Writer's Block

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.

Fear, Freedom and the Urgency to Write

May 3, 2023 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

Afraid to Write a Book?

It’s been an interesting morning.

My workday began with a call from a reader of The Joy of Writing Journal who wants to write a book. I sensed that it took some bravery to reach out to me. She shared about the inner saboteur who walks into a library or bookstore and says, “Does the world really need another book?”

What the inner critic is saying, of course, is, “Play it safe. Don’t bother writing your book. It feels risky. You might fail. Or even more scary, what if you succeed? Or you might uncover some personal issues that I’d rather you ignore, so I can continue to protect you from danger.”

The Freedom and Possibility in Writing

She also told me how much The Joy of Writing Journal freed her. How her husband pointed out how much her writing had changed from her first journal entry to her most recent, mid-way through the journal. She spoke with enthusiasm, passion, and hope about her writing practice and this deep, inexplicable calling to write a book that she felt she didn’t have the skills or background to write.

“I’m a business person. Not a writer. I don’t know how to do this.”

Your Book Will Change Something for Someone, So Write It!

There’s so much to unpack in our brief exchange.

First, there’s the joy I felt when she shared with me what my book did for her. What if I hadn’t written that inspiring book? Or hadn’t invested the time and resources to publish and market it?

Sometimes, when we think about those activities, something in us shuts down. But if we can stay in touch with the transformation possible for our readers, we keep on.

We make the time.

We sit in the chair, as much as the inner saboteur screams, “Don’t do that! Read a book, watch a TV show, eat some chocolate. Clean the house.”

Okay, the truth? My saboteur rarely tells me to clean the house.

But it does keep me from writing. Or publishing.

In this case, it’s kept me from taking the next step, which is hiring an editor for my next book. After my most recent edit, my book is sitting there, doing nothing.

Nothing.

And to hear this reader/journaler/writer share what my book did for her reminded me why it’s so important to take the next step, hire the editor. Publish! Get it out into the world.

So, I reached out to the editor this morning to get that ball rollin’.

But, Can You Write a Book?

Further unpacking our conversation, secondly, beyond the fear, is the question, “Can I really do this? Can I write a book?”

And the truth is, you don’t know until you’ve done it.

My hunch is yes. Just because you haven’t written one yet, doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t. It just means you need to find the resources to help you get there – the book, the course, the community, the coach, the system, the inner guidance, the inspiration, the time, the will, and the persistence.

And once you decide to do it, those things naturally come into your consciousness or cross your path. And it’s probably a good idea to look for those resources, too. Ask yourself what you need to write a book. And then start working on it.

What if You Don’t Finish Your Book?

Thirdly, our conversation brings to mind the question, “What if you don’t write your book?” What will be lost?

What will you lose?
What will your readers miss out on?
What are you holding back from your communities and the global community?

After my conversation with this writer, I read an email sharing that a client, mentor and friend, Teri Scheinzeit, had died earlier this month. The email came from her husband, who shared this beautiful list that Teri wrote from her hospital bed.

Teri was such an inspiration to me. She helped me grow my business while balancing growth with other aspects of life – creativity, family, rest, play, friendship, and nature. Teri was a business coach, and after I began helping her with her book, I hired her to coach me in my business.

As a coach, Teri generally worked three days a week, three weeks a month. The fourth month was devoted to her music – songwriting, attending music festivals, performing and recording her music.

Teri knew how to make that often-elusive leap from imagining a harmonious and rich creative life and actually creating and living that life. Instead, she thought outside our usual constraints about work and what it looks like.

And I will always be grateful to Teri for that vision.

Teri taught workshops about how to disarm the inner saboteur. And she taught me to feel the fear and do it anyway.

And Teri also had a book in her. I worked with her as an editor on Success Without Stress: Simple Steps to Finding Calm for Women Business Owners. This excellent book won two awards, but more than that, it helped countless entrepreneurs create a business that works for us. For me, Teri’s wisdom, shared in this book, helped me let go of some of the shoulds, create more peace and calm during my workday, and not let my work completely take over my life–which is way too easy to happen in the life of an entrepreneur.

What if Teri hadn’t written that book? Thankfully, we’ll never know. I’m just so glad she wrote it. And took the time to write that inspiring list of 10 in her hospital bed, before she left this earth, this life.

When we realize we only have so much time on this earth and don’t know when our time will be up, does it bring urgency to our writing? Or does the importance of writing fall away?

What answer does your heart reveal? The urgency to write, or some other urgency? Or is there room for both? Only you can answer that. But make sure you answer from your heart and not your saboteur.

Life, Writing and Presence Amidst the Holiday Mayhem

December 18, 2019 by Lisa Tener 2 Comments

[bctt tweet=”Presents or Presence: Writing and Life in the Holiday Mayhem #creativity #writingworkshop” username=”LisaTener”]

A couple of weeks ago, my office looked like this:

And my kitchen table looked like this:

Can you relate? If not to the mess, at least to the feeling of overwhelm that comes with it during the holidays? Especially if you’re also working on writing a book!

I’d scheduled with Jess for an extra cleaning/organizing day that week–one to do her usual house cleaning and the second to address and stuff holiday envelopes, wrap and pack gifts (and the all important labeling due to my messy handwriting), and help make those surfaces (table, desk, floor) visible once again.

Only it snowed and she got a bug.

But enough “poor me.” I wasn’t the one with the holiday bug. I decided to feel grateful to be healthy.

Still, I dreaded those envelopes and gifts to wrap.

Last Year’s Baggage

I looked at the box of half finished holiday cards from 2018 that I couldn’t bring myself to toss, a project abandoned when my dad passed away. Um, why was I saving those cards?

This year, I vowed I’d send every card, and not just so I didn’t have to look at them in my closet for the rest of 2020.

Yet, the prospect of wrapping, addressing, envelope stuffing and stamping with no assistance overwhelmed me.

From Dread to Fed

I rushed through labeling and stamping, some stamps and labels going on crooked, as I worked through the first page of labels. I wrote “Happy Hanukkah” “Merry Christmas” or “Happy New Year” on the back of our family card in metallic green ink. Pretty but time consuming. And how meaningful was it, really?

And then something happened.

I paused as I read the next label. I thought about Kelly Attonito whose kids I’ve never met, though they live just one state over. I thought of the gratitude I felt for her in sharing an opportunity for a business school scholarship years ago. I found it remarkable that she’d lower her odds by sharing with others. Yet her generosity worked out well for her when we both won $4,000 scholarships from Digital Equipment Corporation, an expansive lesson for me.

Elizabeth Tener painting — My mom loved to paint in winter and capture the raw trunk and branches of trees amidst the snow.

I thought of Carol Goodman, one of my mom’s oldest friends and a fellow artist who attended Parsons with her. I thought of the beautiful silk scarves she taught mom to make and how mom taught us to pin the silk on a frame and experiment with color.

