Posts by Amy Isaman
Finding Clarity: The Value of Writing a Discovery Draft
My student, a high school senior stared at the paper in front of him, then up at me, then back down at his paper before dropping his head in his hands with all the drama of an annoyed seventeen year old, and mumbled, “What do I even do with this? I don’t know how to…
Read MoreFirst Impressions Matter: How to Write the Introduction for Your Nonfiction Book
When a reader picks up your nonfiction book, they will have questions like: This is a heavy load for the first few pages of any book, but answering all of these questions can be done. If you’re writing a prescriptive or transformational nonfiction book, a book that is geared to help someone solve a problem,…
Read MoreBeyond Linear Thinking: Embracing the idea generation phase of writing your book
Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to work with teen writers again, and I gotta say, I love their energy and their honesty. But, I was reminded, yet again, that all writers, regardless of age, skill, education, and confidence can struggle with the same things. A few weeks ago, I had almost…
Read MoreSaying Goodbye to Creative Projects
It’s time to say goodbye to a project that I truly enjoyed doing…until I didn’t, my podcast Dear Creativity, Let’s Write. I haven’t published an episode in over a year, but I’ve held onto it because it was a lot of work! Can I just delete that? Also, what if I’m inspired again to do…
Read MoreThe transition back to writing for an audience (after months of deep journaling)
I’m ready to start writing for an audience again (aka YOU) after taking exactly four and a half months off since writing anything for public consumption (not that I’ve been counting). It’s not that I wasn’t writing. Over the never-ending, snowy winter of 2023, I wrote pages and pages and filled journal after journal with any and…
Read MoreWho is your book for? How to identify your ideal reader.
This weekend, I had a book coaching session with my own book coach. We were reviewing my Book Blueprint – the foundational pieces that need to be in place for a book to work. I’ve been trained in this methodology and have spent many many hours studying it and working with clients on it, so I…
Read More5 Ways to Ensure Your Book Adds to the Conversation in Your Topic
This afternoon my 20-something son Facetimed me. We talk on the phone and text quite often, but I hadn’t seen his face since August. I got totally distracted as soon as he popped onto the screen and started chatting. “Stop,” I finally interrupted him in mid-sentence. “Do you have a mullet?!?“ “Yeah!” He grinned, turning sideways, so I…
Read MoreHow to Organize Research for Your Book
If you’re writing a book, at some point, you’ll need to research, whether it’s a tiny factoid to supplement a scene or story, or a deep dive into psychological studies to build your argument. Conducting research is part of the job description. The challenge comes in organizing the information so that we can find it…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Writing a Book (beyond the sales)
When we think of writing a book, we often think of the final product and holding that completed book in our hands. It’s also what clients and potential clients often want when we first start working together. So much of the marketing for writing a nonfiction book centers on the financial or business benefits potential…
Read MoreDiscovering Your Writing Process: how to find it and why you should
One of the greatest surprises of my mid-life existence is that I’ve discovered that I love Cross Fit (X-fit). My twenty-something children thought it was hilarious when I first started going, but three years in, they don’t laugh anymore. It’s just mom going to the gym. I love it because I don’t have to think…
Read More