write a book

Scope? Voice? Features? Structure? How to Clarify Your Book Idea and Get Started

July 29, 2025 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

As part of the Nonfiction Writers Conference a few months ago, in addition to co-presenting how to “Become a Better Writer,” I enjoyed consulting with nine aspiring authors on their books and book concepts. The book concept is an especially creative and fun aspect of book coaching.

Afterwards, I thought a “perch on my shoulder” view might provide you some insights into the scope, voice, length, features and narrative structure of your book. Perhaps the experience will open up new ways of seeing your book and clarify your book’s concept and structure.

Nonfiction Book Chapter Template

I recently worked with a writer who is an expert in her field. As a template, when working with such books, I often suggest starting with a story from your own experience or that of a client (with their permission). You can follow the story with advice and insights that come out of the story, as well as add additional teaching and research. I also often suggest that self-help, business, or how-to books can be especially valuable to your readers when you include experiential exercises, such as prompts.

This author wondered whether to include interviews with other experts in her field, how long her book should be, and whether to include additional material so that those in her field could use her material in their own groups.

Here are my questions for her, along with my suggestions to consider and the advice I have. I hope it sparks some clarity and insights for you!

Should I Write a Short Book?

This writer has already written many of her chapters and they are short. “Are they too short?” she wondered. “Would it help to add the experiences of other experts?”

As I told the writer, there’s not necessarily a right and wrong answer. Sometimes the best way to answer a question like that is to try it.

However, I had a hunch, so I asked more questions.

Specifically, I asked, “Does the book have a narrative arc on its own without additional experiences from others?”

Yes, the book has a narrative arc and each story has a narrative arc, too — descent, initiation, return.

In that case, I was concerned that adding more stories within each chapter, or adding chapters, might complicate an elegantly simple book.

Also, the experts in her field are already overworked. They might appreciate a short book that helps them solve their problems more than a longer one that does the same thing.

So, my advice was to feel free to try one interview and see if it was helpful, but perhaps to let that go since the shorter book might be even better.

One thing she’d said to me struck a nerve: “I wonder whether it’s not enough?” I think that’s such a common theme, especially for women in helping professions. I have worked with many women who overgive at the expense of their own health and financial well-being. So, I wondered whether “not enough” was coming from an inherited or cultural belief system of not being enough, rather than coming from an intuitive, creative place.

Should I Interview Other Experts for My Book?

As mentioned, the writer was considering interviewing other experts.

I shared with her that one thing about interviewing people for a book is that you need to be a solid interviewer. Now, given her field, she is likely a great listener and able to get people to open up, knows how to ask open-ended questions, and so on. That’s a significant plus.

My experience is that the average interview subject does not open up easily. They provide you with some broad basics, but not the details that make for compelling storytelling. And that can make for a Zzzzzzzzzzzzz read. So, you need a few tricks up your sleeve!

How to Conduct a Great Interview for Book Content

There are entire books on this subject. Here’s my short answer for how to interview people for book content and to capture compelling stories:

Start with simple, easy questions to put the person at ease.
Ask open-ended questions. Avoid questions that are easily answered with yes/no or one-word answers.
Follow up with an even more open-ended question: “Tell me more about x,” to get your subject to expand upon anything they said.
You can also pause (even for a long time) to see if they will elaborate on something they said. Silence is an effective tool for conducting an interview with a subject.
Take notes, even if you’re recording. If something happens to the recording, you still have the notes.
Make eye contact. Nod. Show you’re listening.
Ask about specific details: Where were you? Describe the setting for me. What was it about her ____? What was going on inside your mind/body? What did that feel like in your body?
Ask for sensory details: What did you hear/see/smell/feel/sense? Round out the information with specific senses they may not have included yet.
Ask for dialogue: What did you say? What did he say?
Look for action: What did you do?

Near the end, review your notes and identify where you still need more information to provide a complete description/picture/experience for your readers. Don’t worry if you need to revisit the same subject or a similar question multiple times.

How to Repurpose Interviews to Reach More Readers

Include a podcast interview in your book (here I am on Gail Alofsin’s podcast: Leadership at All Levels

I suggested to the writer that if she didn’t use the interviews in her book, she could still utilize them during her promotional efforts.

Get permission ahead of time from interviewees that the interview material can be used in the book (they may wish to see the excerpt before you publish — perhaps even offer to make changes) and also can be used by you in a podcast, social media, in a blog post, etc. If you have them sign a waiver at the outset, you have much more freedom and flexibility with what you do.

Tag the interviewees in any clips you share and perhaps even request their support in sharing before you post.

You could even use some of the interviews in video or audio clips that can be accessed through QR codes in the book. That’s an engaging feature that many readers appreciate.

Do You Need Help with Your Book Concept?

I hope this post has given you some ideas to enhance your book concept and structure. If you’re serious about writing the most inspiring, compelling and valuable book for your readers, consider signing up for a book concept consultation with me.

You’ll have me to guide you through answering the challenging questions that come up when you’re writing a book. And we can brainstorm creative solutions and ideas that make your book truly stand out!

We can address and brainstorm everything from:

target market
which book to write
features
tone
length
voice
creative and synergistic aspects
structure
title and subtitle
publishing path

and more!

These sessions fill fast. By mid-May, I was booked through July and early August. I’m now ready to reopen my consultations. I have space for two authors in the second half of August and two in the first two weeks of September—none in the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October. You can find out more about the full package here or sign up for your book concept consultation package here.

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).

Even Before Your Book is Published, Just Writing It Has an Impact!

August 6, 2024 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

It’s true: Even before you publish your book, just the work of writing it will impact you, other people, and the world.

I recently received this email from award-winning author Chris Stroble, who won the Nautilus and Pen Craft Awards for her book Helping Teen Moms Graduate:

“I want to share this feedback. I’ve been thinking about it all week.
“Last Sunday I spoke at my United Methodist Church on the topic of love to Black single moms. Afterwards one of our members, who is a Black single mom of 3 children (she’s in her early 30s), said to me, “Everything you said was exactly right. You said what we wanted to say but were too afraid.”
“YES! Mission accomplished.
“That’s part of my vision for Love For Black Single Moms. I remember from your self study class, you said write a vision of what you want your book to do for:
1. Your audience
2. Your community, and
3. Yourself.
“One vision for Black single moms is to make them feel seen and heard and to validate their experience.

“Mission Accomplished! Yay! Yay! Yay!”

Even Before Your Book is Published, Your Book Has an Impact

Like Chris, you may find yourself sharing the message in your book with your target audience to vet and develop the ideas in your book. You might teach a workshop or two or develop an online class.

You might also ask beta readers to provide feedback on a draft version of the book or some of the chapters. Those beta readers may tell you what a difference your manuscript made for them, even before your book is published!

In addition, the act of writing your book will help you clarify your ideas about your subject. You may write articles, blog posts, and social media posts, or speak to the public and share some ideas before the book comes out. These new insights and ideas can inform your thinking and work in new ways. Well before the book is published, these articles and posts informed by your book’s new ideas can inspire and empower people in your target market.

I’ve also witnessed how working on a book increases the aspiring author’s confidence. You may well embody the role of expert with aplomb as you gain self-assurance by writing. That confidence can make you more open to new opportunities.

And here’s another potential impact: Chris sent me an email about the experience, adding inspiration to my day. Her email inspired me to write this blog post and, I hope, has impacted you as a reader and writer! Note: You can read an interview with Chris about the journey of writing and publishing her first book here.

Have you begun to experience the impact of your book? Share your story in the comments below!

Her Muse Gave Her a Stethoscope

October 10, 2023 by Lisa Tener 3 Comments

The other morning, I led a doctor through my Meet Your Muse exercise to help her access her inner guidance about which book to write first—the one for other doctors or the one for patients.

Her muse was clear—the one for patients. Before she left the scene, I invited her to ask whether her muse wanted her to know anything else.

“I see a stethoscope. I thought I’d create health education for people and leave my medical practice over time because the system is so broken. But I suppose my muse says I will keep a private practice.”

I’m careful not to project onto other people’s imagery, so I said, “If this were a daydream of mine, the stethoscope might symbolize the message to listen to my heart. Does that resonate at all?”

She smiled broadly and laughed. “Of course. That feels right.” She felt delighted by this personal and apropos symbol from her muse. She continued, “I recently stopped taking two major types of insurance because what they pay me cannot sustain me and my team—my assistant, the office, the billing service. But my colleagues look at my actions and think I’m crazy. They say, ‘You have a successful practice; how can you limit it so much? How will you survive?”

On Looking Crazy from the Outside

The doctor added, “I always think outside the box—with my patients and practice. I see a broken system and can’t just do things that way.”

I smiled and shared with her that when you’re a visionary with a mission to offer leadership in an industry, what you do will likely look crazy initially, but it will suddenly look normal in twenty years. You’re just ahead of the pack.

I know that many of my readers are like this doctor. You’re doing things differently. You’re breaking new ground, seeing new opportunities and ways of doing things that others can’t see yet. It may feel lonely and weird and scary. You may even believe people saying, “You’re crazy.”

But know that as a visionary, the world will look different to you. And your purpose will require you to do stuff that doesn’t make sense from the outside. People may judge you, call you names, and invite you to question yourself.

Trust yourself. Listen to your heart. Maybe your muse has a stethoscope for you.

And write that book! Your way. Help the world catch up to your vision, wisdom, and gifts.

How to Write a Book for the Wrong Book Market

February 12, 2019 by Lisa Tener 4 Comments

writing coach on phone — Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Earlier this week, on a call to explore writing coaching, Kaya picked my brain about writing a book for a trade audience, whether she’d be seen as an expert if she self published, how to evaluate the success of other books similar to hers, how to best build her platform, whether she should hire a publicist and much more. After about thirty minutes of questions, she mentioned in passing her desire to change careers and coach professionals in her field. Could she use her book to facilitate that career shift?