That memory led me to the many artistic activities my mom shared with us–making cut out paper dolls and clothes with just a few colored pencils, plain paper and a pair of scissors; picking wildflowers and coming home to paint them in a bouquet at our kitchen table; creating raku pottery and silver jewelry in the crafts program at Fundy National Park when we were kids. I felt closest to my mom when we shared artistic endeavors. We got to enter mom’s world.

I fed my soul with my recollections.

Writing and the Gift of Presence

I realized then that doing the job on my own afforded me the luxury of taking my time and thinking about each person or family, what I love about them, lessons they taught me. I thought about clients that I continue to stay in touch with, as I wrote their cards. Such an abundance of goodness in these relationships.

I may not have written much on each card, but I prepared each one with love and gratitude.

I gave myself the gift of presence.

As a writer, sometimes I try to rush through the writing when I feel overwhelmed. Write about this thing I took notes for, or this next item in my outline.

And that’s when the writing stinks!

One has to slow down and be present to write. Sure, sometimes the writing comes fast and furious and you’re taking dictation as fast as you can. But even then, it’s likely to start with a moment of presence before the flow begins.

A Creative Shift

I used this insight for my own creative shift and wrote a few short pieces that may go into my book or blog post.

Tonight, I’m teaching a bonus class to book proposal course participants where we’ll be doing just this: cultivating a sense of presence, taking a few deep breaths and writing in community from a place of “presence.”

I’m so grateful to be writing amidst the busyness and hoopla of the holidays! My creative Muse feels fed!

My Holiday Wishes for You

In the midst of this busy time of year, I hope you make time for your creative spirit. Slow down. Enjoy. Write.

book heart — Photo by Eleonora Albasi on Unsplash

And as we look to 2020, I hope wish you a year of magnificence: Finding your voice as a human and a writer, honoring your wisdom and message by writing, enjoying the fruits of your labor:

grateful comments from your blog or book readers
inspiration from your muse
a book deal
whatever and all your heart desires!

My Gift for You as a Writer

I’ve been experimenting with some fun, creative material from the book I’m working on.

I added a few bonus group calls for Fast Track Your Book Proposal course participants in which we practiced some of the exercises in my book and then spent time writing.

Several wrote me the next day to say how much they loved the format and how it opened up their writing, generated new perspectives in writing their books, freed them to be more creative.

And so, to start 2020, I invite you to a free call on January 2 at 8;30 pm ET, 5:30 pm PT where all we’ll do is breathe, play and write together.

FREE TO WRITE

WHAT? A FREE online workshop by ZOOM conference call
WHEN? January 2, 2020 at 8:30 pm ET
HOW? Press the orange button below and register! Instructions will immediately appear!

If you’ve been looking for the inspiration and a little push to get going on your book, or to reignite your writing, or want to set a vision for the new year and decade, this is your golden ticket.

Comment below if you plan to join me. Schedule it now in your 2020 calendar and I’ll see you on January 2!

Writer’s Block? Maybe You’re Not Stuck at All

April 30, 2019 by Lisa Tener 6 Comments

Karen Barth not stuck — Karen Barth wasn’t stuck at all!

“I was really stuck last week, but now I’m not as much.”

I probed Strategic Planning Consultant Karen Barth a bit about the word “stuck” because I had a hunch she’d find herself in a similar state again, and maybe it wasn’t exactly stuck but in need of something.

As Karen put it, “If I don’t know what I’m writing. I can’t write it.”

Karen needed to do some research, get clear on the points she wanted to make and add more stories. Then she could develop a detailed outline. And, then, she could write the next chapter in her book.

Without those elements, of course she couldn’t write her chapter!

As Karen put it, “It’s like cooking a meal. I have to have all the ingredients on the counter before I start measuring and mixing.”

We decided to call this phase, “Gathering Phase” so that when it came up the next time and the next, she’d know not to label it as “stuck” but realize this perhaps uncomfortable phase of “not knowing” was just part of the process.

Are you judging some aspect of your writing process? Diagnosing it as writer’s block? Might you change your perspective and give it a new label, one that honors where you are in the process?

Feel free to share your re-frame as a comment below.

Looking for more to read? How about 7 Writing Productivity Tips or Curing Writer’s Block?

Writer Derailed! Curing Writer’s Block

April 8, 2019 by Lisa Tener 2 Comments

Got writer’s block? Were you on a roll only to crash and burn? How do you get back on track when you’ve stopped writing?

Writer Derailed!

When Board Advisory and Executive Coach Marina Cvetkovic joined my Bring Your Book to Life® Program to write her book, she dove into the Quick Start exercises and sent me a writing sample almost immediately. She continued to write in the flow. And then…

A 10 day vacation derailed her. The dreaded “Writer’s Block” set in.

“I just haven’t opened that word document since.”

[bctt tweet=”There’s No Time Like the Present to Shift Out of Writer’s Block!” username=”LisaTener”]

I asked Marina to open the document while we were on the phone. “How long can you write for right now?”

“An hour to an hour and a half.”

“Great. Write now and call me back when you’re done to let me know you did it. We’re going to end that writer’s block now.

Marina and I both knew that she needed to break her new habit of writer’s block by just writing. And sometimes it’s easiest to do that with a little support and accountability.

So, if you’ve been putting off your writing, call a friend right now! Now. Don’t even finish reading this blog post. Just call him (or her) and say that you need some accountability to get past writer’s block. You’re going to write for an hour (or whatever time you want) and then call back to say, “I’ve done it.” If you get voice mail, leave a voice message. You can still call back in an hour with your triumphant message #2.

Now, Schedule.

schedule writing, get over writer's block — Photo by STIL on Unsplash

I’m going to assume you just finished writing for an hour. Have you?

Good. Here’s your next step.

If you’ve been reading this blog or my emails for a while, you know that I am all for scheduling specific writing times in your calendar, then treating that time like it’s an important meeting, one that you would hesitate to reschedule.

Marina shared that she hadn’t needed to schedule writing times before vacation. She always fit her writing in and the writing flowed.

I understood, but since she needed to regain momentum, I didn’t want to count on “fitting it in.” I suggested she schedule a couple of times during the week as her back up. If she found herself writing other times, she would not need to write during the back up times unless she wanted. However, if she hadn’t written before that, she’d need to write during the scheduled times.

Did it work? We’ll have to ask Marina in a few days. Will it work for you? You tell me. Did you write? If so, please share that as a comment below. Or make a commitment for when you’ll write and then check back here to say, “I did it.”

Enjoy the writing!

Grappling with Your Book Concept and Other Writing Challenges

January 9, 2018 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

writing a book, book concept — Working on Teri’s book concept during her VIP Day.

