Diane Allen wanted to do more public speaking. But she needed a book to garner more engagements. It didn't have to be a long book. It just needed to set forth the scientific principles and positive psychology behind the practice of flow that she teaches her clients....
Over the last few months, half a dozen of my writing coach clients have finished their books. After celebrating that accomplishment, we jumped into book cover design consults, reviewed samples of both the cover and the interior pages, asked for tweaks on both and then...
I'd had the best conversation with a prospect who, at the suggestion of a current writing coach client, had emailed me looking for help on a book that had been rattling around in her head, as she put it, for almost 40 years. Her protagonist, she told me, was a...
It was time. Despite family pressure, I decided to clip Moke, my almost 3-year-old English Cocker Spaniel, even if his fur wouldn’t be as silky soft. The call proved to be a good one. Not only was my already super cute pupper instantly cuter but I found a handful of...
My client sat down to her novel. Having blocked out the time to write, she was determined to honor that commitment to herself and her book. But she didn't have a clue about what she was going to write that day. "In the past, that would have freaked me out," she...
Is there such a thing as too much writing advice? Absolutely! Since I'm a writing coach, my answer may come as a surprise to some of you. On the other hand, it will likely not surprise my writing coach clients. I'm convinced that writer's block stems more from...
After a break, I'm back to writing restaurant reviews. I fell into that in 2008 when I was coaching a local Bend magazine staffer who was bemoaning the fact that she had to go dine out that evening and write a restaurant review. “I’d love that,” I announced. “I’ve...
Over the last month, I've listened to two audiobooks—Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and Bowlaway by Elizabeth McCracken—which have been in my queue for months and months. For whatever reason, neither had grabbed me when I initially started them. This time around, I've found...
Do you suffer from a lack of belief in yourself or your potential as a writer? Does that keep you from putting fingers to the keyboard or pen to paper? If yes, I'd suggest you watch your dog more closely or take yourself to a dog park. Those who follow this blog know...
As more and more of the writing coach clients I work with get published or opt to self-publish, I find myself increasingly talking about launching a book. So, let's talk about launching your book. You’ve fretted and sweated to write your book. If you’ve finalized your...