My bad for not asking about her vision for what the book might do for her life and career. Her final question made it clear to me that she was thinking of writing the wrong book (and for the wrong book market) to accomplish her goals. As a book writing coach, I should have started with that vision in the first place, so I’d be answering questions about the right book (and the right market) and not the wrong ones.

Kaya is not alone. Over the years I’ve spoken with many otherwise savvy business people who were either starting out with the wrong book market, or considering several book ideas, some of which did not dovetail with their goals and vision as well as others.

Why So Many People Write the Wrong Book for the Wrong Book Market

book idea — Photo by Vale Zmeykov on Unsplash

Sometimes, it’s easy to discount your greatest knowledge base and gifts, because you think “everyone knows that.” So you try to do something fancy: interview CEOs, create a book by reviewing all the latest research in your field. But the book that comes from what you know and do best is likely your greatest contribution to the field. And it will be a much easier book to write. And it just might be more in line with your goals.

Think of the executive recruiter who knows exactly what companies in his niche need to do to hire the best employees and retain them. He discounts the value of that knowledge because it’s second nature to him. Yet it’s exactly what CEOs and hiring managers need to know. And it’s exactly the book that will most likely help him grow his business.

Sure, a book about something you need to research might be more bright and shiny because you’ll learn something new, but that’s probably not your main criteria for writing your book. Besides, if you write with an open mind, you will learn new things. You’ll get to go deeper with your work, just be entering the process with a curious, open mind.

How to Write the Right Book for the Right Book Market

This writing coach’s advice: Before you go writing a book that sounds useful, intriguing, clever, challenging, marketable or trendy, ask yourself what you want to do with that book. If you do see it as advancing your career or changing careers, who is the intended audience, the book’s market, to facilitate that transition? Who would be your new clients? They are the book market for that book.

Here are 9 keys to clarifying your book market. You may also want to research your book market (or various potential target markets).

Reinventing the Dictionary

Just by chance, I happened to take a break from tying up this blog post and wandered into the living room while my 12-year-old was editing his latest Youtube video.

I thought the theme kind of fit this post in a tail-wagging-the-dog way. What do you think?

And, if you subscribe to Eskimo Banana on YouTube, you will make his day!

Have any questions about choosing a book market? Ask as a comment below.

40 Reasons to Write a Book

January 30, 2019 by Lisa Tener 2 Comments

What an exciting week! In between book concept consultations with people who recently joined my Bring Your Book to Life^®Program, I’ve helped a few authors get unstuck, edited a couple chapters from clients who are finishing up their book proposals and worked on the training I’m offering today: Bring Your Book to Life^®in 2019.

Geri and I brainstormed about how I could continue to add value to subscribers while preparing for the training and we remembered an ebook I wrote last year: 40 Reasons to Write a Book. When I re-read it, I found myself re-inspired by the brief stories about the amazing opportunities that opened up for these 40 authors when they became published authors, as well as the powerful transformations their readers experienced.

Download your free copy here.

35 Superb Reasons to Write a Book Now

January 2, 2019 by Lisa Tener 3 Comments

Thinking of writing a self-help book, how-to book or memoir?

A few years ago, I began the new year on this blog with 25 reasons to write a book now. Readers loved the inspiring examples and the opportunity to add some new motivation to their book-writing dreams.

Some even used this motivation to write and publish their book. Woot!

Ready to find your mojo?

[bctt tweet=”Here are 35 Reasons to Write a Book Now ” username=”LisaTener”]

You want to leave your legacy: After Dr. Eric Pfeiffer retired from practicing medicine, Yale University Press published Winning Strategies for Successful Aging and Caregiving in Alzheimers and Other Dementias.
You’re finally ready to leave your corporate job behind, take the entrepreneurial plunge and start that new business you’ve dreamt about for the past decade: Huibert Evekink co-authored Feedback First in order to launch a new company, Future Teaming, which provides work teams with empowering experiences that enhance communication skills and information flow. They are off to a powerful start with strong corporate sales and plans to launch a complementary online academy this year.
Admit it, you’ve always wanted to add “published author” to your bio. Or not, but, hey, doesn’t the phrase bring your confidence level up a few notches? What an accomplishment! Marla O’Brien, author of Wine Within Your Comfort Zone, called becoming a published author the third best thing that’s happened to her, next to 35 years of marriage, childbirth and a successful teaching career.
You feel called to work with high caliber leaders or change-agents and you know your book can provide the needed credibility to serve in such a capacity. Dr. Randy Kamen’s work teaching mindfulness to CEOs began after publishing Beyond the Therapy Door. Dr. Kamen recently told me, “I now reach a global audience of influential people.” Talk about making a difference. Think of all the employees who are benefiting now that mindfulness begins at the top of their companies.
You know you could be helping and reaching so many more people with a book. It’s time to spread those wings, baby. Dr. Bruce Dow reached PTSD sufferers well beyond his private therapy practice with Dream Therapy for PTSD. And Chris Spurvey sold 8,000 copies of It’s Time to Sell in 3 weeks—just imagine how many people his book will help over time!
It’s time to tell your story. The Nautilus Awards committee agreed it was time for Kimber Simpkins—she won a Silver Nautilus for Full. So did Vint Virga, DVM, who told more than his own story. The Soul of All Living Creatures includes tales about dogs, cats, ocelots, wolves and other four leggeds who have sauntered, slunk and leapt into his life with their many wise lessons.
The New York Times hasn’t called you yet. It happened for Martha Rhodes after she published 3,000 Pulses Later and to Cathy Turney when Laugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Success won a Stevie Award for Best Business Book of the Year.
Your clients/customers/readers deserve this. Cara Bradley’s On the Verge helps yoga practitioners and others bring mindfulness to their everyday lives—and doesn’t everyone deserve to experience the power of living in the now?
You love public speaking or teaching and you’d like to get paid—or paid more—for it. One published client recently told me she often gets paid in one day what she used to earn in a week as a psychotherapist.
You’re ready to speak at prestigious national and international conferences—and influence your field at the next level. After Gus Ferrer, MD and Burke Lennihan, RN published Cough Cures, Dr. Gus has been in demand as a speaker for several prestigious national conferences.
You’d love an excuse to travel to Bermuda—all expenses paid plus a stipend—or maybe a tour of England and Wales. Yes, the former happened to Pat Hastings when she published Simply a Woman of Faith and Martha Rhodes was invited by the Brititsh Government for a speaking tour to help launch the rollout of TMS therapy to their healthcare system, after 3,000 Pulses Later was published.
You want to empower people who are stuck and see no way out. That was one of Carol Labert’s goals in publishing Women with Controlling Partners. Her publisher, New Harbinger, was particularly excited to serve this under-served market.
Your book can help parents help their kids. Dr. Kathleen Trainor’s Calming Your Anxious Child is one great example of this. Her reach goes beyond the book as The Washington Post now regularly calls upon Dr. Trainor for advice for how to talk to kids about anxiety-provoking subjects in ways that help everyone stay calm.
You want to bring a light touch to a heavy subject. This was our goal with The Ultimate Guide to Tranforming Anger, the book I co-authored with Peaco Todd and Jane Middelton-Moz.
You’re ready to bump up your presentations to keynotes. That was Dr. Michael Banov’s goal—and it worked after Sunrise River Press published Taking Antidepressants.
You’d like to get more funding for your research: Dr. Michael Banov’s goal #2: achieved!
You’ve identified your “ideal clients” and now you’d like to fill your practice with these “ideals.” Bridget Engel uses her book Guidance to Go to fill her coaching practice with clients who resonate with her work with angels, as well as to fill her retreats.
You want the perfect marketing tool that sells your services for you. Mike Travis’ Mastering the Art of Recruiting is a great example of this.
You’re an expert in your field, but also a well-kept secret. It’s time to let the secret out and shine your light a little brighter. Okay, a lot brighter. Deb Scott’s The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue turned up the volume on Deb’s light—and led to hosting a top rated show on blog talk radio—with over a million global listeners.
You have so much you’d like to say to Hoda. Abby Rodman, author of three books on marriage and divorce including Without This Ring, appeared on the Today Show twice.
You want to stand out in a field that’s growing more competitive. In addition to being filled with super-useful tips for its readers, Success Without Stress showcases Teri Scheinzeit’s ability to help women entrepreneurs stay calm and “Work Smarter, Not Harder.” As a result, she’s been attracting more clients who are looking for success that comes without the high price of stress. As a coach who manages to take one day off a week, and one week off a month, for her passions (travel and making music), the book also helps attract clients who are eager to “design” a fulfilling, outside-the-box lifestyle.
You have a major contribution to make to your field and a book is the perfect way to share it. Leslie Shapiro did that with Understanding OCD, published by ABC-CLIO, as does Vicki Tidwell Palmer’s Moving Beyond Betrayal.
You just wanna make the world a better place. Kathy LeMay upped her contribution to philanthropy with The Generosity Plan, published by Beyond Words.
You want to raise awareness about a public health issue. Victoria Dunckley did that and more with Reset Your Child’s Brain, which brings to light the effects of electronic screen time on children’s brains and a proven plan to solve the problem.
You’d like to work with a new group of people. Dr. Carrie Barron’s The Creativity Cure helped her expand her teaching beyond the college level.
You’ve been practicing signing your name in anticipation of your book signings. Your signature is perfected.
You have knowledge in your field that can be applied outside your field—and you’re ready to share it. Dr. Patricia Hoy applies principles of the arts to everyday life in her book Arts Awareness.
You see people being taken advantage of and you want to educate them so that doesn’t happen. Tara Mardigan and Kate Weiler’s Real Fit Kitchen helps athletes learn the mis-information about “health” foods being marketed to athletes and offers easy, healthy options for cooking on-to-go power foods for their competitions.
You know just how to help people create the change in their lives that they are searching for. As former Executive Director of the T. Colin Campbell Foundation, Micaela Cook Karlsen knew just how people struggled with implementing a plant-based diet, and she’d done the research—and put it into practice—to know how to make plant-based eating a way of life—hence, A Plant-Based Life.
People keep asking for your book and it feels kinda lame to say, “It’s coming” when you feel stalled. Imagine how great it will feel to say, “It’s here,” instead.
You want to honor someone you love. In Bless Your Little Cotton Socks, Dr. Diane Radford honors the memory of her mother, whose quirky Scottish sayings and sense of humor pepper every page.
You want to get to capture your family’s history before it’s too late. Pat Mitchell interviewed her mother, aunts and uncles to write A Girl From the Hill, about her mother’s life.
You’ve solved a problem in your own life and now you want to help others solve theirs. Nora Hall wrote Survive Your Husband’s Retirement as the book she wished she’d had when her husband retired.
Give your clients a “take home” to integrate whatever it is you teach them. Psychotherapist Stephanie O’Leary’s clients kept saying, “Your suggestions are amazing. You should really write a book!” They wanted something to help them practice what she taught them—during therapy sessions—about parenting.
You want to shake up the status quo that has been in existence for far too long. Susan MacDonald’s Inspiring Early Childhood Leadership: Eight Strategies to Ignite Passion and Transform Program Quality, provides early childhood leaders with the strategies and insights that they need to develop empowering new ways to improve the quality of early childhood programs.