I love this time of year. As I gear up for teaching my Bring Your Book to Life® Program, several early-bird registrants have had their first book concept consultation this week. Common themes emerge—perhaps some themes you are grappling with yourself:

“Who am I to write a book? Can I do this? Will anyone read it?”
“I’m not even sure what this book is. It feels so vague right now.”
“Who’s my target market? Moms? Business owners? I can’t decide.”
“I have so many ideas. What’s the right one?”
“How do I find my voice as a writer? How do I make this book stand out from everything else out there? Is there a way to find my essence as a writer?”

These are all great questions to be asking. And, yet, if you ask them from a place of fear, or wanting to control the process or a sense of rigidity, they will muddle everything. If you think there is one right answer and you need it now, you push the clarity away. If you ask from a place of openness and curiosity, of ease and gentleness, not needing an immediate answer, you draw the clarity to you.

You will get clear. Maybe not right way. You may need to play around, experiment, trust.

And then, it will come.

Book Writing Advice

Be relaxed. Stay open and curious.

So much of the time, we are in our heads when thinking about our books—overthinking. Our best writing comes from our hearts. I don’t mean fluffy or vague ooey-gooey writing. Just writing from a place where you embody your book, your stories, your teachings, your wisdom and knowledge.

You may want to practice walking in nature, running, qigong, tai chi, yoga, dance, lifting weights or meditation before writing. In that way, you tap into a more expansive sense of who you are and your connection to all that is. You can let go of the part of the mind that strives and embrace the part of you that exists in a state of flow.

Try it! And feel free to share any practices that help you get clarity. Or ask any questions you have about writing a book.

Here’s What You Need When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart

March 16, 2017 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

What to do when your writing practice falls apart?

Yesterday’s email started with this:

“I’ve fallen off. Crazy work week…I’m lost!”

It’s not uncommon when someone commits to my Bring Your Book to Life^® Program that at some point they wonder, “What was I thinking? How am I going to get that first draft written in the next 8 [or 7 or 6 or 5] weeks?”

Suzette actually knew before she committed that she’d need more than 8 weeks, since this was a busy time for her.

When she signed up for Bring Your Book to Life^® it was with the intention of getting clear on her book concept and outline and maybe write a first draft of a chapter or two within the time frame, then doing most of her writing this summer when her academic schedule let up.

However, hearing other people whipping through chapters and reading powerful writing at the end of our groups calls, she suddenly panicked.

[bctt tweet=”When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart, Steps 1-4 ” username=”LisaTener”]

I had Suzette relax and ask herself some questions to get into a calmer and more rational space. The facts were actually much better and clearer than the emotions she had been feeling.

Slow Down: Take a breath. You may even be on track with what you committed to. You may just be panicking because that’s what humans do.
Ask, “What did I say I’d do?” What did you commit to? Write it down or speak it aloud to someone.
Ask, “What did I actually do?” Maybe you did what you said. Maybe you’re close. Or maybe you’re realizing your expectations were unrealistic.
Regroup: “Does my action plan need updating?” Do you need to find an extra two hours a week more than you planned to meet your goal? If not, would you be comfortable setting a new target date? Can you find a way to hold yourself accountable in the additional time you set?

Since Suzette had set a goal of finishing her book or book proposal this summer, I suggested she replace her book vision statement with a course vision statement and read the latter instead each day and whenever she began a writing session.

Here’s what I suggested for her new course-oriented vision statement:

With Bring Your Book to Life^®, I set myself up for summer success—an outline I love and a delightful and fun writing habit that joyfully pulls me along.

She could return to the book vision this summer, but for now, the course vision seemed much more calming and inviting.

Part 2 of When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart: Get Inspired and Have Fun

Okay, so now, after her initial reaction to her writing practice seemingly falling apart, Suzette took stock of where she truly was and it wasn’t at all far from her initial intent. She’d just gotten nervous when she looked at what others were accomplishing.

“I don’t want the book to become one more pain in the butt I have to accomplish. I enjoy writing. Writing delights me.”

Now, we had to move Suzette from irritation and frustration to joy and delight again.

start writing — You don’t have to go far for a writing retreat. This is in my friend Tracy’s backyard.

I asked her what would make writing fun for her. “Can you imagine writing as a delightful retreat from all the other things you have to do?”

“Can you view it as a vacation? A peaceful luxury time.”

“An oasis!” Suzette chimed in. “Yes, I can. I love that.”

A writing oasis.

Suzette used the example of exercise. “It can be a chore or I can enjoy it. I can know all the endorphins I’m producing and I can have fun and get my yayas.”

So, we’d revisited her commitment and saw that she was on track and we’d reframed the context to make it fun again. We changed the vision statement to reflect her goals for the short time period and keep her head in the game.

Our next step was to consult her “Muse.”

What’s Your Muse Got to Say?

For the Greeks, the Muses were the goddesses of inspiration in a variety of fields. When I talk about consulting your muse, I think of directly accessing your creative source, the font of inspiration, your inner knowing, that wise and all-knowing aspect of you.

Sometimes the muse shows up as a wise being, a spiritual teacher, an animal totem, a symbol, an archetype. Other times the muse just sounds like that regular voice inside your head or you just get this felt sense that you’re connecting to something deeper than the everyday you. It may feel like the muse is inside you or outside of you. Doesn’t matter.

“Am I making this up?” I hear that a lot. Don’t worry. That doesn’t matter either. Just go with what you get when you do the exercise.

I led Suzette in a guided visualization where she walked through a meadow into the woods to a clearing with a small building where her muse was waiting.

We asked her muse what it wanted her to know about this stress and sense that she was behind.”It’s gonna be okay.”

“Be Patient.”

“It’s all going to work out.”

I asked Suzette to take that in. Feel it in her body. “It’s all going to work out. How does that feel?”

“Concept is one thing. Feeling it is really good.”

I then asked Suzette to ask her muse how to make the time spent on her book—planning and writing—fun, an oasis.

author with book — Mara Zimmerman. author of How to Meditate and Why: Meditation is an excellent way to get into that space for writing in the zone.

Her muse suggested that, “An element of preparatory ritual would make it fun. Changing my state into one of joy and creativity. I think of music.

Her muse’s response could not have been more timely. Two days before Week 5 and one of week 5’s main lessons is how to create a writing ritual that helps you get in the groove and write in the zone—in that state of inspired flow.

Her muse also suggested creating a good space to write in, to create more spaciousness.

“My home is littered with stacks of paper from work. My muse wants me to clear space so it’s not cluttered.”

I asked whether the space should be in her home or outside of it. It seemed that for her home would be best, but her muse also suggested further consideration.

For some people, it’s important to get out of the house to be in a space not associated with other household or work activities. For others, home is an oasis, provided you create an inspiring space to write.

