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Writing Composites: Why Write Real First

May 8, 2017 by Lisa Tener

Writing Composites: Is it Legal? Ethical? Dangerous?

Therapists, doctors and coaches often worry about including client cases in a book. Should they be writing composites?

What if the client recognizes herself?
What if the someone else recognizes the client?
Is this even legal?

They’re right to be concerned—legally, ethically and morally. And what might the effects be on someone who sees herself in a book? Or someone who recognizes someone he knows?

Option 1: The Waiver

You have several options to address these concern, however. If you have a great story and think the client may be amenable (and it’s not prohibited by a law like HIPAA) then you can ask outright for permission. Get this permission in writing.

Make sure the person understands they will not be paid for their story being shared. Publishers often have specific waivers for you to use but you can also get a waiver from an intellectual property attorney if you are self publishing.

Option 2: The Composite

Another option is to create composites: take a true situation and client; combine the facts with other cases. Change the gender, characteristics, personality, job and geography of the person. Meld it with another client case, perhaps.

Voila, a composite is born.

Here’s the kicker: If you turn a story into a composite too soon, you make squeeze out all the juice. It can end up sounding dull or even fake.

Earlier this morning, I spoke on the phone to an aspiring author who wants to write his memoir. We talked about changing some details of the people in the story and also, perhaps, leaving out some details that might make certain people look badly.

I advised him to write everything in while no one else is reading it. He can change details later, when sending the book to beta readers or an editor: “Just write the truth, without leaving things out, at first.”

[bctt tweet=”Benefits of Writing Composites after Writing The Original Story” username=”LisaTener”]

There are 5 benefits to this method:

In the case of memoir, it can be healing to write your truth—uncensored.
Once you start censoring, you inhibit the flow for the whole work. In a first draft of a memoir or story, the critic or editor should not be engaged. You want to write from your heart, again—uncensored.
While revising and adding detail, you want to remember all the specific things—and sometimes that doesn’t all come in one draft. Keep in original names and details until you feel you’ve gotten the whole story down with all the details. Only then can you go back and create a composite, disguise identities or leave out some aspects that might hurt others or harm your relationship with them.
When you write the full truth and then take some piece out, there’s a way in which your writing is still energetically complete. I know this sounds woo-woo, but it’s something I’ve discovered over my years in editing and writing coaching.
It’s easier to cut something than it is to add it in later.

My advice, then, is to write the original story in your early drafts that only you will see. After you’ve written the juiciest parts of the story, anecdote or case study:

a) Think about whether certain details stick out as revealing of the person. Change those details first.

b) Also, think about details of other people you know that might lend themselves to the story: an interesting way of walking, a certain mannerism or colorful speech pattern. Or an interesting career.

c) Also think about story details you can embellish. Perhaps another client has a similar story and you can mesh the two—or even three.

Questions about writing composites or writing in general? Ask away and I will do my best to answer.

The Thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift: 7 Unconventional Books That Moms Will Love

May 4, 2017 by Lisa Tener

I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on—all the huddling, negotiating and pooling of change.

The training mom solved the mystery for me, “One of their classmates was having a bad day and they all decided to share their book fair change to buy her a book.”

Yes, my eyes teared up. These kids knew something. A good book can change a mood, change a mind, bring light where there’s darkness. A great book can change a life forever.

So, while you’re considering a bouquet of lovely flowers that may meet the compost pile a week later, consider the gift of a book that can be read and re-read, enjoyed and shared. Here are some new and old—mostly brand new, quirky books you won’t find just anywhere.

I’ve asked my publishing friends for some unique picks to share with you today:

Let’s start with inspiration.

1. Jean E. Thomson Black from Yale University Press recommends Thoreau’s Animals by Henry David Thoreau, a new book of excerpts from Thoreau’s journal, edited by Geoff Wisner and illustrated by Debby Cotter Kaspari.

Whether your nature-loving mom is a long time fan of the naturalist’s writings or is new to his work, she’s sure to love these moving excerpts and beautiful drawings and watercolors. Some of the illustrations appear as studies, which give the book a personal feel.