What are your reasons for writing a book? Anything I’ve missed? Share your comments here.

How to Win Book Awards (and Write an Award Winning Self-Help Book!)

September 17, 2018 by Lisa Tener 2 Comments

Award winning book author Alice McDowell — Alice McDowell with her award-wiinning book, Hidden Treasure

When Alice McDowell wrote to tell me that her book, Hidden Treasure: How to Break Free of 5 Patterns that Hide Your True Self had won a fifth award, I wrote back to suggest I interview her about how to win book awards. Perhaps Alice’s insights (and resources) will help you write an award winning book!

Micaela Karlsen, Bring Your Book to Life® Program graduate and author of A Plant Based Life, first introducted me to Alice McDowell to help her with the book she was writing, a book that distilled almost four decades of work in the realms of personal growth and spirituality. One of the things I loved about working with Alice is that I tried many of the exercises in her book, Hidden Treasure:

How to Find Out About Book Awards

Lisa: How did you find out about the awards/contests?

Alice: My publisher, She Writes Press (SWP), stressed how important it was to have a publicist. I chose Stephanie Barko because she had a similar philosophy to mine and specializes in both non-fiction and fiction. She and SWP suggested I apply for awards and gave me a list of possibilities. I looked at the awarding categories for each organization to see where there would be a good fit. I didn’t apply for any category that was too general such as non-fiction or ones that included books from the major publishing houses. Stephanie suggested that I pick categories I thought would have the fewest entries.

Lisa: Did any require more than just sending the book (such as writing about why it should win a book award) or was the process just to send your book in?

NIEA book award — Hidden Treasure was a National Indie Excellence Awards
winner in the Personal Growth category
(and finalist in the Self-Help category).

Alice: In most cases I had to send in two to four books for each category along with an application sheet placed in each book. Thankfully, I did not have to write anything about why the book should win.

Lisa: How many book award contests did you apply to, in order to win book awards?

Alice: I applied to 7 contests and got awards from 3 of them (5 awards, in total).

Lisa: Wow. That’s an impressive result! What particular websites would you recommend for research?

Alice: Here are the websites that Stephanie recommended, along with a few I found:

[Note to readers, Alice sifted through these and chose 7 of the 10; depending on your budget you may want to do the same.]

[bctt tweet=”How to Win Book Awards—and Write an Award-Winning Book ” username=”LisaTener”]

readers favorite book award — Hidden Treasure was a Reader’s Favorite Bronze Winner
in the motivational category.

Lisa: What are some of the things you think have helped make Hidden Treasure a multi-award winner?

Alice: It’s important to have a great writing coach and you are one of them. I also think a good layout is important. It helps the cursory reader get a quick grasp of the book’s contents. My book contains original cartoon-like drawings that catch the reader’s eye. It also includes a questionnaire on the personality patterns, which encourages the reader to engage with the material. After all, most of us like to discover more about ourselves!

Lisa: I loved the questionnaire and I also found aspects of myself in the different character (and, subsequently, body) types you discuss in the book. It’s not necessarily the kind of thing where you read one chapter because that’s your type. It seemed to me that while one type may dominated our personality (and body), we may experience aspects of all the other character types. So it was helpful to be exposed to all of it. In addition, of course, reading about the other types can help us understand other people in our lives, and support healthier relationships. What else makes Hidden Treasure a treasure, award-worthy, from the feedback you’ve been getting?

The Power of Strong Stories

Alice: People remember good stories more easily than theoretical concepts. I include true stories my students wrote about how these concepts apply to their lives. You suggested I contact Kelly Malone to help make each story come alive by adding those specific details that make each story real for my readers.

Lisa: Yes, learning to tell a good story is a process and can be challenging at first. I knew working with Kelly on the details could help you learn the skill more quickly. I think it really paid off. The book was enlightening from the beginning but the case studies really draw us in as readers. Any other things that readers point out about the book’s power?

Alice: Readers like the take-home dimension.

Lisa: That they come away with something they can use right away?

Alice: Yes. Towards the end of each chapter, I suggested exercises for individuals and groups to help heal or soften unwanted behaviors stemming from the personality patterns.

Lisa: Yes, I found the exercises very empowering and derived immediate benefit from doing them. Anything else you want to add about what contributed to making Hidden Treasure an award-winning book?

Alice: Content is the most important—provided it is well written—because the award reviewers carefully read the entire book. My book was a product of twenty years teaching the personality patterns and eighteen more teaching religious studies. I had extensive references which I believe established my credibility.

Lisa: I agree. Hidden Treasure is not one of those, “I need to write a book; let me crank something out” type of books. As you say, it is the distillation of almost four decades of teaching. And that wisdom gained, and real-life stories to illustrate it, make it a powerful and empowering read. What advice do you have for authors in the process of writing their books?

Alice: I have four bits of advice:

Don’t give up! Have some kind of writing schedule that works in your life and keep to it. Eventually the book will get written.
Have a good writing coach.
Get knowledgeable people to read and comment on your drafts.
Employ several proofreaders. Mistakes are a turn-off and even the best proofreaders can miss a few.

The Rewards of Writing a Powerful Personal Development Book

Lisa: What have you heard back from readers who have read the book (perhaps share one especially inspiring story).

Alice: Readers uniformly tell me how much they like and are helped by the book. One stranger came up to me in the grocery parking lot of all places, gushing about how she loved the book and was so thankful I had written it. It’s great fun to suddenly be surprised by a comment about the book.

I love how readers are giving the book to friends or family members. A woman living on the east coast told me she was having weekly conversations about the book with her sister on the west coast. Some are forming study groups to delve into the book more deeply. It’s wonderful to see how the book is bringing families and friends together in an authentic sharing.

Lisa: What else has come out of writing Hidden Treasure?

Body Mind Spirit Book Award — Hidden Treasure was a Mind, Body Spirit Awards finalist in two categories: self-help and spiritual psychology.

Alice: I feel more confident in myself as a writer. I’m using it as a text in the 3-year Hidden Treasure program at Light on the Hill Retreat Center. Other Institutes are also using the book in their courses or have put it on their reading list. Barbara Brennan School of Healing; Inner Source Healing, and Full Spectrum Center are examples.

I really enjoy presenting my book in various cities. I love meeting new, enthusiastic people and it helps spreads the word.

Lisa: It must be exciting to see other institutions sharing the book and helping your work reach and help more people. And, I think, one of the greatest gifts of being a writer in the personal development field is to hear from people about how the book has helped them. Congratulations. I am thrilled for you! Do you have any offerings coming up that people may want to explore?

Alice: A new class for the 3-year Hidden Treasure Program will begin in October. Your readers can contact me at alice@alicemcdowellauthor.com if interested in finding out more.

Lisa: Alice, enjoy the journey of being a published author and creating even more impact with your book.

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Here are some links to more book awards and writing contests:

Poets and Writers

Nonfiction Writing Contests

Indie Excellence Book Awards

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

American Bookfest Best Books Award

American Business Awards (has categories for best business book and ebook)

Read our most recent post about how to write an award winning nonfiction book and meet our three authors who won 2019 Nautilus Book Awards.

Alice McDowell, Ph.D. is a workshop leader, spiritual counselor, and retreat guide. Alice is founder of the Hidden Treasure Program, Co-founder and Spiritual Director of Light on the Hill Retreat Center. She dedicates herself to helping others to awaken to their true selves, and discover divinity within. She has trained with healers, humanist and transpersonal psychologists, Sufi and Buddhist teachers, and Christian contemplatives. Her book Hidden Treasure, is winner of 5 book awards from three different organizations.

Read more about Alice’s book writing and publishing journey in this author interview on How to Write a Book.

“Which Book Should I Write?”: Writing Advice from a Book Coach

March 27, 2018 by Lisa Tener 8 Comments

“Which book should I write?” I hear this question often and happen to have just received an email asking for advice on the topic.

In today’s post I offer several ways to examine and explore the question of which book to write.

A Markets View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

In the case of the author who wrote me this morning, the three books were for three very different audiences. I advised the aspiring author to think about the future with each book. Imagine yourself connecting with each of those audiences (so answer these questions for each separate audience):

How you would reach these readers?
How well do you imagine enjoying this group of people and the type of work you might do to reach them?
Would you be able to make a living working with this audience on this—or a related—problem, challenge or goal?

