Some folks are all hyped up about how AI is making their jobs as writers easier—from outlining to research to organizing ideas and creating marketing plans. They’re psyched.

On the other end of the spectrum, many authors complain about the glut of AI-generated garbage on Amazon that’s making their books harder to find.

One prominent author I know had her identity stolen and abused when someone published AI-generated books (full of inacuracies and crummy writing) under her name.

A mom I know lost her corporate PR job, when the majority of her department were replaced by AI.

So, what’s the upshot for writers? Should we be scared? Cautiously optimistic? Should we revolt by refusing to use OtterAI, OpenAI and ChatGPT? Should we demand laws to protect us?

My Response to AI

I may be a luddite (who happened to graduate from MIT), but I, for one, am doing what little I can to prevent AI from using my content to replace me or misuse my intellectual property. I’m avoiding ChatGPT, Otter.AI and other programs, so at least I am not training them directly, to the best of my knowledge. Of course, that doesn’t stop AI from using our books—yet. The Author’s Guild is advocating for that to change.

Advocacy is an important part of this battle and I’m happy to see The Author’s Guild advocating on the behalf of authors and our rights with our legislators and through the legal system.

However, as a writer and a poet, I can’t help but wield my pen as my first line of defense. And so, after reading about the forced retirement of the very last lighthouse keeper in the US, Sally Snowman, I drafted six different poems in attempts to capture my response.

While my sixth poem, which I am about to share with you, may seem a bit flippant at first glance, I hope it speaks to you between the lines of easy rhymes.

Thank you to my friend and colleague Michael Larsen, co-author with Jody Rein of How to Write a Book Proposal, for forwarding the article on retiring Lighthouse Keeper of Boston Light, Sally Snowman.

The Last Lighthouse Keeper

Here is my sixth poem:

The Last Lighthouse Keeper

When the last lighhouse keeper is forced to retire

will she become a poet and light our way in iambic pentameter?

Or will AI come for the poets, too?

And, if so, what will we do?

Play a game of meet and greet?

Throw our couplets at its feet?

I, for one, am not quite done.

I call on you to join me, too.

Wirte a sonnet; write haiku.

Write in free verse and Seuss-a-loo.

Write in forms not yet invented,

our obsolescence circumvented.

Your Turn: What’s Your Response to AI?

How are you using, avoiding or being abused by AI and its users?

• What are your hopes?
• Is there anything you love about AI?
• Hate?

Share your concerns. What are you doing in response?

My 2024 is starting off slow. And I’m realizing that’s a good thing in many ways.

Just before Christmas, I got rear-ended while patiently waiting to turn when the driver behind me was distracted (looking behind her at her passenger!) and didn’t see me in time. As I heal, I need to limit screen time (hence, this will be a short post!).

The limitations got me thinking about this slowed-down time I’m living in—limiting internet, phone, and texts and eschewing TV. Even reading is a little hard on my head.

Don’t worry—if you email me, you will get a response: Geri will read my emails and help me respond. Thank you, Geri. And I’m still joyfully leading Get Your Writing Done sessions—just not looking at the screen when I teach! [And, by the way, we’ll soon be adding a revamped version of my book writing program [Bring Your Book to Life] as part of the Get Your Writing Done membership—stay tuned.]

Presence is a Gift!

My mom, Elizabeth, always taught me to look for the good in everything that happens. I realize how slowing down is teaching me about a different way of being in the world, a way that helps me as a writer and a human.

I walk slower and notice more. An hour ago, I walked down to the bay at the end of our road and marveled at the pink, blue, golden, and mercurial ripples. I felt like I was living in a painting! I stayed for a long time, watching the light and landscape morph before me.

In addition to appreciating the surrounding beauty more than ever, I also notice what it feels like to slow down—to do less and just be present. These are good skills for a writer, but also for a human being!

I write poetry by hand and avoid typing it into the computer. So, I get more time with the creation process without doing much with it. There’s something sacred about drawing out the creation process and enjoying it for what it is…without concerning myself about the other parts. It’s helped me let go of certain measures of success and outcomes and enjoy creating for what it is—the life force moving through me, expressed in myriad ways.

There’s a freedom to create when we let go of outcomes. That’s often when we can be our most innovative or where our work takes an unusual turn and opens up new worlds. Would you agree?

I’m sure I’ll be back to outcomes soon, but in the meantime, I am enjoying Narragansett Bay at twilight, as well as sitting and staring into the fire in the fireplace at night with my husband Tom and son Luke.