I loved that her muse suggested creating space because that is actually step 1 of the writing ritual I call “Writing in the Zone.” We talk about both inner space where we can get in touch with the stillness where work can begin and we also explore external space such as a writing desk, a room to write or another inspiring space.

We asked her muse about outline, as well, since that was one of her main goals for the class now—to create a structure for her book.

“Next time, play with your outline. Change it. Sit down and put out five ideas. Experiment. Be bold with structure, not hung up on developing perfection.”

She liked that. “It’s feels like we’ve created space for my book now.”

Her final advice from her muse: “You’ve got this.”

How do you experience your inner muse? How do you work with your muse? Has your muse ever helped you when you felt your writing practice was falling apart? Share your comments and questions below.

Staring at a Blank Page? Here’s Your Writing Cure

April 6, 2016 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

The problem? Staring at a blank page…

And staring…

Do you ever freeze when you sit down to write?

You fidget with your paper clips, check email, decide to “do research” for the umpteenth time, even though you know you should just be writing?

In a recent consultation with a client in my Bring Your Book to Life Program, she found herself doing all those things and confessed, “I’m afraid of the blank page.”

If only every problem in life were so easy to fix.

Get yourself an outline. Start with chapters. Add subheadings. Maybe you’ve already done that.

Next, all you need to do is cut and paste the chapter outline onto your blank page.

Ta da! No more staring at a blank page. There’s writing. There’s structure. You’re on your way.

Writing by hand? No problem. Just write your outline on the page. Go from there.

I know it seems simple, but try it. You’ll be amazed at how this little, seemingly insignificant step can get you writing in the zone.

In Fraser Mccullogh’s post on writing website content, he also offers some excellent advice to help authors who are stuck. And his opening story provides an excellent example of using a story to draw readers in, whether you are writing a book chapter, a blog post or something else.

Looking for a course to help you get in the “writing zone” and write from a state of creative flow consistently? Check out Lisa’s weekly course, Get Your Writing Done.

How to Write a Book: From Chore to Joy in 21 Minutes

March 18, 2016 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

How to Write a Book? Seems like a straightforward, here-are-the-steps, kind of thing.

It’s not. In my experience, writing a book is a somewhat alchemical process. You take the stuff of heaven and earth and all that lies between and weave it into form. Quite literally, you take thoughts and turn them into a thing, a physical object, a book.

And this process can be scary, overwhelming, confusing or frustrating at times.

When you feel those kinds of feelings, know that you are in a state of resistance. You want to write but you don’t want to write. There’s a war going on inside you.

Winning the War on Writers Block

If you ever feel stuck, struggle with finding your flow, or feel pressure to write without feeling the passion, then you have experienced this internal state of strife.

There’s an expression, “Peace is just a breath away.” In this case, the words, the flow, the passion are a metaphoric breath away.

I was reminded about this in a consultation with a woman in my Bring Your Book to Life Program today. She struggled with her book. Once or twice as we spoke I heard the passion she felt for the project. I sensed this passion just below the surface. It was clearly there. But she didn’t notice it. All she felt was wrong, blocked, frustrated, mad at herself.

Meet Your Creative Muse

So, we did my favorite exercise. You may have heard me speak about it before. I call it “Meet Your Muse.” I guided her to connect with her inner muse, her creative source and had her ask her muse about how to reconnect and write.

She hadn’t been making the time, so I wanted to start there. I usually insist that writers schedule the time in their calendars in order to make it happen. Her muse would have none of that. “No scheduling.”

And yet, the muse told her, “Set aside time and focus on the book.”

Right Brain / Left Brain

It took me a minute to let that sink in. What’s the difference between scheduling and setting aside time? And then I got it. I realized her muse made a distinction between the left brain dictatorial “scheduling” and the more right brain, gentle, “set aside time.”

That made real sense to me. When we resist something and feel pressured–and pressured was one of the first words she used when our call began–then forcing ourselves to do something will often just create more resistance. She didn’t need more of an inner dictatorship, she needed to enter that sacred, beautiful internal space from which words could find their flow.

Next, her muse told her,

[bctt tweet=”Instead of pushing your book away, sit down and think about it. Give it attention.”]

Think about what you want to talk about.

I sensed that her muse wanted her to just be with the book. I suggested she could even imagine that as she drove her car, her book was placed in the passenger seat next to her. She didn’t have to do anything about it–just be in its presence. My sense was that she needs to draw the book near to her, to be gentle in this process of connecting with her book, getting to know it.

Romancing Your Book

Imagine your book as a potential romantic partner. Flirt with it. Ask it questions. Let it tell you about itself. Get to know it. Don’t just ask it to perform for you, to produce. Engage it. Dance with it. Lie on the grass next to it looking up at the clouds.

This idea of setting aside time felt better, so we dealt with her second challenge, after making the time. This writer, an academic, had trouble just writing without editing. Instead, she worried over each word, striving for perfection. And every statement needed to be backed up by research.

Now, you may also have an experience of trying to write from that directive place of “It has to be perfect.” It’s a surefire way to prevent flow!

While I had told everyone in class to try as much as they could to leave holes for research with a note to come back later and fill it in, she couldn’t do that. So, chapters were agonizingly slow and painful. Slow is okay. Pain, I like to figure out how to abate.

Breaking Down Your Inner Parts

I asked her to imagine a few different parts of her: The Muse, The Perfectionist, The Academic/Researcher. And I asked her to thank those aspects of herself when they arose. “Say thank you and let the Perfectionist know that you’ll need her later. Now isn’t the time but she’s going to be very important in the editing process.” The same for the Academic/Researcher. Most research could be left for the end when the writer would very much need that important skill and aspect of herself when the time came.

She agreed to give it a try.

One More Challenge

Still, something didn’t quite feel right. “I’m afraid it will take over my life once I get into the writing.”

I asked her to imagine the part of her that worried about this in one chair and her muse in another chair. The dialogue went something like this:

Author: “I’m afraid it will take over my life once I get into the writing.”

Muse: “Nonsense, it’s something you want to do.”

Author: “But I have other commitments, too.”

Muse: “Actually, your book is not a commitment. It’s a joy to be writing it.”

She told me that felt good, but there was still something her muse wanted her to know:

Muse: “You have to write a literary review.”

Author: “Yes. I just have to write that and I will.”

Now, she felt a sense of harmony.

Connect with Your Passion and Joy

My last bit of advice was to help connect her with the passion and joy she had for her subject, something she had not been feeling when she sat down to write. I share that advice with you.

Do something beforehand that puts you in a receptive space—walking, deep breathing, listening to music, flipping through photography books with images related to your subject—whatever works for you. You can experiment with different activities. Then write.

And that is how to write a book: by not thinking of it as a chore, but receiving it as a gift, a joyful privilege, by engaging with it, getting to know it. Be with your book and it will come.

