept Consultation, many authors say it’s a game changer—empowering, exciting, potent and yielding phenomenal results. In the last half hour or so of your session, I’ll walk you through an exercise to help you bypass linear thinking and tap into your inner wisdom, intuition and creative source for additional information about your book.
If you have felt “stuck” in any way, this process can free you and cause a breakthrough in creativity and productivity.
Added Takeaways!
In your consultation, we can tackle one (and possibly more) of these additional and exhilarating goals:
Carrie Barron, author of The Creativity Cure, and me at Carrie’s NYC book launch. The title emerged in Carrie’s Book Concept Consultation!
Explore and choose your publishing path.
Brainstorm business ideas that bring in income while fueling book sales.
Come up with a platform-building strategy, particularly if you want to attract a traditional publisher / literary agent.
Perform a website audit and suggest ways to use your website to grow your community/ mailing list and attract publishers.
Identify a fitting gift/lead magnet/free offer to grow your list of people likely to buy your book when it comes out.
After working through all or part of Quick Start, you’ll prepare for your consultation by filling out a questionnaire and sending it to me at least two days before our call, so I can also prepare and spend time thinking about your book and letting ideas bubble up! In your questionnaire you can let me know what you want to get out of our consultation and any specific questions you want me to consider before our call.
Sign Up For Your Consultation
Sign up for your consultation and you will receive:
Quick Start Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book self-study program
This program takes you step-by-step through how to structure, start, write and format that great book you have inside of you.
An invitation to my twice-weekly Get Your Writing Done sessions
These consultations are limited to four per month; so save your place now. We are currently booking for April. As soon as you sign up, you can work through the Quick Start exercises and join our Get Your Writing Done sessions.
Note: If you sign up for a consultation package by August 2, I will automatically include the publishing decision at no extra cost (a $300 add-on). So, use the first button when you sign up, even if you want to add on the publishing choice support, in which case you’ll save $300).
Or Sign Up for a Book Concept Consultation that Includes the Publishing Path Decision
Sign up for the dual consultation and you will receive:
Quick Start Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book self-study program
This program takes you step-by-step through how to structure, start, write and format that great book you have inside of you.
An invitation to my twice-weekly Get Your Writing Done sessions
The Book Concept Questionnaire
My preparation time before we talk
2 hour Book Concept Consultation with me
Up to a half hour of additional discussion to help you choose the optimal publishing path based on your vision, goals, existing platform, book concept, and skill set.
Investment: $1,800
Sign Up Now for a Book Concept Consultation ($1500)
If you have read this far but your issue is more of feeling stuck and needing support to break through a creative block, email me to find out more about a “Meet Your Muse” session ($295 for 1/2 hour, $575 for one hour; all sessions come with a preparation questionnaire and we both spend time preparing beforehand).
Note: I know that these are challenging times financially for many people. If my pricing is not in your budget, reach out to me to let me know your needs and I can recommend a colleague who is an excellent book coach and less expensive.
Testimonials
First Draft in Just 7 Days! Now, Published.
Dr. Stephanie O’Leary “When I scheduled a ‘Book Concept and Strategy Consultation’ with Lisa Tener, I thought I would get some great advice on my concept for a parenting book. I walked away with a clear vision for Parenting in the Real World, tremendous inspiration and the confidence to follow my dream of becoming an author.
“When I sat down to write my manuscript, it was done in just seven days!
“I sought out Lisa’s expertise again and was fortunate to work with her on the editing process. She exceeded all of my expectations and her down to earth style helped me relax and trust in the process. I felt supported, respected and knew that Lisa valued my work as much as I did.
“Lisa went out of her way to ensure that my ‘voice’ came through and has continued to support me even after the project wrapped up.
“My book is now published, was available weeks ahead of schedule, and has all 5 Star Reviews on Amazon. Lisa Tener was an integral part of this journey and I can’t wait to work with her on my next book!”
— Stephanie O’Leary, Psy.D., Author of Parenting in the Real World
One Coaching Call “Made All the Difference” – Published by Routledge!
“I reached out to Lisa for coaching after getting many rejections from publishers. In just one consultation, Lisa encouraged me and gave me actionable steps that made all the difference.
“This included specific advice on creating an author website (and what is needed), suggestions for developing my platform, including writing articles for Kevin MD and other venues, and responding to reporter queries. With Lisa’s advice, instead of giving up, I pressed on, developed a stronger platform and received an offer from Routledge which published my book in October, 2021.”