I feel that I will return to my more “productive” pursuits with renewed energy and more focus—fewer projects and clearer priorities. So, I give thanks for the nudge for now!

How about you? Please take a moment to comment and share how you are starting 2024. Perhaps you are starting with a powerful focus, renewed energy or bold strategies. Perhaps you are starting with a dream or intention. There’s no one way to begin a new year, so you’ll find no judgment here—just curiosity and a genuine interest in your creative life.

I wish you a happy new year and much joy in your creative process, however it shows up!

In my most recent post, I answered a soon-to-be-published author’s questions about distribution for a traditionally published book; today, I answer their second question: “How should I publish my short stories?”

So, short stories are not in my purview, but I know enough to provide some guidance to this writer. My goal was to ascertain enough information from the author to provide general direction and offer several appealing options to him.

In my mind, I hoped to ascertain whether this author likely had a shot at getting a book deal for the short stories (i.e., fantastic writing and a significant platform required) or whether the author needs to improve the writing and/or needs to grow their following/platform. Also, what is the best avenue for this writing given their current platform, willingness to do further work and other factors?

Questions to Discern the Best Publishing Path for Your Stories

I asked the author some questions:

• What is your current reach/platform/following?
• Are you willing to hire an editor and/or writing/publishing coach?
• What are your goals (a book? or reaching people in any possible way, such as magazines, subscription service, books, ebooks, etc.?)
• Are any of the short stories published online or in magazines or journals?

I did not hear back about reach/following, so I assume it’s small. Most likely, this author will need to self-publish (not a bad option at all), but they could work with an editor and publishing coach to see if they can publish individual stories first and start to grow their readership before a book comes out.

I also spelled out a variety of options for this author.

How to Publish Short Stories

Option 1: Submit Your Stories to Magazines and Online Magazine-Type Websites

You can Google “Where to submit short stories?” to get some excellent lists, but note that many will start with the highest tier options, which are extremely difficult to crack! You may want to narrow down the search by adding additional keywords to your search.

I also asked my colleague Jane Friedman about this, and she had some excellent resources to suggest:

• “Lit Mag News (a newsletter by Becky Tuch at Substack – excellent in pointing out opportunities)”
• “Chill Subs, a great database of lit mags and more.”

I recommend working with an editor to make your writing as compelling as possible. You may even want to edit the story based on where you are submitting it so that you appeal to the particular audience and orientation of that publication. Also, make sure you follow their submission guidelines!

Option 2: Enter Short Story Contests!

Again, use an experienced short story editor to help you thoroughly polish your story. You may also want to gather a few beta readers to provide feedback. Then, research short story contests (again, an easy Google Search) and enter any contests that seem like a good fit. Make sure your research includes reading submission requirements, judging criteria (if published), past winners, etc. This will help you be more effective and efficient in your efforts.

Jane also recommended this strategy; she suggested Literistic, a monthly newsletter for information on contests, fellowships, and more.

Option 3: Join a Site for Authors to Offer Subscriptions to Readers

I remembered Jane Friedman sharing information about subscription services, so I initially contacted her about this post. She suggested Patreon as a subscription service for short stories and Ream for longer fiction.

Option 4: Publish Your Short Stories in a Book

Unless you have a big platform, a fresh voice, and exceptionally high-quality writing, you will likely need to self-publish. That’s not a bad thing at all! There are many advantages to indie publishing, including a significantly higher profit per book sold, faster time to market, maintaining complete artistic control, the ability to innovate, and more.

My one piece of advice here is: don’t skimp on support. The better your editor, the more skilled your designer, the more knowledgeable the people you hire to publish the book and help you choose categories on Amazon, as well as help you with the back cover copy and your Amazon book description, the more likely that your book will be recommended by others, reach more readers and help you realize your vision and goals.

Additional Resources:

Duotrope has been around since 2005, and for $5 / month or $50/ year, you can search their extensive database of current fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and visual art publishers and agents. They have a calendar of upcoming deadlines and a personal submission tracker, and they collect data on publishers and agents, which are available to subscribers.  

A Personal Note

Earlier this year, I wrote a short story. I think that’s my first short story since ninth grade!

I felt pretty excited about it, but I’ve searched my journals and cannot find the first draft anywhere! Too many journals, perhaps. Now that the aspiring short-story writer has inspired me to do all this research, I’m committing to making another attempt at finding that story! After I type in and format all the poems that have been coming through, that is.

