Lisa Tener

Book Writing Coach

Inspiration

Inviting Transformation into Your Life

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Your Book Writing Coach and Inspiration Partner

While preparing to give a talk at the UU Church in Peacedale, RI about Inviting Transformation into Our Lives (tomorrow), I realized I needed this talk myself.

So many times we find ourselves stuck in “What is…” that we forget “What’s possible…”

Today, I’m returning to what’s possible, to my vision. In that vein, I am off to the beach to enjoy my family and a long walk in the surf.

I won’t give you the whole talk and experience about transformation just now, but I’d love to hear what you see as possible in your life. Forget about what is today:  What do you want to see three weeks from now, or six weeks, or six months…?

Share your inspirations of what’s possible as a comment below. Or share how you create transformation in your life.

Get Thee to a Writers Conference

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writing coach lisa tener
Get Inspired at a Writers Conference in Little Rhody, the Ocean State.

Ah summer. So many writing conferences; so little time.

9 reasons to attend a writers conference:

  • Hone your craft.
  • Experience yourself as part of a community of writers.
  • Get feedback on your writing from fresh and talented sources.
  • Connect with mentors.
  • Learn new marketing techniques.
  • Get inspired.
  • Step away from your work and get a novel perspective.
  • Surprise yourself by starting something new.
  • Rejuvenate (more on this in a minute).

I was thrilled when URI began a summer writing conference. I took a workshop with Richard Hoffman and learned powerful techniques for writing memoir. It made me a better coach for my memoir clients and helped me write about my life in more detail.

This year, I’m excited to be a last minute addition–I’ll be on the panel for promoting your work with new and traditional media. I’m also signed up for a workshop with Crystal Wilkinson and a private consultation with a fiction author–a new genre for me to explore. The idea of writing fiction makes my palms sweat, but here’s a safe environment to give it a try.

writers conference

There’s another treat in store for us Rhode Islanders. Well, it’s a treat for anyone, since it’s an international conference. We’re just lucky the treat is in our own backyard.

The International Women Writers Guild‘s annual “Remember the Magic” conference has moved from Skidmore College to Brown University. It’s been years (pre-children) since I attended this yummy conference and it would be hard to justify the week-long overnight stay. Now that it’s half an hour from home, I can happily commute–guilt-free.

Perhaps I'll see you at Brown

One thing I love about the IWWG conference is the non-linear learning. While I’ll have the opportunity to take workshops on craft, I can also take yoga, collage, watercolor, tai chi and a host of other workshops to feed my mind, body and soul.

This is the rejuvenation part–so critical to our creative spirits. In my experience, your muse will thank you when you nourish your whole self–not just your mind.

My Book Proposal Class in Narragansett RI

I’ve recommended the IWWG conference to my book-writing students who’ve gotten used to the accountability and support of our book writing classes this spring.

You’re welcome to a conference in the Ocean State where you’re never far from a beautiful stretch of beach. Both conferences offer top notch faculty and inspiring programs. But if you don’t want to wander so far from home, google “writers conference” and “writing conference” with the abbreviations of states near you and see what you come up with.

By registering for a writers conference, you send yourself a message that writing is a priority.  And that, in itself, will help support your creative flow.

Your Muse Calls: A Poem

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Here's the beach where I teach my book writing class. Many students have found their muse on these shores. Photo by Erica Collins

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In a bit of a divergence from my customary marketing and publishing focus, here’s a poem I hope will inspire you:

your muse calls to you

across a great, rocky chasm

you look down

feel queasy

look across

but see no bridge

still

your muse calls

your heart stirs

yearns

pulls you

and

without thinking

you step forward

into thin air

and grow wings

How Creativity, Journal Writing and Nature Shaped This Writer

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Dad, Mom and Me

When my client, now-friend, colleague and soul-sister, Dr. Randy Kamen Gredinger, invited me to be profiled as one of her inspiring women, I was blown away. I’d read the hugely inspiring stories in her newsletters and on her website and didn’t know how she’d be able to make my life sound so interesting.

But she did it.

And it’s an enlightening process–to have someone take a whole bunch of quirky details about your life and weave them together in a way creates sense out of the seeming chaos of one’s life.