For example, I had not fully imagined what it would be like to teach anger workshops when I had the original idea for the book that became The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Anger. Once the book was published, I taught anger workshops with one of my co-authors. I realized, instead, that I wanted to work with people who want to enhance their creative process and their writing, rather than work with their anger. Over time, that led to becoming a book coach!

In my case, it wasn’t a bad thing to have published the anger book, since it resulted in a new career as a book coach. However, it was a long, circuitous path, rather than a quick one. And I don’t use the book in my current line of work at all. The book, however, did provide credibility as a book coach and helped me discover what I loved to do once I realized what I didn’t love!

So, do your best to anticipate but also trust in the process.

A Marketability View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

Another perspective to look at is comparing the marketability of each of the books you are considering.

Who would this book be for (what markets or audiences)?
Are you already reaching this market or do you need to start from scratch to build a following or tribe?
How easy would it be to reach this market?

If you already work with a specific market or audience, then it may be easiest to write a book for them. If you’re starting from scratch you’ll want to think about how you can reach them. As a book coach, I have worked with clients on both ends of the spectrum. It can certainly work if you are new to this audience, but be prepared for some serious work in creating a community and mailing list.

Your answers to these questions (and many that follow) will also help you if you decide to write a book proposal.

A Visionary View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

Next, let’s look at your big picture vision.

Pat Hastings’ vision involved exotic travel and speaking! She didn’t know that teaching workshops in Hawaii would lead her to move there–an exciting surprise!
How does writing this book and getting it into the hands of future readers fit with a bigger picture vision of your future lifestyle and career plans?
Can you describe your vision of what each book would create in the world and which vision is the best current fit?
How would you describe the business model?
- What services might the book help you sell, beyond the book?
- What products might the book help you sell, beyond the book?
How sustainable is the business model?
- Would the book writing, publishing and promotion resources needed for the book pay for themselves (by supporting additional business) and then some?

I almost always have my book coaching clients and course participants start by creating a vision statement for their book, so they can consistently make decisions from the perspective of the big picture view and where they see themselves going. Consider creating your own vision statement.

An Ease and Grace View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

There’s something to be said for making it easy on yourself. In fact, an easier book often gets completed over a very hard one to write!

How much work would it be to write this book?
How much do I already know on this subject?
What is my estimate for the number of hours of research it would take and:
- Do I have time for the research?
- Would I enjoy doing the research?

If this is your first book, you may want to start with an easy book to write. I often advise new authors to consider the book that requires less research and is based on what they already know. Consider this view when you ask, “Which book should I write?”

In addition, you may want to return to the question asked earlier about which audience(s) would be easiest for you to reach.

A Passion View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

Let’s not forget the importance of passion! Here are some questions to ask yourself about writing this book from the perspective of excitement, joy and fulfillment:

Victoria Dunckley continues to be passionate about helping parents understand the effects of electronics on children’s brains. She enjoys providing a systematic, supportive, proven approach to addressing it. Good thing, since she is often asked to serve on panels or summits on the subject.
How passionate am I about this topic (and the audience)?
Can I see myself enjoying writing and promoting this book—and staying passionate about it for several years, at least?
Does writing, publishing and promoting this book feel like a calling?

Most of the authors I work with are pretty darn excited to spread their message and share their wisdom when their books come out. They enjoy teaching classes or webinars, appearing on podcasts, TV, radio and in news articles. However, I have met authors who publish a book and are on to the next thing, losing interest in the message of their book before they’ve even launched it. While rare, it’s worth considering whether this topic can hold your interest and passion for several years, so that all the work you put into it can reap rewards and create a fulfilling experience for you and your readers.

Have a question? “Ask the book coach” below. You may also enjoy this post on How to Choose a Book Idea.

7 Miracles You’ll Experience When You Write a Book—Revisited

January 10, 2018 by Lisa Tener 1 Comment

When you write a book, it changes your life. It’s somewhat magical how it happens. Years ago, I wrote a post about 5 miracles I witness time and again when my clients write their books and publish. I felt it was time to revisit that post with some new examples and a few more miracles!

You’ll Change People’s Lives: Gustavo Ferrer, MD, co-author with Burke Lenihan of Cough Cures, shares that, “Publishing my first book opened new doors and brought the satisfaction of seeing new patients coming to the office and telling me, ‘I love your book.'” He wrote the book because most people—even doctors—don’t know the best cures for a cough. And many medicines are actually dangerous! He’d seen patients in the emergency room die from taking the wrong mix of over the counter medicines. Cough Cures helps prevent those accidents and help people get over their coughs safely. “The feeling that you are impacting people’s lives is the best of all!”
You’ll Discover Your Voice: Writing is partially an act of self-discovery. As you write your first draft, you may find that sections of your writing skim the surface, or come out a little generic. With a bit of coaxing, you’ll find that deeper place where you write from your heart. It may come out poetic or practical, nurturing or a bit nutty, hilariously funny or right on the money, but you’ll feel it when you hit it right—your authentic voice. Finding your voice will empower you in new ways, as a writer and as a human being. Plus, it will enhance your writing and draw your audience to you. Many of my clients come from an academic background. It’s thrilling for them and for me when that light turns on and they rediscover a truer voice that speaks directly to their readers. Dr. Gus Ferrer shares that, “I found a voice that tells me how to communicate complex things in simple language.”
You’ll Make a Name for Yourself: Karin Esterhammer was honored as Erma Bombeck Humor Writer of the Month by the University of Dayton (what humor writer wouldn’t be blown away by that honor?!) and her book So Happiness To Meet You: Foolishly, Blissfully Stranded in Vietnam was featured in Fodor’s 2017 Holiday Gift Guide, alongside 16 other great books by celebrated authors including J.M. Coetzee, John Hodgman, Salman Rushdie and Douglas Preston. What exciting company!
You’ll Get to Know Your Muse: As humans, we are naturally creative. As you write a book, you have the opportunity to deepen your connection to your creative source–what some people call “your muse.” That will help you with all kinds of things—from enjoying your life and relationships, to tapping into your creativity for business projects, to bringing more breadth to your writing and other activities. Kimber Simpkins strengthened that muscle in writing her Nautilus Award-Winning Memoir, Full: How I Learned to Satisfy My Insatiable Hunger and Feed My Soul. Her connection with her muse continues to deepen as she writes for the Huffington Post and completed a new book, 52 Ways to Love Your Body. Her first book trailer, which went viral and got picked up by Self, also offers an example of the creativity that comes out of her strong “muse-connection.”
You’ll Gain the Confidence and Credentials to Take Risks and Go for Your Dreams: Becoming an author of an award winning book helped Huibert Evekink take the plunge, leave his executive position in a large multinational corporation and start his own business, using the book as a business building tool. “Writing and publishing Feedback First allowed me to develop new professional identities…as a writer, an communication expert and as a entrepreneur. I liked starting in a “safe environment”– with Lisa as book coach– in order to learn, gain new skills and transition into new roles. I am still surprised how much the book gave me!”
You’ll Show Up in a New Way: Before publishing Get 10,000+ Twitter Followers: Easily, Quickly, Ethically, Cathy Turney saw herself as “a right-brain creative, technophobic Luddite.” “That I could come to grasp Twitter and actually convey what I learned to others in a style that readers could understand and absorb—using the word focus throughout, making it kind of humorous (snarky), and showing (with illustrations) rather than just telling readers how to do it—that was a miracle,” she says.
You’ll Be Surprised: Perhaps this one is the most miraculous, because it’s also unpredictable. When you write a book, opportunities will enter your life that you could not have anticipated. Some may fulfill a dream.
Carrie Barron, author of The Creativity Cure reports, “Publishing a book created a whole new path, one that I never expected. My job as Director of Creativity for Resilience at Dell Medical School involves integrating the Arts and Humanities into medical training. I’m helping burned out doctors find transcendent movements in their lives, helping them improve mood, mind and the experience of their patients as well. It’s exciting to have such a profound impact.”
Download my free ebook and get motivated today!
In my own case, I never could have predicted that writing and publishing my first book would have led to a whole new career as a book coach.

Write a Book!

Are you ready for your miracles? Aspiring authors: Share a miracle you envision for your published book.

Published authors, what are some of the miracles that happened to you when you published your book? Please share them below as a comment.

Looking for more inspiration to get you motivated to write that book in 2018? Download my new, FREE ebook, 40 Reasons to Write a Book.

35 Superb Reasons to Write a Book Now

January 1, 2017 by Lisa Tener 12 Comments

Thinking of writing a self-help book, how-to book or memoir?

Last year, I began the new year on this blog with 25 reasons to write a book now. Readers loved the inspiring examples and the opportunity to add some new motivation to their book-writing dreams.

Some even used this motivation to write and publish a book last year. Woot!

Continually inspired by my clients, I’ve expanded the list of reasons to write a book and added some fresh, new examples for 2017.

Ready to find your mojo?