Today’s publishing questions come from a writer in South Africa who just received an offer from a traditional publisher. They have questions about the offer and contract and about publishing a book of short stories. Let’s address the book offer first, and in my next post, I will address the short stories.

“I need help. First, I have a contract from a traditional publisher [for a how-to self-help book], and [sic] is offering me 12% of my book royalties; however, there is no advance.”

“Secondly, I have written 15 short stories that I need to publish. They are in English.”

I started by congratulating the author on the offer from the traditional publisher.

Is The Publisher’s Book Contract Fair?

I wrote, “That sounds like a fairly typical deal for a first book unless you have a huge following. Nowadays, for the majority of first books, publishers tend to offer little or no advance. As long as the publisher is reputable, you should be okay.”

In the old days, it would have been at least 15% and 15% of the sale price minus transportation costs. Nowadays, it’s generally a percentage of the net. The problem is that publishers can inflate their costs by assigning high administrative costs, reducing the net profit. This is why having an agent or lawyer review your book contract is very helpful in ensuring you’re likely to get paid fairly. Typically, the royalties on a paperback book work out to a bit over or under $1/book.

As usual, I recommended that this author run the contract by an intellectual property attorney or literary agent. I met an intellectual property attorney and literary agent at the San Francisco Writers Conference one year, and she has been a godsend for those of my clients who have a compelling book proposal and received an offer from a small or mid-sized traditional publisher but didn’t have a platform big enough to attract a literary agent. This attorney has been charging $650 to review a book contract and suggest changes, and her changes tend to make a world of difference for my clients compared to the original contract they were offered.

Can I Distribute Books Myself? How Does That Work With A Traditional Publisher?

The author then asked, “What happens with the publisher if I want to distribute the book myself?”

This is a great question. You won’t be able to publish the book yourself since the publisher will usually have the exclusive (unless you retain certain rights). Still, the contract usually includes a discounted price for you to buy books. So if you have a speaking gig, for example, you might buy 50 or 100 books at a 50% discount (or whatever the discount is. With Health Communications–HCI, my author discount was 50%, but that was some years ago).

You might make additional profits per book in any situation where you meet people in person, such as a book signing, workshop, training, presentation, etc., and therefore can buy books at a discount and sell them at the cover price.

For online sales, trying to fulfill the order yourself doesn’t generally make much sense, even if it’s allowed. It would mean buying books at a discount, selling them, and then fulfilling those orders, which includes mailing the book to the customer. A lot of work for not much more money after you pay the postage. You probably want to link to the book on the traditional publisher’s website or online retailers for online sales. You can see how I’ve set up the online links to buy my book here.

If you want to distribute all the books yourself, you should self-publish or use a hybrid publisher. Both of these services will come with upfront costs and, potentially, add-on costs, so have an attorney familiar with publishing look at any publishing contract before you sign it.

How About Selling Directly to Bookstores or Libraries?

Bookstores will order through the distributor (usually Ingram) or the publisher, not from you. They want to be able to return books that don’t sell, and Ingram offers that. Plus, it’s more hassle for them to buy from you directly. And your contract might not allow it anyway.

You might be able to sell to a library if your traditional publisher allows it. You might make more this way if you buy books at a discount. I was surprised to find that my local library usually orders from Amazon!

On the other hand, it’s best to have books on hand if you are making a presentation at a library. Most authors who give a talk or presentation at a library bring books to sell at the back of the room or team up with a bookstore that handles the book sales.

The writer also asked, “How should I publish my short stories?” I’ll answer that question in a separate post in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

What questions do you have about book deals/publishing contracts, publishers, distribution, or anything else? Share your comments at the bottom of this post.

Each Thanksgiving I list all the people I am thankful for in my work. Plus books, nature and other inspiration. Here goes…but first, I want to say this:

Given all that’s going on in the world, including the incredible polarization and demonization of opposing viewpoints, it’s more important than ever to focus on gratitude, foster community, and buy and read books that support a wide variety of views and that cultivate EMPATHY, KINDNESS, INCLUSIVITY and PEACE. No one group has a monopoly on truth, so let’s keep an open mind and READ!

And let’s all remember: if we want to have the power to influence people’s perspectives and beliefs, we need to be humble, open-minded, compassionate, and open-hearted.