2. Michael Deneen, also at Yale, recommends The Mystery of Sleep: What a Good Night’s Rest is Vital to a Better, Healthier Life by Meir Kryger, M.D.

I picture a young mom, little ones keeping her on her toes all day, trying to squeeze in some work at night. Men, this is the book for your sleep-deprived wife. This book will provide her both the incentive to take better care of herself and the steps to get that much needed shut-eye. Bonus? Fewer mommy-meltdowns. Good for everyone.

Is mom in her menopause years? The mystery of sleep has something for her as well.

3. Book publicist Rusty Shelton recommends Bless Your Little Cotton Socks by our mutual client, Diane Radford, MD. This hilarious and heartwarming collection of stories about Diane’s Scottish mother and her quirky sayings is sure to give mom a lot to laugh about.

If she’s an armchair traveler or of Scottish ancestry, it’s another plus!

For the career mom, here are two choices to make her job easier:

4. Does mom manage a team of multicultural millenials? Book awards expert Melissa Sones recommends Feedback First: Boosting Organisational Performance through CLEAR+CALM Communication, by Huibert Evekink and Steven Becker, which just won two Stevie Awards through the American Business Awards: Gold Stevie Award for Best Business Ebook and the Bronze for Best Business Book 2017!

5. And if mom’s open to a bit of personal growth, Julie Silver, MD, Founding Director of Harvard Medical School’s CME Publishing Course suggests Organize Your Emotions, Optimize Your Life: Decode Your Emotional DNA-and Thrive by Margaret Moore, Edward Phillips and John Hanc.

A plus with this book is the benefit to you and the rest of the family when mom implements what she learns. She may recommend the book to her adult children as well! Fair is fair, after all.

6. How many moms struggle with parenting challenges like helping their children overcome anxieties and fears? In literary agent Regina Brooks’ recent newsletter, she suggested Calming Your Anxious Child: Words to Say and Things to Do by Dr. Kathleen Trainor. Dr. Trainor’s advice helped my younger son get over his fears and become an enthusiastic swimmer! Her program is simple and effective. If you are looking for a gift for any mom of young children through teens, this book may be a balm to her and her children.

7. I had to add this last one, because this book—and the author—are fast becoming a go-to, highly quoted resource for educators, parents, doctors and therapists concerned about the effects of screen time on children’s brain and health—and how to mitigate those effects.

If you are looking for a gift for a mom whose kids like their screen-time (a little too much), she likely spends a good deal of her time feeling powerless and ineffective against the pull of devices in her home. Maybe she even finds herself fighting with her kids over screen use. Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time could be a gamechanger. Literally.

BONUS BOOK: I promised unconventional, but when Rusty Shelton mentioned this staple brand, I knew it had to join the list for the mom with little time for reading, and a thirst for inspiration she can enjoy in five to ten minute bursts.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Best Mom Ever! will pull at mom’s heart strings without keeping her up till three in the morning with suspense and cliffhanger chapter endings. If she has to wait in the doctor’s office or carpool line, what better company than her old friend “Chicken Soup”?

Have a book to recommend for Mother’s Day? Please do share your top picks and why you recommend them.

Writing, Publishing and Platform-Building Tips from #Harvardwriters2017

April 5, 2017 by Lisa Tener

writers at the harvard medical publishing course — Dr. James Zender; Alan Rozanski, MD; Lisa Tener, MS; Candyce Ossefort-Russell, LPC-S

It’s a high moment.

We sit around the oak table in the Oak Room in Boston’s Fairmont Hotel, Copley Square. Harvard Medical School’s CME writing and publishing course has just ended and the air seems charged with enthusiasm and insights.

I am with three clients—Dr. James Zender, expert in auto accident recovery; and two participants in my Bring Your Book to Life® Program, grief expert Candyce Ossefort-Russell and Alan Rozanski, MD, pioneer of Behavioral Cardiology and author of over 200 academic articles and research studies.

We share the takeaways, the shifts, the new ideas.