— Christine Ko, MD, Author of How to Improve Doctor-Patient Connection: Using Psychology to Optimize Healthcare Interactions
Lisa:Can you share with blog readers how you started with the idea forWellness for Super Seniors?
Juan: I started out producing a manual for the wellness for elderly seniors –people over 75–consisting of exercises and nutrition practices that I had originally developed for myself, and was now teaching to others in my community and to some of my former military peers. It consists of my special exercises, advice and recipes on sound nutrition, and tips on certain health issues.
Lisa: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced?
Juan’s market was the adult children of super-seniors even more than the seniors themselves.
Juan: Relatives and friends advised me to make it more personal: “Talk about yourself,” they said; “Add some stories of your students, case histories, examples.” I struggled with making the vignettes long-winded and tedious, and not knowing where to insert them, if at all. I also began to discern that my manual was potentially turning into a book…and if that was the case, I would have to write longer and better introductions to each of the three core tutorial sections.
Lisa:That’s one of the wonderful things about writing, seeing how your ideas grow and develop with you. When you knew this manual was becoming a book, what did you do next?
Juan: I first consulted an online writing coach in California who suggested I had not addressed a specific audience [important for this book] and I enrolled in a summer writing conference at the University of Rhode Island. That’s where I met you, Lisa and had our one-on-one conference about my intentions. You had suggested that I was addressing several different audiences and that I needed to choose one as a primary audience. So, I settled down to rewrite the entire narrative sections of the book.
Lisa:What did you end up rewriting?
Juan O’Callahan practices what he preaches!
Juan: I wrote each section addressing the children and caregivers of the very elderly since they would be the ones concerned with the conditions of wellness and quality-of-life of their loved ones. Even then I became disheartened because my audience wasn’t specific enough. I sat down for several more months and tried to resolve my dilemma, redrafting the entire text once again.
Lisa:When you were finished, how did you go about getting your book out into the world?
Juan: Fortunately, my two daughters (my prodders and copy editors) were able to select the appropriate printer and formatting process in order to self-publish my book. With your help and detailed editing, I added paragraphs and even some pages pointing out WHY those side stories had been included. And I also made sure to persuade my audiences that caring for the very old was not necessarily an onerous or unbearable chore, but could be a joy and even surprisingly rewarding to the younger sets.
Lisa:I love that–it’s such an important perspective. Any lessons to share with readers?
Juan: I discovered that what may be of interest to me—the writer–may in fact be far too long-winded, and perhaps not even that interesting to the reader; I had to learn to trim and delete, and start over again on paragraphs, pages and chapters.
While the whole process—from start to finish—was harder than I had imagined it would be, having finished, the feeling of accomplishment was euphoric and made it all worth the effort.
Lisa: What would you do if you could go back and redo the process so it was easier?
Juan: In addition to outlining the “story flow” and putting together chapter summaries at the outset, I would get the first chapter down early and review and make it interesting or exciting enough to “grip” the reader. I would consult with and retain a writing coach at the outset, when an initial outline and purpose had been set out, even in rough form. I wasted so much time struggling on my own. I could have shortened the entire process by a year. Your advice and the meticulous corrections and additions you made to my draft manuscript were enormously helpful.
Lisa: It’s great to hear you say that about starting with a coach from the outset. I have enjoyed working with people from the very beginning very much. I would have also saved a great deal of time if I’d worked with a professional from the outset–my first book took 7 years to go from idea to a book published with a major publisher–I’m sure your first draft was much more professional than mine! That’s why I developed my Bring Your Book to Life Program–so people can get help from the get-go and ensure they’re writing the right book and saving time.
I’ve also been reflecting that while many people get a first draft written in my program in 8-12 weeks, others need a good 5-6 months or so to get a first draft written. With that in mind, knowing that my Bring Your Book to Life 8-week program is coming up in late April, I’m offering a special track for people who want to start their books now and work with me directly to get a head start so they can have a first draft by mid-June–people who know they are going to need more than 8-12 weeks to write a first draft.
I’m setting up special consultations for those who want to explore the 6-month program with me in the first two weeks of January. This is a special opportunity that I’m offering to 10 people maximum. So, readers, if you’re interested, e-mail Geri at Geri at LisaTener dot com to receive an application and set up a time to explore the possibility with me.
Writing Tips: Writing All Over the Place? Too Many Ideas?
Walk by the ocean to clear your cluttered thoughts.