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You want to leave your legacy: After Dr. Eric Pfeiffer retired from practicing medicine, Yale University Press published Winning Strategies for Successful Aging and Caregiving in Alzheimers and Other Dementias.
You’re finally ready to leave your corporate job behind, take the entrepreneurial plunge and start that new business you’ve dreamt about for the past decade: Huibert Evekink co-authored Feedback First in order to launch a new company, Future Teaming, which provides work teams with empowering experiences that enhance communication skills and information flow. They are off to a powerful start with strong corporate sales and plans to launch a complementary online academy this year.
Admit it, you’ve always wanted to add “published author” to your bio. Or not, but, hey, doesn’t the phrase bring your confidence level up a few notches? What an accomplishment! Marla O’Brien, author of Wine Within Your Comfort Zone, called becoming a published author the third best thing that’s happened to her, next to 35 years of marriage, childbirth and a successful teaching career.
You feel called to work with high caliber leaders or change-agents and you know your book can provide the needed credibility to serve in such a capacity. Dr. Randy Kamen’s work teaching mindfulness to CEOs began after publishing Beyond the Therapy Door. Dr. Kamen recently told me, “I now reach a global audience of influential people.” Talk about making a difference. Think of all the employees who are benefiting now that mindfulness begins at the top of their companies.
You know you could be helping and reaching so many more people with a book. It’s time to spread those wings, baby. Dr. Bruce Dow reached PTSD sufferers well beyond his private therapy practice with Dream Therapy for PTSD. And Chris Spurvey sold 8,000 copies of It’s Time to Sell in 3 weeks—just imagine how many people his book will help over time!
It’s time to tell your story. The Nautilus Awards committee agreed it was time for Kimber Simpkins—she won a Silver Nautilus for Full. So did Vint Virga, DVM, who told more than his own story. The Soul of All Living Creatures includes tales about dogs, cats, ocelots, wolves and other four leggeds who have sauntered, slunk and leapt into his life with their many wise lessons.
The New York Times hasn’t called you yet. It happened for Martha Rhodes after she published 3,000 Pulses Later and to Cathy Turney when Laugh Your Way to Real Estate Sales Success won a Stevie Award for Best Business Book of the Year.
Your clients/customers/readers deserve this. Cara Bradley’s On the Verge helps yoga practitioners and others bring mindfulness to their everyday lives—and doesn’t everyone deserve to experience the power of living in the now?
You love public speaking or teaching and you’d like to get paid—or paid more—for it. One published client recently told me she often gets paid in one day what she used to earn in a week as a psychotherapist.
You’re ready to speak at prestigious national and international conferences—and influence your field at the next level. After Gus Ferrer, MD and Burke Lennihan, RN published Cough Cures, Dr. Gus has been in demand as a speaker for several prestigious national conferences.
You’d love an excuse to travel to Bermuda—all expenses paid plus a stipend—or maybe a tour of England and Wales. Yes, the former happened to Pat Hastings when she published Simply a Woman of Faith and Martha Rhodes was invited by the Brititsh Government for a speaking tour to help launch the rollout of TMS therapy to their healthcare system, after 3,000 Pulses Later was published.
You want to empower people who are stuck and see no way out. That was one of Carol Labert’s goals in publishing Women with Controlling Partners. Her publisher, New Harbinger, was particularly excited to serve this under-served market.
Your book can help parents help their kids. Dr. Kathleen Trainor’s Calming Your Anxious Child is one great example of this. Her reach goes beyond the book as The Washington Post now regularly calls upon Dr. Trainor for advice for how to talk to kids about anxiety-provoking subjects in ways that help everyone stay calm.
You want to bring a light touch to a heavy subject. This was our goal with The Ultimate Guide to Tranforming Anger, the book I co-authored with Peaco Todd and Jane Middelton-Moz.
You’re ready to bump up your presentations to keynotes. That was Dr. Michael Banov’s goal—and it worked after Sunrise River Press published Taking Antidepressants.
You’d like to get more funding for your research: Dr. Michael Banov’s goal #2: achieved!
You’ve identified your “ideal clients” and now you’d like to fill your practice with these “ideals.” Bridget Engel uses her book Guidance to Go to fill her coaching practice with clients who resonate with her work with angels, as well as to fill her retreats.
You want the perfect marketing tool that sells your services for you. Mike Travis’ Mastering the Art of Recruiting is a great example of this.
You’re an expert in your field, but also a well-kept secret. It’s time to let the secret out and shine your light a little brighter. Okay, a lot brighter. Deb Scott’s The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue turned up the volume on Deb’s light—and led to hosting a top rated show on blog talk radio—with over a million global listeners.
You have so much you’d like to say to Hoda. Abby Rodman, author of three books on marriage and divorce including Without This Ring, appeared on the Today Show twice.
You want to stand out in a field that’s growing more competitive. In addition to being filled with super-useful tips for its readers, Success Without Stress showcases Teri Scheinzeit’s ability to help women entrepreneurs stay calm and “Work Smarter, Not Harder.” As a result, she’s been attracting more clients who are looking for success that comes without the high price of stress. As a coach who manages to take one day off a week, and one week off a month, for her passions (travel and making music), the book also helps attract clients who are eager to “design” a fulfilling, outside-the-box lifestyle.
You have a major contribution to make to your field and a book is the perfect way to share it. Leslie Shapiro did that with Understanding OCD, published by ABC-CLIO, as does Vicki Tidwell Palmer’s Moving Beyond Betrayal.
You just wanna make the world a better place. Kathy LeMay upped her contribution to philanthropy with The Generosity Plan, published by Beyond Words.
You want to raise awareness about a public health issue. Victoria Dunckley did that and more with Reset Your Child’s Brain, which brings to light the effects of electronic screen time on children’s brains and a proven plan to solve the problem.
You’d like to work with a new group of people. Dr. Carrie Barron’s The Creativity Cure helped her expand her teaching beyond the college level.
You’ve been practicing signing your name in anticipation of your book signings. Your signature is perfected.
You have knowledge in your field that can be applied outside your field—and you’re ready to share it. Dr. Patricia Hoy applies principles of the arts to everyday life in her book Arts Awareness.
You see people being taken advantage of and you want to educate them so that doesn’t happen. Tara Mardigan and Kate Weiler’s Real Fit Kitchen helps athletes learn the mis-information about “health” foods being marketed to athletes and offers easy, healthy options for cooking on-to-go power foods for their competitions.
You know just how to help people create the change in their lives that they are searching for. As former Executive Director of the T. Colin Campbell Foundation, Micaela Cook Karlsen knew just how people struggled with implementing a plant-based diet, and she’d done the research—and put it into practice—to know how to make plant-based eating a way of life—hence, A Plant-Based Life.
People keep asking for your book and it feels kinda lame to say, “It’s coming” when you feel stalled. Imagine how great it will feel to say, “It’s here,” instead.
You want to honor someone you love. In Bless Your Little Cotton Socks, Dr. Diane Radford honors the memory of her mother, whose quirky Scottish sayings and sense of humor pepper every page.
You want to get to capture your family’s history before it’s too late. Pat Mitchell interviewed her mother, aunts and uncles to write A Girl From the Hill, about her mother’s life.
You’ve solved a problem in your own life and now you want to help others solve theirs. Nora Hall wrote Survive Your Husband’s Retirement as the book she wished she’d had when her husband retired.
Give your clients a “take home” to integrate whatever it is you teach them. Psychotherapist Stephanie O’Leary’s clients kept saying, “Your suggestions are amazing. You should really write a book!” They wanted something to help them practice what she taught them—during therapy sessions—about parenting.
You want to shake up the status quo that has been in existence for far too long. Susan MacDonald’s Inspiring Early Childhood Leadership: Eight Strategies to Ignite Passion and Transform Program Quality, provides early childhood leaders with the strategies and insights that they need to develop empowering new ways to improve the quality of early childhood programs.

What are your reasons for writing a book? Anything I’ve missed? Share your comments here.

Write a Self-Help or How-To Book this Summer

June 28, 2016 by Lisa Tener 2 Comments

I’m guessing you want to write a self-help book or how-to book that transforms people’s lives.

Your Book Writing Dream

Maybe you’ve been picturing yourself out on your deck, in a hammock, on the beach or in your yard with a lemonade or iced tea or—my favorite—gingerberry kombucha.

You can see yourself writing away in your spiral notebook. It’s almost like taking dictation, the way those words just flow from your favorite pen. Or maybe you’re on an ipad or laptop. That works, too.

It’s your fantasy, after all. And I’ll let you fill in the blanks—where you are, how it feels, what inspires you. In fact, you may want to take a little time for that fantasy when you finish reading this post.

However, before we go into dreamland, I’d also like to give you some solid advice to help you get that self-help or how-to book written this summer.

This summer! Imagine that.

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Here are 5 steps I know will help you turn that fantasy into reality:

Schedule the time: That’s right. Put it in your calendar and treat it like a sacred meeting or a hot date. You don’t want to end up like the lovely woman who left her job to write her book, procrastinated for 7 weeks and then got another job in the same industry she had sworn to leave forever! Just put it in your calendar and write when you say you will. Take it a day at a time and you can be the one who didn’t need to leave her day job. Write a little each day (or even a few days a week) and you can have a first draft by the end of summer (especially if you do number 5).
Create Your Vision Statement!
Get in touch with your vision: If you downloaded my free Inspired Author Support Kit, you have some guidance on creating a vision statement. Read your vision statement at least once a day. And if you don’t have one yet, you can get the Inspired Author Support Kit here.
A fun journal I found on Etsy
Make it fun: Think about how you can luxuriate in your book writing endeavor. Can you write out in nature? In a favorite spot? Can you create a little ritual around writing? Buy a new journal? Wear special clothing? By making it fun and playful, you’ll want to keep coming back to it. Plus you’ll start off in a great mood.
Make a commitment: When we commit in some way, we are more likely to follow through. You can commit by taking a course designed to help you write a self-help or how-to book (more about that in a minute), hiring a coach or even finding an accountability partner.
Get expert guidance: Guidance will not only help you get started, it will help you write the right book (the one that matches up with your vision and goals and has a wonderful impact on your readers). Getting guidance from someone who’s been there will also save you lots of time that you might otherwise spend futzing around trying to figure things out on your own. And you’ll likely write a better book when you get a bit of up front guidance.

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Is this you?

You don’t necessarily need a ton of guidance. You just want to write.
Yet, you don’t want to waste your time, either. You want to make sure you’re writing the right book from the get-go.