We brainstorm on the structure of Alan’s book. Alan could write a dozen books and still have more research to share. His challenge? To pare it down to the one theme of this book, yet give readers all the tools they need to implement—and stick with—the health strategies he offers.

James shares the new platform-building initiatives he is planning after speaking with an interested agent.

With Candyce Ossefort-Russell at Harvard Medical school publishing course

Candyce shares how she’d been working on her book on and off for five years until the aha moment swimming at the Y when she realized that if she died that day her only regret would be not having written and published her grief book.

If you missed the course, I hope to share a few insights during the next few days. Today, Candyce, Alan and James offer their takeaways:

Alan Rozanski, MD found himself inspired, “to be among a sea of like-minded individuals in the health field.” Alan returns home clearer on “the need to build a platform and develop a strategy for developing a social media presence.” He now plans to develop both a website and blog. His takeaways:

“It’s important to put yourself in a situation where you need to pitch your book. It helps you refine the idea.”
“I learned from Rusty Shelton that a website needs to gives visitors a clear action step. I’m now working on a short ebook that helps readers assess and improve their current vitality.”
“I realized how important it is to connect with people in the book industry in order to develop an action plan for success. In addition to my book coach, Lisa Tener, there were agents, publishers, a publicist and many types of editors. Just from my 70 second pitch, an agent requested to see my proposal when it’s done.”

Candyce Ossefort-Russell shared this:

“I learned from Dr. Julie Silver that I need to be able to describe my book in one sentence. This challenge forced me to become extremely clear in my own mind about what I’m writing about, which makes my book writing more focused; and having this powerful sentence makes it much easier to share with anyone what my book is about.”
“Rusty Shelton made it clear that social media is not just about numbers. It can be used to build relationships with people I find interesting. Kristin Meekhof expanded on this idea by saying she used gentleness and gratitude to build her online relationships. The idea of building relationships with gentleness and gratitude makes the whole prospect of building my platform a positive challenge instead of a necessary evil.”
“Kindra Hall presented a novel way to think about anecdotes. The typical writing advice is to show instead of tell. By giving us the storytelling basic formula of Normal ->Explosion -> New Normal made the idea of showing come alive in a new way.”

Dr. James Zender’s favorite tips:

“Our brains are wired to connect to stories so the best lectures and writing utilize that structure. Easy to say and easy to forget, but critical to drawing in readers.”
“With the extreme highs and lows one can experience writing a book and book proposal, having a book coach can be a better mood stabilizer than Lexapro!”

I first met Dr. Zender at the conference two years ago. In addition to working together on his book proposal, he has been working assidously on his platform as an author. He developed a new website for auto accident survivors and other audiences, became a blogger for Psychology Today (publishing 18 posts, half of which were featured as “essential reads”), developed a lecture series, keynoted at a conference and spoke at several others, applied to speak at several other national and international conferences, and was interviewed for a series of podcasts by McGraw Hill’s Professional Insights Blog.

If you attended the course for the first time this year, let Dr. Zender be an inspiration to you. List your planned activities for the year. Prioritize them. Implement them. Check them off. From building a website to blogging to writing a book proposal, you can do it!

But you can’t do it all at once. Make a plan that’s do-able. Figure out what you’ll give up to make the time for this. Schedule specific times to work on your book, proposal and platform, each individually.

Course attendees: Share your takeaways and aha moments!

Editing Tips: 7 Smart Ways to Tighten Your Writing

March 29, 2017 by Lisa Tener

“Tighten Your Writing.”

Thanks to the participants in my Bring Your Book to Life^® Program and writers who sent in samples for the writing workshop I’ll be facilitating at Harvard Medical School’s CME publishing course this week, we have lots of inspiration for today’s blog post.

Many times, writers aren’t quite sure where to start when editing a manuscript. “Tighten your writing” is one of my favorite starting points.

Pretty much every manuscript or writing sample I edited this week needed some form of tightening.

So many words. So little time to read them. Such is the lament of the modern reader. We want to be sensitive to our readers’ needs and time.

In addition, tight writing is more enjoyable, clearer, cleaner. Extra words make it boring.

