Lisa Tener
Book Writing Coach
Commit to Writing a Book! You commit to writing a book. You feel jazzed. You’re inspired. The birds seem to sing a little sweeter. There’s a lift in your step. And then… Soon, you’re tested. Suddenly, new and exciting opportunities come knocking at your door. And you may want to answer, but don’t jump in…
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!…
I am a book proposal nerd. I just love sitting out on my deck and digging in, occasionally looking up to see a monarch butterfly or two glide along the wind currents, or a hawk circle above. I love reading about book ideas, feeling the author’s passion for her or his subject and especially adding…
Are You an Authority? Last November, during a conversation over lunch during Harvard Medical School’s leadership course for women in healthcare, my long-time friend and colleague–and my publicist of over a dozen years–shared ideas with me about what it means to be an authority in one’s field. And why it matters. This is the subject…
Can you tell a story? I recently read a book proposal for a client’s book that’s been a couple of years in the making. I’m so proud of him. He had the right instinct for his overview—telling a compelling story from the get-go. Yet, it started out dry, clinical, like many proposals I read on…
“I think this book is a great idea—a fun idea. I can already imagine which publishers would respond to it.” My morning began on a conference call with my client and a literary agent who has sold several of my clients’ books to publishers, a colleague from Harvard Medical School’s publishing course. The high-powered agent…