Regina Brooks, me and Randy Kamen Gredinger at the Harvard Medical School publishing course this April

As a seasoned therapist, writer and speaker, Randy has a talent for seeing the patterns, purpose and meaning in the stories of people’s lives. In this article, she wrote beautifully about my experiences growing up and my creative inclinations, showing how they influenced my life path. I’m absolutely thrilled to share her article with you. You can read it here.

Play More, Write More

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Your Writing Coach says "Play Today!"
Your Writing Coach says "Play Today!"

I tend to hit the keyboard running, possibly eat lunch at my computer, break to greet my oldest when he gets home from school and my youngest when he wakes from his nap. Maybe we rush off to soccer practice. I fix dinner in a rush. Once my boys go to bed I’m back at my computer for several hours before falling into bed. Not every day. But too often.

By contrast, today, I had a phone call with my answered prayer coach, Pat Hastings, caught up on e-mails and headed over to Mimi’s where I teach my Friday morning book writing classes.  It’s Thursday, though, so I didn’t teach. I took a leisurely walk by the ocean with Mimi and my friend Seraina and then joined Seraina in her song writing endeavors.

For me, fooling with the songwriting was pure play. I love hearing Seraina sing and I love to sing myself. I love playing with words. I don’t know how it happened exactly but my non-family time tends to be focused on money-making endeavors to the exclusion of fun. No fun.

Continuos part luck, part strategy
Continuo's part luck, part strategy

I’ve decided to play more–Bananagrams–a word game that my friend Patricia Raskin introduced me to, Continuo, a strategy game with colored tiles, SET-a fascinating card game that–when I play it–I’m convinced I feel the new neural networks being created in my brain. I’m also building castles with blocks with my younger son and  laughing more.

Even in my writing I’m playing more. I’m finding that short writing projects can be just plain fun.

Im proud to be a contributing author and affiliate of this new e-book just in time for Mothers Day
I'm proud to be a contributing author and affiliate of this new e-book just in time for Mother's Day

In addition to songwriting, I’m writing a few poems (I may share one in a future newsletter unless you tell me in the comments section to keep my poetry to myself), writing (and decorating) my transformation mandalas (If you’ve taken my Express Yourself in Writing and Transform Your Life may remember these), and even wrote a short essay about my mom for The Power of  Mother’s Love, an e-book for the Inspired Living Publishing series. These short, simple projects make writing fun and not so serious.

What are you doing for play in your writing life and beyond?

Writing Blocks: Create Sacred Space

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Greetings from my sacred space!
Greetings from my sacred space!

One of my future book writing students (she’s registered for the May class) called to say she’s a bit stuck. Going through the preliminary material, she found herself feeling a bit hazy about her book, and conflicted about her goals:

  • Should the book create interest for her workshops?
  • Should it be required reading for workshops or would that just turn people off?
  • Should it include any exercises from the workshop or not?
What a mess: How can I ever create with this all around me?
“What a mess: How can I ever create with this all around?”

As we spoke this morning, I realized we needed to take a step back. Her problem stemmed from the fact that she had no sacred space for writing. She’d moved six months ago and complete chaos reigned throughout her new home–from boxes piled in rooms and hallways to floors that required a complete overhaul.

We both recognized that little progress could take place until she developed a sacred, clear, inviting, inspiring space for creativity, including writing.

While you might not have quite the herculean task of moving a whole household, some of my recommendations might support your own process:

1. Clear the space with intention: open windows, burn sage or another aromatic, cleansing herb, sing songs, dance or do whatever it takes for you to clear out old energy and bring in new energy that resonates with your intention. Burning herbs may sound airy-fairy, but remember that your creative side loves metaphor, symbols and creative practices.

2. Clean out the old: What needs to go to make this space support creative flow? Can you donate it? Sell it? Put it in the basement for now?

I chose this Melissa Harris print for my office because it evokes creative flow and journey for me.

3. Plan your space: What will you do in this space? What will make it feel like a sanctuary for creating and writing? What artwork, furniture, colors and other objects will inspire you?

4. Schedule your time: Go right to your planner or calendar and schedule specific dates and times for organizing and creating sacred space. Treat this appointment just like any other important commitment.

5. Get support: Recruit a friend, hire a recent college grad, or ask your super-organized sister to help you. It’s so much easier to take on the task of clearing, cleaning and organizing a space with someone to help. If you need to pay for help, think of it as an important investment in your writing life and future.

I’d love to hear how you’re creating sacred space for yourself.  Share your commitments,  accomplishments and suggestions.

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