Not only will this post teach you ways to tighten your writing, there’s a contest at the end where everyone wins a prize!

Have You Been Advised to Tighten Your Writing?

Blessed is the tight writer.

First drafts often prove messy, full of extraneous words and convoluted ways of saying things.

And that’s as it should be. First time around, you want to get it out on paper. Fine tuning and polishing should not come into play.

If you focus on editing and critique while writing a first draft, you can actually interfere with the flow. When it’s time to polish, however, tight writing can be one of your most crucial skills.

How do you develop this ability?

Same way you get to Carnegie Hall.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Of course, you’ll need a few tried and true tips.

7 Smart Ways to Tighten Your Writing

Read Aloud for the first 2

Read aloud. ~~Is there anything that sounds~~ Does anything sound convoluted? Can you simplify it?
Read aloud again. When anything sounds wordy or long, highlight it. Then go back and see if there is a briefer way to say the same thing.

Next, Cut the Obvious

3. Here are some words and phrases that are usually extraneous and can easily be cut 90% of the time they show up in a first draft: started to, began to, so, very, really, that, Well (at the beginning of a sentence). Can you think of others?

4. In dialogue, dump the “he said; she said” when it’s obvious who’s talking. Boring. Repetitious. Unnecessary. Just give us the dialogue, unless it’s unclear or readers need a reminder ~~because it’s been a while~~. Better yet, give us an action by the speaker and you don’t have to write, “he said.” Plus, an action will break up the dialogue and paint more of a visual picture.

5. Practice on LinkedIn connection requests. Seriously? Yes. You have 300 characters to let a prospective connection know why you want to connect. If you know each other that’s easy. If you don’t know each other, and have a specific reason to connect, you may need to wordsmith to get it down to 300 characters.

6. Graduate to Twitter: Got it down to 300 characters? Now try 140. Be patient. It usually takes more time to distill your message than it did to write a first draft.

7. Ask, “Does the reader need to know this? Does it add value by making the writing come to life, filling in important details, or adding clarity? Or was is it unnecessary? Does it fit and flow?” In a first draft, we may put in details or actions that don’t really add much value. When editing, use a more critical eye. Read the page with and without a particular detail, sentence or paragraph in question. Which works best?

Hire an Editor

I highly recommend self-editing in the early stages of writing. At some point, however, you’ll want to hire an editor for professional editing. There are three main phases of editing: developmental editing, line editing and proofreading. Read this post to understand the different types of editing and how to find and hire an editor.

BONUS! Win a Prize (and Everyone Wins)

Have any tightening tips? Share yours below.

BONUS: Notice any places I can tighten up this post? Comment with your suggestion. The top 3 suggestions win a book. Others will win a beautiful bookmark painted by my lovely niece. Yes, everyone wins a prize today!

Here’s What You Need When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart

March 16, 2017 by Lisa Tener

What to do when your writing practice falls apart?

Yesterday’s email started with this:

“I’ve fallen off. Crazy work week…I’m lost!”

It’s not uncommon when someone commits to my Bring Your Book to Life^® Program that at some point they wonder, “What was I thinking? How am I going to get that first draft written in the next 8 [or 7 or 6 or 5] weeks?”

Suzette actually knew before she committed that she’d need more than 8 weeks, since this was a busy time for her.

When she signed up for Bring Your Book to Life^® it was with the intention of getting clear on her book concept and outline and maybe write a first draft of a chapter or two within the time frame, then doing most of her writing this summer when her academic schedule let up.

However, hearing other people whipping through chapters and reading powerful writing at the end of our groups calls, she suddenly panicked.

[bctt tweet=”When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart, Steps 1-4 ” username=”LisaTener”]

I had Suzette relax and ask herself some questions to get into a calmer and more rational space. The facts were actually much better and clearer than the emotions she had been feeling.