7 Ways to Find Time to Write—Even if You Have None

September 29, 2015 by Lisa Tener 7 Comments

Pretty much no one has time to write a book nowadays. And that stops most people, but not everyone.

How about you?

Are you neglecting your book writing?

Or getting a little bit done here and there but wishing you could do more? Here are 7 tips to find time to write—strategies that work well for me and my clients::

Go to bed an hour early; get up an hour early. That’s right. No need to skimp on sleep. In fact, the early sleep will be even better for you!
Limit phone calls to 5 minutes—let the person know at the beginning of the call. You can even set a timer.
Make the book your first thing. When you work on your book for an hour first thing in the morning, you will naturally find ways to decrease other activities that are less productive.
Reward yourself: hold off on dinner out, a walk in the park or a video game until you’ve done your writing. The extra incentive can help you get it done. As in #3, when you put your book first, less important activities will naturally decrease in time.
Order healthy take out once or twice a week or prepare large amounts and eat leftovers.
Replace yourself on a volunteer board. Volunteering is a wonderful thing, but you may need a break while writing your book. One of my clients used this strategy and it worked like magic—she suddenly found time to write every week.
Use the book writing as an excuse to eliminate an activity that drains you. Some of my clients have told an exhausting friend they would not have much time for socializing during this period of book writing, others have dropped a project that felt like a “should” and not a passion and several of my therapist clients have fired a difficult client who isn’t willing to do the work to heal (ah, what a relief!).

Have a tip to share? Please share what helps you find time to write.

Writers Block After a Bad Book Launch? It’s Bigger Than Your Book, Part II

April 30, 2015 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

What if your book disappoints you? Most of my clients report amazing opportunities that come out of publishing their books–new careers, travel, keynote speaking, national publicity, making a bigger impact than they ever imagined…but not everyone.

I recently e-mailed a client to ask about her post-publishing situation.

“Not good,” she wrote. There were the folks who let her down–businesses that seemed interested in promoting her book and then retracted. She also felt burned out after pounding the pavement to sell books with only lackluster sales to show for it.

The author pointed to the opening letter in my recent newsletter which claimed, “It’s bigger than your book.” For this author, she realized her vision wasn’t bigger than her book.
“I’ve been focusing on book sales rather than all the other stuff’, like the business plan and speaking about it. Because I do not want this book to label me, I’ve avoided many important steps.” In essence, the book didn’t quite resonate with her vision for herself and this dissonance kept her from a successful launch. And now she suffered from writers block.

I suggested this author take heart. Her story wasn’t that different from my own. After The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Anger came out, I realized how not-fun I found it to teach anger workshops. I floundered for a while and then received what felt like a download in yoga class one day. I realized I wanted to work with people’s creativity, not their anger. I began teaching people the steps I used to get into the creative zone. I called it “Magic for Your Muse” and, later “Writing in the Zone.”

Soon, people were coming to me for help with book proposals and guidance to write their books. I never could have predicted the career that invented itself before me. It mostly evolved organically. But all that work on the anger book wasn’t lost. In my new entrepreneurial career, I used everything I learned from that experience: how to write a book proposal, how to write a book, how to market a book, how to write a press release that results in national media, how to choose a great publicist, how to meet literary agents, how to write in the zone, how to break through writers block, how to write with collaborators and all the things NOT to do in the process–the mistakes to avoid.

The floundering part feels terrible. You question your sanity. All that time wasted. All that money you poured into publicity. What on earth is your next step? It’s hard to be in a space of not knowing.

That is, unless you recognize it for what it is. Not knowing is the thing that comes after a breakdown (a departure from the results you expected or wanted) and before a breakthrough. Not knowing is the thing that creates space for new possibilities, creative ideas, experiments in what might come next. And what might come next can be quite magical.

And, even if the book isn’t resonating so much for this author anymore, I am sure that there are readers whose lives will be transformed because of her book. It’s a good book, after all. A powerful book. Just not her final book.

Author Resource Hunt, Day 2: Develop Relationships

November 19, 2014 by Lisa Tener 35 Comments

Day 2 of our Author Resource Hunt is about Developing Community and Relationships with other authors and writers. Such relationships provide many mutual benefits – support, camaraderie, resource-sharing and colleagues to share ideas with. Encouragement from someone who knows the highs and lows on the path to success can motivate you during your creative journey. Learning about other authors’ experiences and hearing their insights can save you time, inspire you and offer peace of mind. And the community engagement you develop is an important ingredient for book sales, too. One great space to connect with colleagues and future readers is through the blogosphere. I hope that today’s post will:

Help you connect with other writers in this community of authors and aspiring authors.
Provide an opportunity to learn from each other and help each other overcome any blocks or challenges to writing.
Give you confidence to reach out on other blogs and social media.
Provide an example of how you can engage people in your communities and on your blog, if you have one (or plan to).
Help you connect with your inner resources–your muse–to get clarity on any challenges or questions that have arisen in your writing.

Point Value	Clues/Actions for Points	Earned Points
15+	Share a one paragraph description of how you overcame a writing block in today’s blog post comments*.
15+	Go to lisatener.com/meet-your-muse and listen to the recording. See if you have a question for your “inner muse.” Perhaps your muse has a suggestion for how to break through any blocks or challenges. Share any insights as a comment* on this post.
	Total

prizes for author resource hunt — Here’s a peek at some of the prizes going out in the next few days: handmade fridge magnets from Tanner glass, bookmarks, tiny notebooks and more.

Click here to download a PDF version of the checklist to track your points.

Missed the start? Sign up for the author resource hunt here. You can find Day 1 activities and catch up here. To join the Day 3 festivities, click here.

If you have other things in your life—family, friends, good productive day work—these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer. -~David Brin

*A Special basket of prizes: books, magnet, pen and more—for our favorite writer’s block cure and another basket of prizes to our favorite muse insight.

When You’re Having Trouble Sitting Down to Write

October 16, 2014 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

Okay, writing time… I’ll just make myself a green smoothie and then…oh, maybe I should put in a load of laundry…now, I’ll just sit down and…oh, wow, it looks like it might rain. I’ll just take that bike ride first… huff,puff, puff…Now I’ll just sit down to write and…oh, the phone. Better get it. It could be Oprah wondering how my book is coming along…Okay, that was a huge time waste, but now to get down to wr…Doorbell?Are you kidding me?

Much of the time, the difficulty in sitting down to write comes from the pressure we place on ourselves to write something brilliant. Just yesterday, I had set aside time to write and found myself dwindling it away. I picked raspberries, rode my bike, meditated–all productive activities, but not writing. I whined to my husband that I hadn’t written all morning. “Just sit down for 15 minutes and write a little.”

15 minutes? I could do that. I did. It turned into over an hour. When my husband came in the room to talk with me, I told him I was on a roll and could not talk!