If so, I have a special opportunity to offer you this summer that will hit your sweet spot. It’s a self-paced program to write your self-help or how-to book. And I’m adding a few extras—at no extra cost—to sweeten the pot and help ensure that you get valuable individual, professional input from the beginning.

Ready? It’s time for Steps 4 and 5: Commitment and Guidance!

I’m offering a special version of my Inspiration to Author in 8 Weeks Program (and, yes, you can speed that up to 4 weeks or relax the schedule to make it 10 or 12 or even more—whatever works best for you. It truly is self-paced).

This offer is only available to my blog readers and newsletter subscribers (that’s you!).

You can read all about it in a minute, but I want to be sure I tell you what special bonuses I’m providing this summer when you sign up July 18.

When you buy Inspiration to Author in 8 Weeks by midnight on July 18, you will also receive:

One hour-long consultation with me to clarify your book concept.
A detailed questionnaire to help both of us prepare for the consultation ahead of time.
Feedback on 15 pages of writing, along with a customized editing plan based on your writing sample.
Feedback on an abbreviated (1-2 page) outline.
Feedback on your working title, market and book concept.

This is the first time I am offering all these extras together with Inspiration to Author in 8 Weeks, but I wanted to make sure I give you the guidance and support to make your book writing adventure a success this summer.

I want you to end the summer having written a first draft of a truly wonderful self-help or how-to book.

So,

Read all about Inspiration to Author in 8 Weeks here.
Feel free to return to this post as a reminder of the wonderful add-ons you will receive by signing up before midnight on July 18.
Feel free to email me to get your questions answered.
If it’s a fit, commit! Register! Get the guidance you need to complete your amazing book this summer.

Feel free to ask questions as a comment below as well. I look forward to helping you become a successful author.

“Can I Really Write a Book People Will Want to Read?” What to Do About Self Doubt and Fear

May 16, 2016 by Lisa Tener 3 Comments

Self Doubt: The Plague of Writers

Do you sit at your desk when it’s time to write and berate yourself with self doubt and thoughts like, “I have nothing new to say that hasn’t been said 1,000 times before,” or, “Who am I to write a book?”

Just about everyone experiences moments of doubt when writing a book. For some people, it’s a passing mood. For others, self doubt can cause them to shelve a book for months or years–or forever.

Here are some of the many questions I’ve heard from aspiring authors over the years:

“Am I really a good enough writer?”
“Do I have anything new to say?”
” Will anyone ever buy my book?”
“Am I enough of an expert?”
“Should I just quit now?”

Have you ever asked yourself any of the these questions?

I asked a version of all five when I wrote my first book–and some of these still pop up from time to time.

And here are a few ways to answer the questions above:

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
No way, Jose (did you used to say that as a kid or was that just a 1970’s Queens, NY thing?).

How You Can Write a Book People Want to Read

Okay. maybe you need a little supporting evidence and guidance to get on board. Here we go.

“Am I really a good enough writer?” You may not be. That’s what editors are for. And a good editor can also coach and teach you to be a better writer.
“Do I have anything new to say?” My guess is that the true answer is “yes” and “no.” Even Shakespeare pointed it out that there’s nothing new under the sun. When you work with your “muse” – your inner creative source, you can find ways to make your wirting,s tories and wisdom relevant, tight and even playful. When you share true-life anecdotes, you’re bound to draw readers in–once you learn how to make your stories come alive with details.
“Will anyone ever buy my book?” This is your leap of trust. I hold a strong belief that if we have a strong yearning to do something, the desire is there for a reason. Someone will read–and benefit from–your book or you wouldn’t feel a pull to write it.
“Am I enough of an expert?” Maybe you are. Have you acheived the goals your readers want to reach? Have you solved similar problems to theirs? Have you helped others with such challenges? If not, consider interviewing experts for your book. And if you’re writing a memoir, congratulations–you have to be an expert on your life!”Should I just quit now?”
“Should I just quit now?” In your heart of hearts, you already know the answer to this one. Yes–Quit!

Lisa, Did You Say, “Quit”?

Yes:

Quit putting it off.
Quit putting everything else above your book on your priority list.
Quit your excuses.
Quit beating yourself up.
Quit questioning and doubting yourself.

And just get writing:

Trust in your passion and inspiration.
Trust your inner muse to show up when you sit down to write.
Trust yourself to know when to get support, guidance or help.
And be grateful for the choice to write.

While planning a collaboration with my friend and colleague, Linda Joy, I came up with a small antidoate for those aspiring authors who question their ability to write a book people will want to read.

I call it Your Sacred Permission Slip to Write Your Book, Shine Your Light & Transform Lives. Your Sacred Permission slip is part of my new Inspired Author Support Kit. The kit includes updated versions of the 7-days of book writing lessons you received when–and if–you signed up for my Free Author Toolkit in the past, plus:

A template to create your heart-centered book vision, intent and manifesto—so you stay inspired every day.
Book Writing Starter Course: 7+ valuable lessons to help you get started with the right book.
A Message From Your Muse: Your Sacred Permission Slip to Write Your Book, Shine Your Light and Transform Lives.
Writing in the Zone (meditation audio)
Meet Your Muse (guided visualization audio)

You can get it here: Inspired Author Support Kit

How Did She Write a Book in 75 Days? Author Spotlight on Kimber Simpkins

February 8, 2016 by Lisa Tener 3 Comments

Do you spend more time fretting about writing a book than actually writing it? Do you wonder how some people can write a book fast? Then you need to meet Kimber Simpkins, author of the Nautilus Award-winning memoir, Full: How I learned to Satisfy My Insatiable Hunger and Feed My Soul and 52 Ways to Love Your Body.

Lisa: Kimber, your first book, which you self-published, got picked up by New Harbinger even before it won the Nautilus Award and you share that story in an earlier interview about publishing Full. I’d love to compare the two experiences.

Lisa: In your interview with Charlotte, you talked a bit about the trailer for Full, which went viral and was picked up by Self magazine and mindbodygreen.com. Can you say a bit about how that experience has informed your understanding of your market and if, in any ways, it inspired some of what you write about in 52 Ways to Love Your Body?

Kimber: Recording the video in the park in Oakland, we talked to about 20 different women about their body image and I was struck by how universal the experience of feeling uncomfortable about our bodies is. All these random women on the street had excellent self-awareness and critiques of body image culture, but it’s hard to access that wisdom on a day to day basis. 52 Ways to Love Your Body is meant to help us live into and embody the truth we already know: that no one has the right to tell us our bodies aren’t worthy of love.

Lisa: When I met you, you’d already been working on your memoir for several years, and you spent a total of eleven years writing it. By contrast I think you said you wrote 52 Ways in 75 Days. What was it like to write a book so much faster?

Kimber: I honestly didn’t know if I could do it. The publisher gave me a 105 day deadline to write a book about half the size of Full. That included editing time, so I knew I actually needed to finish the book in 75 days so that the editor could get back to me with changes to add in. It was intense, but I brought together all the materials I’d been using for my love your body blogs and workshops and classes and retreats, edited some of that material and added brand new material too.

Lisa: How did you write it that fast?

Kimber: It was a huge help to have taken your Bring Your Book to Life® program. I realized it was a real life scenario of writing my book in ten weeks and that I already knew how to divide my time up and get and stay organized and on track. It wouldn’t have even occurred to me it was possible to write a book in 75 days except for Bring Your Book to Life®. I seriously couldn’t have done it without you. I basically wrote a chapter a day, taking the occasional day off. Fortunately, they were short chapters, and having a table of contents to work from was a tremendous help.

Lisa: I feel so honored and pleased to have been a catalyst. I agree that having that structure ahead of time can make a book go so much faster and also have it really hold together and flow effectively. How might you compare writing a memoir to writing a self-help book. What’s similar and what’s different?

Kimber: Writing from a table of contents was a revelation for the second book. So much easier than writing the memoir, which unfolded more organically, and was very disorganized at first. The memoir required a tremendous amount of editing, while the self help book was much simpler.

Lisa: I love the exercises in 52 Ways. They’re so creative–like “Couples Counseling for You and Your Body.” Had you been using most of these exercises in your yoga classes? Or teaching workshops, or did you have to come up with a boatload of new ideas quickly?

Kimber: I’m so glad! All the exercises in the book are ones I tried out and found effective for me. A lot of my process around learning to love my body was trial and error: does this practice lead me towards more love or away from it?

Lisa: I love the exercise to cheer yourself on which came out of a conversation with your son. Did that idea come right away or did you access it days or weeks later?

Kimber: It was an idea that percolated for a while, a thought I kept returning to, letting me know there was something important there about how I could treat myself differently.

Lisa: How did you tap into creating these new ideas for exercises? Do you have a writing ritual or process? Or do ideas come to you throughout the day just living life and teaching yoga?

Kimber: Anything can spark an idea…a book, a video, a conversation with a friend, a moment on my yoga mat when I suddenly see where I give myself a hard time. I listen to a lot of dharma talks too, and there’s often a lot of wisdom to be applied to my body and heart. My writing process is different right now than when I was writing the books. When writing a book I like to write a little every day. Right now I write when an idea strikes me or when I have time to sit with my notebook.

Lisa: In terms of book sales and reaching readers, what did you do the first time around that was most effective?

Kimber: I think the most effective and rewarding thing is making personal connections with other people in the field of body image awareness and eating disorders. My friends and colleagues in this area have been wonderfully supportive of the books and have opened many doors for me. I’m so grateful to be doing this work with other amazing people, making the world a safer place for all bodies.

Lisa: Any book writing tips for authors?

Kimber: Take Lisa’s class. Do what she tells you to do. You’ll be thrilled with the result.
Lisa: Wow. Part of me is all “Aw, shucks” and part of me is beaming right now–huge smile and, “Yes, it is empowering. Great books come out of this program.” It kind of relates to loving one’s body, doesn’t it? Just taking in the compliment and agreeing instead of feeling we have to discount it with the equivalent of, “I’m too fat.” Any promotion advice you’d like to share with our readers?