Slow Down: Take a breath. You may even be on track with what you committed to. You may just be panicking because that’s what humans do.
Ask, “What did I say I’d do?” What did you commit to? Write it down or speak it aloud to someone.
Ask, “What did I actually do?” Maybe you did what you said. Maybe you’re close. Or maybe you’re realizing your expectations were unrealistic.
Regroup: “Does my action plan need updating?” Do you need to find an extra two hours a week more than you planned to meet your goal? If not, would you be comfortable setting a new target date? Can you find a way to hold yourself accountable in the additional time you set?

Since Suzette had set a goal of finishing her book or book proposal this summer, I suggested she replace her book vision statement with a course vision statement and read the latter instead each day and whenever she began a writing session.

Here’s what I suggested for her new course-oriented vision statement:

With Bring Your Book to Life^®, I set myself up for summer success—an outline I love and a delightful and fun writing habit that joyfully pulls me along.

She could return to the book vision this summer, but for now, the course vision seemed much more calming and inviting.

Part 2 of When Your Writing Practice Falls Apart: Get Inspired and Have Fun

Okay, so now, after her initial reaction to her writing practice seemingly falling apart, Suzette took stock of where she truly was and it wasn’t at all far from her initial intent. She’d just gotten nervous when she looked at what others were accomplishing.

“I don’t want the book to become one more pain in the butt I have to accomplish. I enjoy writing. Writing delights me.”

Now, we had to move Suzette from irritation and frustration to joy and delight again.

start writing — You don’t have to go far for a writing retreat. This is in my friend Tracy’s backyard.

I asked her what would make writing fun for her. “Can you imagine writing as a delightful retreat from all the other things you have to do?”

“Can you view it as a vacation? A peaceful luxury time.”

“An oasis!” Suzette chimed in. “Yes, I can. I love that.”

A writing oasis.

Suzette used the example of exercise. “It can be a chore or I can enjoy it. I can know all the endorphins I’m producing and I can have fun and get my yayas.”

So, we’d revisited her commitment and saw that she was on track and we’d reframed the context to make it fun again. We changed the vision statement to reflect her goals for the short time period and keep her head in the game.

Our next step was to consult her “Muse.”

What’s Your Muse Got to Say?

For the Greeks, the Muses were the goddesses of inspiration in a variety of fields. When I talk about consulting your muse, I think of directly accessing your creative source, the font of inspiration, your inner knowing, that wise and all-knowing aspect of you.

Sometimes the muse shows up as a wise being, a spiritual teacher, an animal totem, a symbol, an archetype. Other times the muse just sounds like that regular voice inside your head or you just get this felt sense that you’re connecting to something deeper than the everyday you. It may feel like the muse is inside you or outside of you. Doesn’t matter.

“Am I making this up?” I hear that a lot. Don’t worry. That doesn’t matter either. Just go with what you get when you do the exercise.

I led Suzette in a guided visualization where she walked through a meadow into the woods to a clearing with a small building where her muse was waiting.

We asked her muse what it wanted her to know about this stress and sense that she was behind.”It’s gonna be okay.”

“Be Patient.”

“It’s all going to work out.”

I asked Suzette to take that in. Feel it in her body. “It’s all going to work out. How does that feel?”

“Concept is one thing. Feeling it is really good.”

I then asked Suzette to ask her muse how to make the time spent on her book—planning and writing—fun, an oasis.

author with book — Mara Zimmerman. author of How to Meditate and Why: Meditation is an excellent way to get into that space for writing in the zone.

Her muse suggested that, “An element of preparatory ritual would make it fun. Changing my state into one of joy and creativity. I think of music.

Her muse’s response could not have been more timely. Two days before Week 5 and one of week 5’s main lessons is how to create a writing ritual that helps you get in the groove and write in the zone—in that state of inspired flow.

Her muse also suggested creating a good space to write in, to create more spaciousness.

“My home is littered with stacks of paper from work. My muse wants me to clear space so it’s not cluttered.”

I asked whether the space should be in her home or outside of it. It seemed that for her home would be best, but her muse also suggested further consideration.

For some people, it’s important to get out of the house to be in a space not associated with other household or work activities. For others, home is an oasis, provided you create an inspiring space to write.