Here are 5 tips to help you write when you’re not feeling like it:

1. Write Crummy: Commit to writing a crummy first draft, to paraphrase Anne Lamott. Take off the pressure. You can make it amazing later when you edit.

2. Make it Brief: Write for 15 minutes as my husband suggested. You can always write more if you are on a roll.

3. Remember Your Vision: I always have writers develop a vision statement for a book or project. Read it every time you sit down to write. It will put you back in touch with your passion around the subject and help you stay motivated when you remember WHY you are writing. You can read it every morning and night, too, for extra credit and extra inspiration.

4. Be Accountable: Call a friend and say you’re gong to write for the next 20 -30 minutes. Ask your friend to hold you accountable. Ideally, this would be something you would discuss with them ahead of time to make sure they are comfortable in this role. Find someone who is both firm and supportive.

5. Recharge: If you’re tired, go for a walk in nature, meditate or take a bubble bath. Do something to refresh and replenish you, so you can come to the writing with energy.

If you are looking for a writing workshop to support you to complete a book or other writing, check out my Get Your Writing Done Program.

What Next After a First Draft? Writing Tips from An Angelic Insider

July 17, 2014 by Lisa Tener 4 Comments

“It was like completing an Ironman,” Bridget Engel shared in her angelic voice and New Zealand accent. While completing a solid first draft of 7 of her 8 chapters of Guidance to Go in my Bring Your Book to Life(R) Program put Bridget on Cloud 9, it also took its toll.

“I felt like my creative juice had been used up and I needed to take a break from the book, not just from writing it physically, but letting it go mentally and emotionally. I had to stop thinking about it.”

Being an Angel Guide and Coach, Bridget has a nifty tool for this type of creative break. “Energetically, when you want to not think about something, you can imagine putting it in a beautiful gold box, encrusted in jewels. I told myself, ‘I will open this later but not for now’ which gave me the ability to rest and take a break. The gold box is brilliant for people who cannot stop thinking about things or who get emotionally attached. It’s a high energy tool that I recommend to my clients.”

During her break, Bridget did little nourishing things for herself–resting, lighting candles, seeing friends. The time off did wonders for Bridget’s creative process. “My creativity tapped me on the shoulder a month later. ‘I’m ready. I’m ready to write.'”

“I sat down at the computer and brilliant ideas just flowed out, taking the concept to a further developmental place. I love these new ideas, and I needed that respite to make it happen.”

Note: You can read Bridget’s brilliant insights for what to do when you hit writer’s block in a previous blog post. And, please, share your ideas for how you get your creative juices going after a writing marathon!

Writer’s Block: How to Get Unstuck & Make the Writing Flow

May 13, 2014 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

Yesterday, Bridget Engel, a participant in my Bring Your Book to Life® Program, shared a particularly brilliant and helpful insight for writer’s block, or any instance where you are questioning your ability to write a book.

Bridget had been feeling challenged that day and coached herself to an answer from her inner guidance, in her case, her angels, similar to the work I teach people to connect with your “muse.”

Her inner voice simply offered this:

“Act as if no one has ever written about this topic before and you know what to say.”

I thought it was great advice and decided to open tonight’s Bring Your Book to Life® teleseminar with this idea. And the more I thought about it, the more rich and profound it seemed.

Act as if no one has ever written about this topic: Imagine the kind of passion you feel as you contemplate sharing something completely new and fresh, and how it feels to have the freedom not to worry about what others have said about the topic. So often we begin to critique, edit and censor ourselves even before we type in the words or write them out on paper. Or perhaps we cross out the words as we write them, thinking, “No, that’s trite. It’s been said.”

That kind of thinking stops the flow. It puts you in your left brain and shuts down the more creative right brain that’s essential for creative flow. If you leave that editing task for later and just allow ideas to flow, you’ll have a much easier time writing.

Let’s look at the second part of her advice:

writing coach Lisa Tener — Writing in the Zone by the River in Wakefield, RI

You know what to say: When you imagine–or even tell yourself–you know what to say or write, you can experience confidence. Often, we make a negative projection that immediately affects our experience. Something like, “Who am I to act like an expert?” or “I don’t know how to make this sound fresh,” or “No one’s going to be interested in this.” How’s your muse, or creativity, going to respond to that kind of self-talk?

However, this positive projection, “You know what to say” impacts your experience and sends a supportive message to the writer within!

When you let go of your inner critic and affirm positive messages, you support your creativity, rather than shut it down. But what if you don’t quite believe the positive affirmation? That’s where Bridget’s wording is especially helpful: “Act as if.” Another way to put it is “Imagine.” Just imagine what it’s like to know what to say. Pretend. Imagining and pretending immediately engage that creative aspect of your personality that creates a state of flow.

You can even try a phrase like this: “What might it feel like to know what to write? What might it feel like to write in the flow?” This is something I learned from Julia Griffin. Rather than say an affirmation you don’t believe, use your curiosity and ask, “What if…” or “What would it feel like?”

When you imagine, you make space in your writing practice for surprises, too. Your not striving or trying, you’re more playful, spontaneous and open. Try it and share how it works for you. Or feel free to comment with a tip you received from your inner guidance or a fellow writer.

Get Unstuckified: An Interview with Samantha Bennett

April 10, 2013 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

author and expert sam bennet — The Organized Artist, Sam Bennett

I first met Samantha Bennett when she interviewed me for a MaestroPath seminar.

What struck me about Sam is how darn fun and funny she is, and her brilliant insights into getting things done–including completing a book. Time spent with Sam–whether reading an e-mail or listening to a call–is guaranteed to make you laugh, bring you joy, give you super-useful tools and tips, and inspire you to action from your toes to your tippy top!

Lisa: As an expert in getting unstuckified, what do you see as the main reasons people get stuck in writing their books or any other artistic process?

Sam: There are as many ways of getting stuck as there are people, but often the culprit is an old, dusty, diminishing thought pattern like:

“It has to be perfect.”
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“It’s all been done before.”
“Who do I think I am?”
“Someone will steal my idea.”

These thoughts will turn a brilliant idea into a pair of cement shoes faster than you can say, “Pulitzer Prize.” The key is to recognize these paralyzing thoughts for what they are: a nasty trick to keep you stuck. Then turn the questions around a bit:

“There’s no way to know what perfect is right now.”
“I wonder how a person would go about figuring out how to do this?”
“It’s all been done before…but not by me! My voice is unique!”
“Who do I think I am? Well, I think I’m someone who wants to experiment…”
“Ideas can’t be stolen, they can only be copied. Plus, I have a million great ideas.”

Lisa: It seems to me that sometimes writing a book is prone to bringing up people’s “stuff” and that part of what makes them successful is getting past any core beliefs or fears that are stopping them. Do you tend to focus on just toughing it out and developing habits to move forward or do you think it’s important to process the challenging beliefs and fears?