Big Picture Gratitude

Here are some of the many people and organizations I am grateful for in 2023:

Thankful in 2023 for Writing Communities

• Thank you to the inspiring writers who join me on Wednesdays and Thursdays to breathe, move, and write together in “Get Your Writing Done.” Thank you for your passion and commitment to your books, your message, and for sharing your gifts.
• I am thankful in 2023 for my clients–for the beautiful writing and insights I get to experience through supporting your work!
• A few weeks ago, I had my first poetry reading at Willet Free Library’s open house, and it was more exhilarating than I can describe! Thank you to everyone who came to support us. And to Willett Free Library’s poetry group–Paula, Gigi, Kay, Jo, Nora, Elizabeth, and Maureen–for all the feedback. And special thanks to Paula Schonewald, Christopher Caines, and Jane Bernstein for help choosing poems.
• Gratitude to our wonderful writing and journaling private community on Facebook: Write and Create with Lisa Tener. (Feel free to send a request to join if you haven’t already.)
• Thank you to the Association of RI Authors (ARIA) for the local community and particularly to the many volunteer leaders who make it all happen. I look forward to the RI Author Expo on Dec. 2. See you all there!
• To all the readers of The Joy of Writing Journal. Your feedback has brought me such joy and fulfillment. Thank you to every single person who has written a book review on Amazon. Reviews are a crucial part of reaching readers and helping them discover books. I know how busy people are, and I appreciate your taking the time to write a review. If you haven’t gotten to it yet, it’s not too late! We’re at 99 reviews and have been for weeks. It would feel amazing to break through the 100 mark.
• To everyone who joined me for a journaling related event and a special shout out to Samantha Bennett to traveled from Lyme, Connecticut to Barrington, RI for an evening event at Barrington Books!

Bookish Communities and Beyond

• Thank you to the many authors whose books have uplifted me during this season of grieving. And to Robin Kall Homonoff, champion of books and reading who has introduced me to a whole bunch of wonderful books through her podcast and events, particularly those at bookstore/winebargallery Curioisity&Co.
• Thank you to Willett Free Library Director Jennifer, staff members Ben, Lindsey, Allison, Emilie, and Barbara, and the wonderful volunteers, members and patrons who make our library so central to community life.
• A big thank you to these communities that invited me to speak, present and teach in the past year: Nonfiction Writers Conference and Nonfiction Authors Association (shout out to Stephanie Chandler and Carla King), Willett Free Library, Barrington Books, Association of RI Authors (ARIA)/ RI Author Expo, Volusia County Schools, Doctors on Social Media, The Journey of Intrinsic Health community, Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital.
• Thanks to all the bookstores carrying The Joy of Writing Journal including Barrington Books, Wakefield Books, Books on the Square, Omega Institute Bookstore and to Alayne White Spa which includes the journal in their wonderful gift boxes for writers!
• A special thank you to Robert Peng and DongMei, Nancy Gardner, the Robert Peng Qigong community for your extraordinary teaching and support, and Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health and Omega Institute where I learned The Master Key practices.

Thank you, Team!

Thank you to everyone on my team – all the vendors and colleagues who helped me do what I do. I hope I have contributed as much to your life, work and fulfillment as you have to mine!

I could write a book of gratitude to my VA who has been with me for over a decade and without whom I could never have offered the level of service we provide. Thank you Geri Lafferty. 

Thank you to my two amazing co-facilitators who alternate teaching with me—Sharon Burton and Laurie Hunt. Also, web gurus Rachel Vane and Jennifer Ann Walsh, Jamie Palmer, social media/marketing guru and her team, especially Joyce Trono, and awards consultant Melissa Sones.

And to writing coach Tama Kieves for your loving support!

To Ian Garlic, Carina Marquez, and the team at Video Case Story. I am so excited to be working with you to reach my people.

We wish good luck to our former author Interviewer and website assistant UCLA grad Claire Nakamura, who has left for graduate school and teaching and we welcome our new author interviewer, Zakeerah Cooper.

Thank you to publishing angels Tamara Monosoff and Bryna Haynes and her team (hi Maria!) at Worldchangers Media. To Laurence O’Bryan and the Team at BooksGoSocial helping me reach more readers through those Amazon Ads.

Still Thankful in 2023!

Thank you to my coaching, ghostwriter, and editor colleagues whom I refer—a long list—I love you all and am grateful to have such amazing folks to refer people to: Stuart Horwitz, Annie Tucker, Janice Harper, Simon Golden, Dan Janal, Lynne Heinzmann, Lynne Klippel, Tim Rayborn, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Claudia Volkman, Danielle Wolffe, Howard Van Es, plus old friends I haven’t yet worked with this year and the new colleagues coming online.

