Idea Development
Nonfiction Book Structure: Why Playing with Ideas Beats Planning Too Soon
Getting your nonfiction book structure right is one of the biggest struggles writers face. It’s tempting to lock in an outline early to give you a road map to follow, but you don’t want to create that structure too early. Last week, at a quilting retreat in Sisters, Oregon, I relearned this lesson in an…
Read MoreStorytelling in Nonfiction Writing: The Human Piece AI Can’t Replicate
Storytelling in nonfiction writing has never mattered more, and the reason is sitting in Tim Ferriss’s sales numbers. A few weeks ago, Mr. Ferriss of 4-Hour Workweek fame, published an article on his blog where he analyzed his dropping book sales. He correlates the rise of AI with a drop in sales of his how-to and prescriptive nonfiction books, writing,…
Read MoreWhat Is a Nonfiction Book Proposal (And Do You Need One?)
I’m a planner. My bullet journal is my baby. I don’t follow the bullet journal protocol exactly, but I do love a good brain dump of tasks, tracking progress, and marking tasks as complete. It’s more about seeing the whole picture of what I’d like to accomplish, so I can prioritize tasks, evaluate what’s important, honor…
Read MoreWriting by Hand
Have you picked up a pen lately to write? If not, I encourage it. In fact, it’s my favorite way to get a first draft out, whether that’s a newsletter, blog post, or even novel (yes, I’ve written the bulk of each of my novels by hand). It’s also my favorite way to help writers…
Read MoreHave you taught your nonfiction book’s content?
There are so many reasons people pick up and read self-help or prescriptive nonfiction. Perhaps they need a solution to a problem, are curious about a topic, want to learn a new skill or grow emotionally or spiritually. Perhaps a friend, therapist or doctor recommended a book to help give them clarity, knowledge, reassurance, or…
Read MoreOvercome “Too Many Ideas” Syndrome and Finally Write Your Nonfiction Book
You’ve probably heard of “shiny object syndrome” which is what happens when creative people, like writers and entrepreneurs, get distracted from their current project by a super fun, exciting new project. “Too many ideas” syndrome or “shiny idea” syndrome is what happens when we have so many ideas that we never even get started. We…
Read MoreUsing Meaning to Help you Drill Down your Book Idea
Choosing the right idea to write and focus on for your book is truly the first step when you decide to write a book. It’s also the step where so many brilliant, would-be authors get stuck. Do you identify as a highly creative souls with many potential ideas you could write? If you’re like most…
Read MoreFinding 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 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 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…
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