Sam: I think a two-pronged strategy is important. You need to keep working through your old, negative beliefs, anxieties and fears, but you also need to just do the work.

Don’t wait to feel ready.

Don’t wait to feel like a “real” writer.

Don’t wait for the right time.

Just start writing every day.

Lisa: So how do you help people do that?

Sam: I recommend “automating” your writing time so that you never have to wrestle with yourself. If you make the decision to write every day for 15 minutes before you check your email, then you never have to think about whether or not you’re writing, you just do it.

It’s sort of the same idea as having money automatically moved to a savings account – if you don’t have to think about it, you’ll end up with a fortune on your hands.

Lisa: A great tip. How did you get into helping creative people get organized and complete their projects?

Sam: Honestly, I was just trying to solve the problems I encountered in my own life as an actor, writer and improviser. It’s tough to know what to do next, what project to work on, how to market yourself…and it’s even hard just to keep going when, you know… there’s no quarterly review on your art. So I started devising these worksheets and exercises, and then sharing them.

I knew how great I felt when I was able to move past my insecurities and get big projects done, and I wanted other artists to enjoy that same feeling of joy and accomplishment.

After all, there’s no right way to be an artist– you just have to surf your life as best you can.

Lisa: Do you have a personal story about this?

Sam: One of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes you’re not moving forward on a project because it is, simply, not the right time.

I started writing my book proposal six years ago, and then stuck it in a drawer. I always knew I wanted to keep going on it, but it seemed like there was some invisible wall in between that darn proposal and me.

Eventually it occurred to me that I NEEDED to wait all that time, because I needed the time to grow my platform, I needed to learn more about marketing and, honestly, I needed the time to become a better writer.

When I finally sat down to complete my book proposal last year, it didn’t take me very long at all, and I was lucky enough to get a contract with New World Library – the first and only publishers to whom I submitted.

Lisa: Congratulations, Sam. That’s terrific news–let us know as soon as it’s out! Can you give our readers 3 tips for getting unstuckified?

Sam: Sure.

1) Give your project a fun, sexy, silly name. Calling your project “revise manuscript” sounds like boring homework – no wonder you’re resisting it! But if you rename it, “polish the diamond of my book” or “eat the elephant one bite at a time” or “lipstick and moonbeams” or whatever — that might feel a little yummier.

2) Get a coach, teacher, mentor or buddy. Quit thinking you can do this by yourself. Investing in professional help is the smartest thing you can do. I myself have a coach, an accountability partner and I’m in two mastermind groups. Partnering with smart, loving people helps my art and my business prosper. (I realize this answer may seem a bit self-serving, but I’m not saying you need to work with me or even with Lisa –you just need to get consistent support from someone you respect.)

3) Be very careful about sharing your work and ideas and STOP going to the empty cookie jar. By which I mean, there are some people in your life who, no matter how much they love you, are not understanding or supportive of your work. So quit talking to them about it. Just keep your head down and your shields up. Especially in the early stages – your creative work needs your protection and it does not need the criticism of well-meaning people.

Lisa: I love these tips–and you are a master at “fun, sexy names.” You have an upcoming free teleseminar to help people get unstuckified–can you tell us what we’ll be learning on that call and why it’s not to be missed?

Sam: You’ll get Sam’s Slightly Scandalous Suggestions for Success (hint: it involves the same principles as having a hot sex life : )

We’ll also do some work that guarantees that you will have a breakthrough around finding the time and money you’ll need to get your project off the ground.

Finally, I have the secret to “decluttering for the creative person,” and I’ll share it with you.

If you can, do be there live – I always stay on the line to answer questions for as long as I can, so don’t miss this chance to get your stickiest problems unstuckified!

Register for Samantha’s free class: Get Unstuckified: Why You’re Procrastinating On the Important Stuff and What To Do About It

Monday, April 15th at 9:45am Pacific Time

Samantha Bennett: Originally from Chicago, Samantha Bennett is a writer, actor, teacher, creativity/productivity specialist who has counseled hundreds of artists on their way to success. The author of the surprisingly popular book of poems, “By The Way, You Look Really Great Today,” Samantha is currently writing “The Organized Artist Book: A Success Book For Creative People Who Want To Be More Organized And Organized People Who’d Like To Be More Creative.”

Note of full disclosure from Lisa: I am a proud affiliate of Sam’s and if you use this link and later sign up for her paid program, I will receive an affiliate commission. As you know, I’m picky about affiliate programs, only belong to a few and only share with you those I believe have the ability to help you tremendously as an author.

How to Write a Book: Conquering Your Fears: an Interview with Kate Beeders

January 15, 2013 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

My colleague, Success Coach Kate Beeders is a genius at helping people break through blocks—something that can plague aspiring authors. If you’ve read my posts from last year, you may have seen my interview with her on making money as an author. Here, I interview Kate about the main fears that stop aspiring authors in their tracks—even those who have already published.

Lisa: Many people are stopped by fear of failure. How might you work with someone like that?

Kate: I’d like to break that down into 3 steps:

First, it’s important for a person to get clarity and understand why you’re writing a book: To educate people? To grow your business? To get publicity? To share your story? Someone, like a coach, told you to do this?
The second step is to uncover what you’re afraid could happen if you write your book. Sometimes people are very aware of their fears and sometimes we uncover such fears through our work together. These fears are typically from past experiences or things people are taught as children. These fears can often be so overpowering (especially on a subconscious level) that a person would rather stay in their comfort zone than risk trying something new and failing. Examples of some fears are: What if no one reads my book? What if my book isn’t any good? What if people laugh at my book and me? I’ve failed in the past and don’t want to fail again
The third step would be to clear out these fears so the person is able to move forward and write their book. The technique that I am an expert in and that I highly recommend is called “tapping.”

Lisa: Many bestselling authors use tapping. I’ve heard Jack Canfield recommend it. Can you explain tapping for those who are unfamiliar with it?

Kate: Tapping is a powerful technique where people “tap” on parts of their face and upper body with their finger tips while saying certain phrases that I give them. It sounds goofy, and having come from Corporate America, I definitely thought it looked silly, but I’ve never seen anything or heard of anything that gets the results that this technique does. Every time someone tries it and sees their changes, there’s another convert into the world of tapping. It’s been used with hundreds of thousands of people worldwide to help them release all sorts of fears. This technique is able to work very quickly, powerfully and gently and get lasting results. Once the fears are released, I help people replace those negative thoughts with positive ones, and my clients are quickly able to get into action and achieve the success they want.

Lisa: Thanks for breaking that down into such a detailed answer. Kate, often, the same people who fear failure also fear success. How do you help people overcome that?