Yesterday morning, one of my book coaching clients said she had so many competing ideas for what to write–a book, a blog–and even more ideas what to write about–suburban consumption mom goes green, healing, shamanic experiences around the world. She didn’t know how to choose a writing project. In fact, she wondered if she can be writing right now with all that’s going on in her life.
As I led her in a visualization for writing, it became clear to me she needed to ground herself and feel connected to the earth. It would help her release some of the blocks coming up, focus, create structure, feel secure and safe (which cropped up as a need).
Get outside and get focused.
Nature and earth energy can be your most powerful allies for writing and creative endeavors. If your head is swirling with ideas and you feel overwhelmed, paralyzed or stuck, go for a walk in nature–in the woods to look inward for answers, by the ocean to clear the cluttered thoughts or anywhere you can breathe fresh air.
Or try a grounding yoga pose like mountain or warrior–outdoors barefoot if you’re somewhere warm. If your backyard looks like mine, an indoor yoga pose will do–maybe just look out the window.
Does it help? What do you do to ground your ideas and move forward?
Meet the Team
My Publisher Tamara Monosoff: From the gorgeous cover to inner design, to the original inspiration for QR codes and putting every single one of those crazy videos on my website, and guiding me patiently throughout the process, Tamara is my dream publisher. Thank you!
The most talented photographer in the world, Seth Jacobson
PR Trainers Chris Winfield, Jen Gottlieb, Brittany Sisko, and the entire community at the Be Seen Accelerator
Beta Readers: Joshua Home Edwards, Tracy Hart, Stephanie Meyers, Laurie Hunt, LiDona Wagner, Mia Potter, Gael Johnson, Amber Hanks, Melissa Sones, Gael-Sylvia Pullen, and Paula Schonewald. I hope I did not leave anyone out—if I did please let me know so I can add you here!
Title Support Howard Van Es, Tamara Monosoff, Lorraine Segal, Tama Kieves, Kristin Meekhof.
Launch Consulting Howard Van Es
My Health and Wellbeing Posse who helped me survive the stress-induced health challenges I encountered on the way
Dear Friends Johannah Cremin (and her prayer circle) and Virginia Swain; Qigong teacher, Leah Franklin, and the lineage of Mei Hua Qigong masters from whom she learned; dream shaman Kari Hohne; loving guide, Linda Yael Schiller; acupuncturists Nancy Graham and Patricia Gilmartin; Lynne Ahn, MD and John McGonigle, MD; dowser, Erina Cowan; and special friends Linda Broadhead and Seraina Wood.
Book Ambassadors: Louise Brownell
Podcasters, Show Hosts and Early Adopters: Dan Janal, Sharon Burton Ways, Josh Steimle, Leslie Draffin, Robin Kall
Bloggers and Blogs: San Francisco Writers Conference, Jane Friedman, Nina Amir, Howard Van Es
My Supportive Family: Tom, Will, and Luke Patterson, and Mimi Sammis, you are the lights in my life! Tener and Arnold families, and the Patterson-Potters and Pattersons
My many colleagues from Harvard Medical School’s CME publishing and women in healthcare leadership courses—director Julie Silver, et al.
All my students!
All my amazing writing colleagues
Intellectual property advice, Attorney Dana Newman
A special thank you to my many clients and colleagues who gave me permission to quote their wonderful words in this journal
The brave souls who appear in the accompanying videos.
I could probably go on thanking deserving people for another twenty pages, so for those not listed, please know you have my gratitude.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are okay with that.
Dr. Stephanie O’Leary
“When I sat down to write my manuscript, it was done in just seven days!“I sought out Lisa’s expertise again and was fortunate to work with her on the editing process. She exceeded all of my expectations and her down to earth style helped me relax and trust in the process. I felt supported, respected and knew that Lisa valued my work as much as I did.
“Lisa went out of her way to ensure that my ‘voice’ came through and has continued to support me even after the project wrapped up.“My book is now published, was available weeks ahead of schedule, and has all 5 Star Reviews on Amazon. Lisa Tener was an integral part of this journey and I can’t wait to work with her on my next book!”
“I sought out Lisa’s expertise again and was fortunate to work with her on the editing process. She exceeded all of my expectations and her down to earth style helped me relax and trust in the process. I felt supported, respected and knew that Lisa valued my work as much as I did.
“I reached out to Lisa for coaching after getting many rejections from publishers. In just one consultation, Lisa encouraged me and gave me actionable steps that made all the difference.