Kimber: Find your tribe and collaborate with them.

Lisa: You’ve done such a great job of that–from playful ways you invited your yoga students to spread the word (that Bingo card you made where people could win prizes) to engaging the woman on the street! What’s the response you’re getting from readers of 52 Ways?

Kimber: People seem to be getting a lot out of it! It’s not your run of the mill body advice. It goes right down into the core issues of our unworthiness and starts the healing process.

Lisa: Dear Reader, I have a copy of each book to give away. The most insightful comment AND the most insightful question each win a book. Ask your question or share your comment below!

Kimber Simpkins is a writer and yoga teacher transplanted from the Midwest to Northern California. Her successful shift from hating her body to loving it surprised no one more than herself, and it continues to inspire her students and readers everywhere. When not on her yoga mat or thinking up ways to treat her body as a friend, Kimber may be found playing, meditating or hula-hooping in her backyard garden.

Update: Oh my! I completely forgot to mention I have two of Kimber’s books to give away for the two best comments or questions! Ask your questions or make comments below and you may win one of these two inspiring books!

The 5 Miracles You’ll Experience When You Write a Book—Redux

February 3, 2016 by Lisa Tener 3 Comments

When you write a book, it changes your life. It’s somewhat magical how it happens. Here are the 5 Miracles I witness time and again when my clients write their books and publish:

You’ll Change People’s Lives: If you’re writing a self-helf or how to book, you’re either writing to help people solve a problem or help them reach a certain goal or both. And when that happens, you are going to meet people who tell you what a difference your book made in their lives. And it will blow you away. I remember when Amy O’Brien published her first book, Stuck with Mr. Wrong. A woman came up to her at a book signing and said, “Your book helped my mom and sister finally understand me.” Wow. Changed that woman’s life. Her family members became her allies. What will people say to you about your book?
You’ll Discover Your Voice: Writing is partially an act of self-discovery. As you write your first draft, you may find that sections of your writing skim the surface, or come out a little generic. With a bit of coaxing, you’ll find that deeper place where you write from your heart. It may come out poetic or practical, nurturing or a bit nutty, hilariously funny or right on the money, but you’ll feel it when you hit it right–your authentic voice. and finding your voice will empower you in new ways, as a writer and as a human being. Plus, it will enhance your writing and draw your audience to you. Many of my clients come from an academic background. It’s thrilling for them and for me when that light turns on and they rediscover a truer voice that speaks directly to their readers. Every time Dr. Pat Hoy sent a new chapter of Arts Awareness, I was excited to see the writing become more spontaneous, fresh and alive. Bruce Dow, MD, is another great example of an academically trained writer who became a storyteller, as he rediscovered his voice in writing Dream Therapy for PTSD. When I ran this post by Dr. Dow he told me he’s at work on another book. “I’m still telling stories, using the voice you helped me find. The results are quite exciting.”
You’ll Show Up in a New Way: You can’t stay the same when you write a book. It forces you to grow. Writing a book helps you overcome areas where you may be playing small. It will help you release old paradigms like, “Who am I to write a book?” or “I’m not a great writer” or “I’m not an expert.” You’ll step into a more expansive version of you and step into your power. And that feels great. Even if you’re already “playing big” you’ll probably uncover one or two areas of growth as you write, publish and promote your book. Marla O’Brien, author of Wine Within Your Comfort Zone, called it the best thing that ever happened to her next to “35 years of marriage, the birth of my children, and a successful teaching career.”
You’ll Get to Know Your Muse: As humans, we are naturally creative. As you write a book, you have the opportunity to deepen your connection to your creative source–what some people call “your muse.” That will help you with all kinds of things—from enjoying your life and relationships, to tapping into your creativity for business projects, to bringing more breadth to your writing and other activities. Kimber Simpkins strengthened that muscle in writing her Nautilus Award-Winning Memoir, Full: How I Learned to Satisfy My Insatiable Hunger and Feed My Soul. Her connection with her muse continues to deepen as she writes for the Huffington Post and completed a new book, 52 Ways to Love Your Body. Her first book trailer, which went viral and got picked up by Self, also offers an example of the creativity that comes out of her strong “muse-connection.”
You’ll Be Surprised: Perhaps this one is the most miraculous, because it’s also unpredictable. When you write a book, opportunities will enter your life that you could not have anticipated. Some may fulfill a dream. For example, Dr. Randy Kamen, author of Behind the Therapy Door, envisioned leading retreats and seminars and doing more public speaking, but her biggest opportunities came not out of searching them out. They came to her. One was in the form of a personal email from Arianna Huffington inviting Randy to serve on a panel of thought leaders on gratitude that Ariana was leading. another was an invitation to train an elite group of CEOs. I’ve also witnessed opportunities that far surpassed the author’s own vision for his or her book. In my own case, I never could have predicted that writing and publishing my first book would have led to a whole new career as a book coach!

Write a Book!

Are you ready for your miracles? Aspiring authors: Share a miracle you envision for your published book.

Published authors, what are some of the miracles that happened to you when you published your book? Please share them below as a comment.

A Special Opportunity: Support SARK and John and Get Your Book Written!

September 4, 2015 by Lisa Tener 1 Comment

Some of my favorite authors feel like old friends even though I have not met them yet. Their voices ring true; their personalities pour forth on the page–quirky, playful, nurturing, wise or sassy. SARK–Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy–is like that for me. You can read something by her and feel as if, “Yes, that’s SARK. I’d know her writing anywhere.”

In the years when I ran myself ragged as executive director of a nonprofit organization in Boston, SARK kept my creativity and writing dreams alive, starting with A Creative Companion, and reading my way through SARK’s Journal and Playbook, Succulent Wild Woman, Juicy Pen, Thirsty Paper, Eat Mangos Naked, The Magic Cottage, Juicy Living Cards and more. Sometimes, I felt like she was writing just for me. Over the years, SARK’s books have continued to delight me with their fanciful invitation to play outside the sandbox.

So, when my good friend, Joshua Home Edwards, sent me a link to support SARK and her partner, John Waddell, during one of life’s more challenging journeys, I was moved to ask myself what I could do beyond the modest donation I made. I looked at the gifts for donors in their crowdfunding campaign and realized I could donate a spot in my Bring Your Book to Life Program® for 2016.

You can read all about SARK’s and John’s journey and the IndieGoGo Campaign to support them here.

There are many generous gifts you can receive for your donation. If you are looking to write your book within the next year, perhaps you want to do good for SARK and John, Save $1,000 off my Bring Your Book to Life Program® and make a commitment to focus on writing your book in a supportive and catalytic environment this spring, with lots of hand-holding from me. If so, there is one spot right now waiting for you here. Feel free to email me if you have questions about this offer.

PS If you are a SARK fan, too, share your favorite of her books or quotes as a comment below!

Should I Focus on My Book/Proposal, Author Platform or Both?

May 19, 2015 by Lisa Tener 4 Comments

A client asked me today whether he should focus only on writing his book proposal or work on building his author platform at the same time. First, my advice to him, followed by my advice for you.

For him: “I understand you’re feeling overwhelmed, but right now you’re not getting contact information for the people interested in your topic. If you write the proposal and completely wait to develop your platform, it will be a hurry up and wait scenario, where we can’t put the proposal out until we’ve built more platform.” [His is a fairly competitive category in the book market.]

While this author is appearing on TV, he would get much more leverage from his TV appearances–and articles–by developing a mailing list. And that means he needs a way to “collect” names and e-mails of people interested in the expertise he has to share.

I suggested he come up with a schedule that separated out the different tasks. He can work on the proposal twice a week; let’s say Mondays and Wednesdays. Then, separately, he can schedule an hour or two once a week–Fridays, for instance–where he focuses on one specific platform building tasks.

For example, I suggested that one week he create a free opt-in gift for visitors to his website; another week he can add the functionality to his website so that people can sign up for that gift and it can interface with contstant contact or mailchimp to create a database that’s easy to mail from. I also suggested shortcuts like using a tip list from an existing blog post to create the free gift. By breaking tasks down into small manageable chunks, we can focus on the most important aspects of platform building–those that will create the greatest momentum and are most important to start early.

By separating out the two tasks, he’ll continue to make progress on both. And by taking small steps on growing author platform, mainly growing his mailing list, he should be able to do it without getting overwhelmed.

How about you, though? If you follow my advice to him, that’s ideal, because platform growth is cumulative. The more you do up front, the more momentum you can gain for when your book proposal is ready (or your book is ready to launch). However, if you sense that the platform building will just overwhelm you or impede your creative process, do what you need to do to get your book proposal–or book–written first. Click to Tweet this Post.

What questions do you have about growing your author platform?

How Your Lack of Credentials May Be Your Greatest Author Asset

June 5, 2014 by Lisa Tener 12 Comments

Kari Vernon, a participant in my Bring Your Book to Life Program, called today to thank me for facilitating several breakthroughs this week while she’s been on retreat working hard on her book. “But I still feel I have to make up for not being an expert in my field. I’m thinking I need a logo, marketing materials–and I need to make them really good to make up for my lack of mainstream credentials.”

So, I told her a story about when my husband needed back surgery. I secured him an appointment with the top doctor at one of the top Boston teaching hospitals for the kind of surgery my husband needed. The surgery would mean at least two weeks of bed rest healing and possibly much more. They would need to chip away at some bones to get to the fluid that had leaked out of the vertebral disc.

My husband did his own research and found out from our chiropractor–who specialized in working with athletes–that several of Boston’s top basketball players all saw a doctor at the New England Baptist Hospital for their back surgeries. This doctor wasn’t an orthopedic surgeon. Instead, he was a brain surgeon who took the cutting edge (no pun intended) technology for brain surgery and applied it to back surgery.