Kate: It would be the same process as the fear of failure except that the fears would be different, such as:

What if I lose my privacy?

What if others start to want/expect too much from me?

Who will I be if I become a successful author?

I encourage readers of this blog to ask themselves, “What are all of the good things that will happen once I write my book?” Some wonderful results, would be:

You can help so many more people than you can now working 1-1
Profits from the book can be used for personal use, savings, or a charitable foundation
This will elevate you to a whole new level providing you with all sorts of wonderful experiences

Lisa: I can attest to that. Just one example, a recent Bring Your Book to Life Program graduate just published her book this fall and within weeks was invited to be keynote speaker at a dance therapy conference in Hawaii. But go on. Before benefits we were talking about fears…

Kate: Our subconscious mind is very powerful and it holds all sorts of fears, some real and some perceived. These fears will cause a person to procrastinate, which is why many people start to author books and can’t get past “Chapter 3.”

Lisa: How about someone who’s specifically experienced an authority figure–parent, teacher or other–who told them they can’t write or “children should be seen not heard” or who somehow taught them not to express themselves. How do you help people break through that kind of block?

Kate: Lisa, I’m so glad you mentioned that. I’ve helped so many clients that heard things like that as a child and now find it very difficult to “shine their light” and put themselves out there. As a child, to be good, meant to be quiet, well-behaved, basically blend-in to the scenery, so it’s a huge conflict now as an adult, to write a book and then promote it. By doing that, the author would make themselves very visible, the opposite of being “seen and not heard.” Through tapping and other mindset techniques, I help my clients reprogram their subconscious beliefs, since what they were told as a 4-year old child does not apply to them now as a 30-40-50 year old adult. If they stay quiet and keep that book inside of them, they won’t be able to get their message out to all of the people that need to hear it.

Lisa: Kate, thanks for sharing these tips. And for our readers, Kate has a workshop coming up: Quick Cash Infusion Workshop: 3 KEYS to ACCELERATE Your CASH, CONFIDENCE and RESULTS on Friday, Feb 22 3-5pm in Newton, MA Click here for more info!

Trouble Writing? Take a Hot Bath

October 12, 2012 by Lisa Tener Leave a Comment

creative photo of fountain — Photo by David Donohue

If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you know that I love to take writers to “meet your muse.” I lead people through a visualization that gets them in touch with their creative source and their deeper knowing for answers about writing a book.

In a book concept consultation today as part of my Bring Your Book to Life Program, a client asked how she might get into the zone consistently to write. Rather than tell her how, I suggested we ask her muse and led her into a meditation similar to the meet your muse visualization you can find here.

Here I am writing in the zone and-yes-by the sea. My muse is happy. Photo by Erica Collins.

Her muse told her to take a hot bath.

We both thought it funny until we thought about it–water–the second chakra, which governs creativity. Water helps flow, as does warmth.

Writing isn’t just about sitting at a computer and typing. There’s a preparation of the body, mind and soul we can do before we write that makes our writing experience inspired, transcendent and productive.

Your muse is wise, too. Next time, before you sit down to write, ask your muse how you can get into the zone for writing and have it flow with ease and instant inspiration. See where your muse leads you. And share your insights here. What does your muse want you to do before writing?

Writing a Book and Got Stuck? 5 Cures

May 22, 2012 by Lisa Tener 10 Comments

book writing coach Lisa Tener — Your Book Writing Coach

I just got an e-mail from a Bring Your Book to Life Program participant who’s a little stuck. Thought I’d share a few ideas–three related to book outlines:

1. Go Deeper in Your Book Outline: Sometimes you just need to be clearer about what goes into the chapter and where you’re going. A more detailed outline can get the juices moving.

2. Forget Your Book Outline: If the outline is constraining you or taking you in the wrong direction, maybe it’s time to put the outline aside and try writing without one.

3. Pick a New Spot to Start: Look at your outline and ask yourself which part has the most juice for you. Start there today.

4. Go for a Walk: Sometimes you just need to get your energy moving. If you can walk in a beautiful natural setting, all the better. My favorite is Newport’s Cliff Walk.

5. Read your Vision Statement: My course participants often say that the vision statement is one of their favorite tools. It keeps them motivated, makes it easy to write and also helps them stay focused with both tone and content. Don’t know how to write a vision statement? Check out my Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book self-study program. It’s on sale for the month of May!

Share how you get unstuck by adding your comment below. Or ask any book-writing or publishing questions and I am happy to answer!

Finding Your Writing Voice: Head vs. Heart

April 27, 2012 by Lisa Tener 1 Comment

“Lead with your heart but use your head. The purpose of your head is to figure out the best way to give your heart’s message.” – Dr. Katie Eastman

Many questions come up when you’re writing a book:

– How do I make the time?

– Where do I start?

– What book do I write (or which one to write first)?

and then there are the questions that surface in the midst of writing:

– What is my voice? How do I find it?

– Why am I stuck? How do I get past this block?

– How do I finesse this particular piece I’m grappling with?

If you’re a frequent reader of my blog or have done any private work with me, you know how much I love leading my book writing clients in a visualization to “Meet Your Muse.”

Our left brain serves us, yes. But sometimes we need to go somewhere else to get to the heart of the matter. Today, in our consultation, Dr. Katie Eastman posed the question, “How do I find that place where my writing voice balances my head and my heart?”

The answer her muse provided struck us both as profound:

“Lead with your heart but use your head. The purpose of your head is to figure out the best way to give your heart’s message.”

It seemed such apt advice for any writer.

Here’s another link to my free “Meet Your Muse” visualization, in case you haven’t received it yet. What wisdom does your muse have to share?

Listen to the audio and please feel free to add a comment and share what your muse has taught you.

Writer's Block

On Looking Crazy from the Outside

Afraid to Write a Book?

The Freedom and Possibility in Writing

Your Book Will Change Something for Someone, So Write It!

But, Can You Write a Book?

What if You Don’t Finish Your Book?

[bctt tweet=”Presents or Presence: Writing and Life in the Holiday Mayhem #creativity #writingworkshop” username=”LisaTener”]

Last Year’s Baggage

From Dread to Fed

Writing and the Gift of Presence

A Creative Shift

My Holiday Wishes for You

My Gift for You as a Writer

FREE TO WRITE

Writer Derailed!

[bctt tweet=”There’s No Time Like the Present to Shift Out of Writer’s Block!” username=”LisaTener”]

Now, Schedule.

Book Writing Advice

[bctt tweet=”When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart, Steps 1-4 ” username=”LisaTener”]

Part 2 of When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart: Get Inspired and Have Fun

What’s Your Muse Got to Say?

Winning the War on Writers Block

Meet Your Creative Muse

Right Brain / Left Brain

Romancing Your Book

Breaking Down Your Inner Parts

Connect with Your Passion and Joy

Write a Book

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