And my husband Tom Patterson—grateful to be on this entrepreneurial (and life) journey with you and for all your wise counsel and support. And to my sweet sons, Luke and Will Patterson. Grateful to be your mom.

Your Muse Wants You to Write from Your Heart

Today’s post was inspired during our “Get Your Writing Done” session a few weeks ago. I’d offered that if anyone ever needs a little private laser coaching, they can request to do a short breakout group on our Zoom calls during the writing portion of the call.

Michael Neuert, a writer in the class who is an intuitive counselor, took me up on the offer with the challenge that he feels like he’s writing lots of little bits but is not clear on what his book is yet. Earlier, his muse had said to write, and it will come, but now it feels like he’s still circling, and not clear where this book is going or whether he’s even making headway on an actual book.

While the snippets he shared in class are powerful, a book indeed needs some structure, and it’s helpful to be clear where you are going. So, we asked his creative muse for guidance.

The muse began, “Write from your heart. There is a distraction to writing in circles/ hovering as a result and completing a book.”

Note: Below, you’ll see distinctions between Michael speaking and Michael speaking in the voice of his muse – they are both Michael but two different parts!

Michael’s Muse on Writing from Your Heart

I suggested he ask, “How do I write from my heart?”

The muse (as reported by Michael): Write what you’re feeling to write rather than what you think you should write.

Michael: Something about my mind gets too involved in figuring things out.

Muse: You don’t need to know what it is. Be in your heart every time you sit down to write. Let go of the habit of your mind processing and labeling your writing or ideas as good or bad.

Michael: She’s saying there’s something there that comes more from my heart than my mind.

My mind goes crazy with that. What would these next 28 minutes be? That’s what I don’t know. That’s what she’s saying — discover.

How? Sit quiet. Just start writing and tuning into my body rather than tuning into my mind.

Michael continued: Now the dream I had makes even more sense. It’s almost like, write! It’s like there’s something formed. I don’t know what it is yet. My mind, trying to figure it out, is a little bit ahead of myself.

When Fear Gets in the Way

Lisa: Do you feel like you know what to do?

Michael: I’m afraid.

Muse: I know. Just practice it. Just try it.

Michael: I have a little bit of sense of it. It’s taking me more into right-brain worlds than my usual left-brain worlds.

Muse: Trust. Just do it—a sense of something that’s a center. You have something to say, and it’s your job; it’s just different from what you currently imagine.

Michael: I think I get to practice.

Lisa: Do you accept this mission from your muse?

Michael: That’s a great question – parts of me don’t. My muse says, “Take my hand.” She’s seeing the places I need to go, which are frightening to me, more real places.

She says that’s okay. I’m here. Take my hand.

It’s like going downstairs into a basement when we usually live on the upper levels. My mind’s trying to make logical sense of it all. I have an image that is almost like going into the basement and writing down there.

Lisa: Would it be helpful to do that physically?

Michael: I don’t have a basement!

Two Weeks Later

When Michael checked in during a private breakout session on our Get Your Writing Done session two weeks later, he shared that he was getting more clarity about bringing together his material into a cohesive concept by working on titles.

Now the challenge was his list of a dozen possible titles with slightly different takes on the subject. He intuited that it was important to identify the title and angle before structuring the book.

How to do that? I suggested that Michael could try this exercise that I made up on the spot:

1. Write each title on separate pieces of paper and hang them on the walls around the room (or use a clothesline and hang each title up on the line).
2. Walk around the room and read each title aloud. Which ones do you feel drawn to? Where do you spend the most time as you stand in front of the titles?
3. You can also ask, “Is this an optimal title?” or “Is this a title that will attract my core readers?” See if you lean forward or backward or neutral when you finish asking the question. If the answer is yes, you’ll lean forward, and if no, you’ll find yourself leaning backward. This works for many people but not everyone. Another option is to use muscle testing or even dowsing. These are all methods that bypass the more controlling aspects of the mind to tap into one’s intuitive knowing.

For some people, I suggest going to their community of future readers and asking for feedback (one of my other clients is doing that right now). But in this case, my sense was that this would be premature. It seemed like Michael’s process required more time to work with the ideas without input from external sources.

A few weeks after that, Michael reported that one title stuck out as the one. And the other titles seemed to be possible chapter titles. He began to write more material centered around some of the titles and that opened something up.

Some of my takeaways:

• The back and forth of left and right brain-oriented processes
• It’s okay to feel afraid; be with your feelings.
• The need to let go and stop judging.
• The role of trust—one step at a time and over time the process and content both become clearer.

What are your takeaways?