I loved that her muse suggested creating space because that is actually step 1 of the writing ritual I call “Writing in the Zone.” We talk about both inner space where we can get in touch with the stillness where work can begin and we also explore external space such as a writing desk, a room to write or another inspiring space.

We asked her muse about outline, as well, since that was one of her main goals for the class now—to create a structure for her book.

“Next time, play with your outline. Change it. Sit down and put out five ideas. Experiment. Be bold with structure, not hung up on developing perfection.”

She liked that. “It’s feels like we’ve created space for my book now.”

Her final advice from her muse: “You’ve got this.”

How do you experience your inner muse? How do you work with your muse? Has your muse ever helped you when you felt your writing practice was falling apart? Share your comments and questions below.

Book Launch Tips: How to Get a Bestselling Author to Write a Foreword, Blurbs and Amazon Reviews

February 27, 2017 by Lisa Tener

“How Do I Get a Bestselling Author to Write a Foreword to My Book?”

I hear this question often–and it’s a good one. A foreword by a bestselling author can help catapult your book to success on Amazon because Amazon views that foreword writer as another author. When people search for the bestselling author who wrote your foreword, your book will come up in the search! Wow, right?

Recently, a writer in my Bring Your Book to Life® Program asked how she can approach the bestselling author of her choice to write her foreword.

Problem? She doesn’t know him. Isn’t part of his community. Yet.

Solution?

You guessed it: Become part of his community first.

Okay, how?

7 Tips to Get a Bestselling Author to Write a Foreword to a Book

First Get Social and Contribute to the Hoped-for Foreword Writer:

Write excellent reviews for his books on Amazon and Goodreads. You should only be asking an author you can comfortably and honestly give five stars to. Give those stars. And make the review specific and unique.
Read her blog or Facebook page posts and comment in a meaningful way. Add to the discussion. Express your opinion. Or share how a specific bit of advice in the post was especially helpful to you.
Share her blog posts, tweets or updates regularly.
Get bolder; share your resources. Once you have contributed to the discussion a few times, if it’s appropriate, you can start to share a link to a relevant blog post of your own in response to one of his posts.

Now, Get Closer

5. Is she doing a book signing or workshop? Go! If there’s a VIP version where you can join the author in a smaller group for lunch or mingling, splurge and go for the intimate event. Get in line for your signed copy of the book and, when it’s your turn, you can mention a way in which the author’s book made a difference for you. Follow that with the fact that you are writing a book of your own. Feel the author out, it may be appropriate to ask if the author would consider looking at a sample chapter or two and contributing a blurb. If you’ve done steps 1-3 you are much more likely to get a yes.

6. Reach out to your networks, friends and colleagues alike. Let everyone you know you are hoping for a blurb from this favorite author / celebrity / expert in your field. Ask who knows her. The more you spread the word, the more likely you are to find a connection who may be willing to introduce you.

7. Reach out by email. It’s fine to reach out by email, social media or a comment form on the author’s blog. However, do your legwork above first and you are far more likely to get a “yes.”

Foreword, Blurbs and Amazon Reviews

Meet Dr. Ellen Moyer

I first met Dr. Moyer years ago when she took a class of mine on jump starting your how-to book. Since then, we’ve stayed in touch. I’ve offered advice from time to time, shared her excellent environmental blog posts and enjoyed seeing her grow as a writer.

Now, Dr. Moyer is a published author and I am so enjoying her book Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves: How to Thrive While Creating a Sustainable World which does an excellent job of making sustainability do-able and even enjoyable.

I was struck by what a great job she did in getting support as she launched the book. She has an excellent foreword by a bestselling author,7 blurbs by other bestselling authors and thought leaders in several fields from ecology to health to self-help. She also has over 30 reviews on Amazon (almost all 5 star) — a big plus in selling books and being shown to more people (because of Amazon’s algorithm).

I originally asked her for just a few points of advice for another article on book launch tips, but Ellen had so much excellent, detailed advice that I invited her to write a guest post for my readers on asking a bestselling author to write a foreword for your book, how to ask bestelling authors and celebrities for blurbs and how to get 5-star Amazon reviews.