The upshot? My husband, who had not been able to walk without debilitating pain, had his surgery and walked out a new man the very same day–no two to three week recovery period needed.

When the brain surgeon first brought his techniques to back surgery, he wasn’t an expert in the field. He was an innovator, a pioneer who applied information from his former field to another field of endeavor. Kari Vernon similarly applied her impressive success as an award winning teacher–one who drew numerous visits to her classroom to witness her innovative and highly successful methods–to the realm of parenting. She was a pioneer, but somehow that didn’t feel like enough to her. She thought she had to make up for her deficits.

Yes, there’s a place for author credentials, degrees and training, but sometimes those things get in the way of seeing the most creative and elegant solutions. Don’t discount the fresh perspective you bring to a subject. And do tout your credentials from another arena–even if they seem tangential to you. They’re part of what make you uniquely qualified to be the pioneer, innovator and genius you are.

author, expert anne burnett — Anne Burnett’s self-help book for parents of autistic children had a strong memoir element. This both established her expertise and focused on the area where she truly was an expert–her own experiences!

Some steps you can take to increase your author credentials: teach workshops to your new audience or market and get feedback on your ideas, methods and/or exercises; interview industry experts in your book (but be careful not to have this overshadow the expertise you bring to the table); start working with clients to implement your ideas–you don’t have to wait until your book comes out.

I’d love to hear from blog readers (yes, that means you!). Do you ever question whether you’re enough of an expert to write a book? How have you dealt with issues of confidence and author credentials? What challenges still come up for you? Please share your questions and comments below.

And, by the way, if you’re a parent and want to learn to apply Kari’s award winning teaching methods and insights to your life as a parent, you can visit her parent mentoring website (in its infancy while she writes her book) and sign up to hear more from Kari soon!

12 Author Tips to Write a Book: Inspiration & Advice from Successful Authors

May 12, 2014 by Lisa Tener 1 Comment

Last week, my inbox was filled with exciting news from former clients and Bring Your Book to Life® Graduates. Whether you’re just beginning to write a book or meeting some challenges on the path, it’s always helpful to find others who have trod the way before you for both inspiration and mentoring.

Here are their recent successes and a dozen author tips to write a book:

FEATURED ON KATIE COURIC!

Susan Rizzo Vincent, Bring Your Book to Life® Program graduate and author of Dreas’ Dream: An Unfinished Dance shared her surprise when actress Jane Seymour spoke about Dreas’ Dream and Susan’s–and Dreas’ –profound vision on Katie Couric. Jane even showed a photo of herself with Susan on the show.

Susan also just attended the Open Hearts Gala May 10 as a previous award winner and honoree AND appeared on Dancing with the Stars Monday, May 5, escorting a pediatric cancer patient and her mom to the show (because of her work at the Andrea Rizzo Vincent Foundation).

Susan’s author tips? She invites readers of this blog to:

1. “Talk to others who have published a book – all the time! They will give you valuable advice and recommend editors, copy editors and tidbits that helped them.”

2. “Find a few quiet places that have comfortable work-spaces and calming/inspiring environment and go to them for your self-assigned writing times. You can go stir crazy in your own home. The creative juices seemed to flow better for me in these places – a library with nice natural lighting and pretty view, a coffee shop with a quiet atmosphere, comfortable couches and delicious hot drinks, a church that offered me a quiet space that had a living room atmosphere, big windows and a large table to spread out on.

3. “Find a coach or seminar that can guide you when you get stuck, listen to pieces that you are undecided about and encourage you to keep going – and keep you to a timeline. My book never would have been finished and it wouldn’t have had the appeal that it does had I not been part of Bring Your Book to Life®.”

Aw, shucks, Susan. I didn’t expect her to say that, but I am grateful to hear it!

INTERVIEWED BY PBN

Gail Alofsin, Author of Your Someday is Now was just interviewed in the Providence Business News. When I asked Gail to share a tip to write a book, she shared 5 great author tips:

4. “Create a mindset where writing is a pleasure versus a chore.” ‘Nuff said.

5. “Add writing into your calendar as if it were a meeting.”

I know, you’ve heard that from me before and it’s the first thing you do on Day 1 of my free book writing e-course. And look what happens when you follow through–day by day, “meeting” by “meeting,” you show up and your book gets written, published and you can be in Gail’s shoes–a published author.

6. “Find the time when your energy is best – early morning? Late night?”

7. “Decide what inspires you to write – music, sunlight, exercise?”

8. “View writing as a gift versus a mandate – it will become something you look forward to. I carved out mornings to write – 5:00 a.m. – 6:30/7:00 a.m. and could not wait to get out of bed to work on the book!”

FEATURED ARTIST

Author George Popovici, author of Angels Walking With Us was the Featured Artist at Literary Arts Open Mic Tatnuck Bookseller in Westborough MA, May 8

George’s tip:

9. “Before getting started, visualize yourself speaking on a radio or television program” sharing the information in your book. “Think about the questions you will be asked and how you will describe who, what, when, where and how. Doing this may enable you to have a clearer picture about your goal. It clearly helped me shape my final product.”

A BOOK DEAL WITH JOSSEY BASS

Bonnie Marcus just signed a book deal with Jossey Bass for her book, The Politics of Promotion: How High Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead.

Bonnie’s tip:

10. “I think it’s important to write about subjects with which you are very familiar. It helps you establish yourself as a subject matter expert. Be very clear on why you’re writing the book and what you want your readers to learn, feel, or think about when they read your book.”

BOOK SIGNINGS AND PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT RI

Nora Hall, author of Survive Your Husband’s Retirement, and another Bring Your Book to Life® Program graduate, is touring RI with her book. She just presented on a panel at the Newport Public Library and upcoming events include Warren Public Library 6/5 5:30 PM, The “Hive” 7/6, Curiosity and Mischief, 10/5 Cranston Public Library.

Nora offers this advice:

11. “Keep believing in yourself. Now is your time to share your creative talents with others. Don’t let nay-sayers get you down! The most important aspect I found in the writing process was to get support–for me that meant participating in Lisa’s writing program. Find the avenue for support that works for you but don’t short yourself by skipping this step! It makes a world of difference.”

Okay, I would feel totally shameless ending on that note, so I think I’ll add a tip of my own:

12. Figure out what you need and be creative about getting it. These authors shared what worked for them, but you don’t necessarily need a specific program to get your book written. You do need to figure out what it is you need. Your needs may include greater confidence, support, sleep, meditation or down time, time in nature (which supports creativity), expert guidance, writing tools, an editor, accountability, support, a cheerleader, research, a co-author with expertise, feedback from a trusted reader (in your target market), time (everyone needs that one, but how will you get it?). You can get creative about how you meet these needs–a “book writing buddy” to meet at the library or on skype, a barter with an editor friend, a new meditation practice. The important thing is to identify your needs at each phase and brainstorm ways you can meet them.

Feel free to comment below to share what you’re doing to support your book writing journey (or ask a question if you have one). Good Luck!

A Dozen Things a Writer Needs

March 7, 2014 by Lisa Tener 14 Comments

1. A notebook: paper or virtual.

2. Something to write with: his own hands, a pen, a stylus, a keyboard.

3. Sleep: You can cheat short term, but long term, this one is crucial!

4. Desire: And a good night’s rest supports your passion–see #3.

5. Time: Yes, we all have this. It’s just how we choose to use it. You have 24 hours, just pick one or a half or a quarter.

6. Belief in herself: okay, most people doubt themselves to some extent. Just fake it till you make it. Somewhere deep inside you is belief. Keep showing up until doubt becomes belief and then transcends to knowing. Repeat.

7. Trust: Without trust you try to control. And you never get to the juicy stuff. let it all out on the page. You can pick through to discover the juicy stuff later.

8. Source: This is where the juicy stuff comes from. Good news–it’s part of all of us. You don’t need to strive here. Just discover.

9. Fans: Before you have fans, you need to be your first fan–or at least your advocate and cheerleader. Go, team, go.

10: A Place to Write: A comfy chair, a grassy spot in the sun, a dock along the river, a sun-filled porch. Go–find your spot and write.

11. A copy of Get It Done: From Procrastination to Creative Genius in 15 Minutes a Day by Sam Bennett. Don’t have a copy? Add to my “things a writer needs list” as a comment below and the best answer will receive a free copy! (others can buy it here or other online booksellers).

12. Guidance: Join me and Sam Bennett on March 18 for a free teleseminar: Jump Start Your Book: 3 Insider Secrets to Easily Write & Finish Your Book This Year!

On the call, you will discover:

The secret to getting started, staying motivated and finishing your best book in record time.
A fool-proof formula for finding time to write, no matter how busy you are.
How to have fun and stay connected to your inspiration throughout your book-writing journey.
And more.

And, we’re giving away prizes on the call! CLICK HERE to reserve your seat.

My New Year’s Wish for You

January 2, 2014 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

I hope you enjoyed a lovely holiday season with friends and family and found much joy this special time of year. As we look to the New Year, here are some of my wishes for you for 2014 and beyond:

A renewed sense of passion about your book and the wisdom you have to share
The humility to fully embrace your vision
Supportive community to help you complete a truly awesome book—one that has the impact you envision
The persistence, confidence and discipline to see your book through to publication
Belief in your message and yourself as its messenger
A talented team to publish your book
Readers with hearts open to receive the gifts you have to offer
Heart-felt letters from readers whose work, lives or minds have been transformed by your book
Openness to the life-expanding surprises in store for you as a published author
The ability to hear and respond to those inner promptings—at a soul level—for your next steps

It is a joy and pleasure to serve as a guide along this marvelous path of author-hood. Thank you for your trust, feedback and loving presence in my life. Keep asking questions and here’s to a beautiful and blessed 2014.

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