Take it Away Ellen

Successfully launching my third book, Our Earth, Our Species, Our Selves: How to Thrive While Creating a Sustainable World, depended on enlisting about 45 people to read advance review copies and write about my book in time for launching the book on Amazon.

This resulted in 1 foreword, 7 endorsements, and about 20 Amazon customer reviews around launch time (with more trickling later). Owing to these contributions, Amazon quickly declared my book to be the #1 Hot New Release in three categories (Nature Conservation, Green Business, and Environmentalism), which helped build momentum.

I offer the following tips for obtaining forewords, including details I wish I had known ahead of time. (Some of these tips are also pertinent to obtaining endorsements from well-known people.) I encourage you to read Mark Hyman, M.D.’s foreword to my book on Amazon (click on the Kindle button at the top of the page and then click on “Look Inside” above the cover image.

Don’t misspell the word “foreword.”
You want to enlist luminaries in your field whose names your potential readers will know. It took many months and meeting the people face-to-face multiple times to build relationships to the point that they were willing to do this.
- These people are extremely busy and they get inundated with requests for help. I paid to attend their workshops and I talked with them at breaks. Be brief (no chit chat) and well-rehearsed with your succinct pitch. You may have two minutes to win them over.
- Show how your book is relevant to their work. I spent hours preparing a one-page table relating my book to Dr. Hyman’s work, which I showed and gave him.
Get help from their assistants. Their help is like gold. Luminaries get a flood of email, and your email is likely to go unnoticed. You may end up communicating directly with the assistant rather than the luminary. Or the assistant may advise you regarding the optimal time to email the foreword writer with your information and what you should put in the subject line to increase the chances of your email being noticed.
Ask two people to write forewords. If you get two, great. In my case, one of my foreword writers could not deliver in the timeframe I needed due to travel and other commitments at the time. So I was darned glad I had asked for two forewords.
If you approach multiple people, you could leave it a little open as to whether their contribution will be a preface or a foreword, saying this will be determined depending its length and content and the other front matter that comes together. It’s okay (though not common) to have two forewords. It’s more common to have a foreword and a preface, or one or the other. A preface is typically shorter than a foreword.
Ask them in advance how much time they’ll need and carefully work this into your book production schedule. Build in a week or two of slack time in case of lateness. Judiciously use gentle reminders, possibly working with their assistant. (Luckily for me, Dr. Hyman was ahead of schedule.)
Provide a well-polished first draft that the foreword writer can modify as they wish. That will save them time by giving them something to work with.
- Make it one that you’d like to include in the book as is, because while they will likely add their own remarks, it’s always possible the foreword writer will say it needs little or no changes and to run with it.
- This approach has several advantages: the foreword is more likely to be the way you want it, it is more likely to be done on time, and the luminary may appreciate your efforts.
As for content:
- Make it engaging and conversational so people will read it.
- Make it short, maybe 600 to 800 words, again so people will read it. A preface could be maybe half that.
- Start with a “hook,” such as a brief anecdote, that draws readers in. Possibly refer back to this hook at the end of the foreword.
- Consider indicating how you know each other.
- Early on, summarize the icon’s qualifications to wow potential readers who don’t already know the person.
- Have it say how great and well qualified you are, without going over the top.
- Have it say how the book benefitted the foreword writer.
Make sure to put “Foreword by _____” on the front cover.
Send (via Priority Mail or better) the foreword writer a signed copy of the final print book and thank you card. Say you hope to return the favor sometime and invite him/her to get in touch if there is anything you can do for him/her.
For the launch, invite the foreword writer to share about the book on social media or to their email list. Don’t word it such that you are asking them to do you yet another big favor after they just did you a big favor. Indicate that since you share common interests and goals, it occurred to you that their community may be interested to know about your book.
- Provide draft tweets and brief shares they could use or modify, which include the image of your book cover and/or link to your book.
- You might include brief quotes from their foreword. They are more likely to share on social media or via a brief blurb in a newsletter rather than send a stand-alone email their list, because they need to be judicious in sending promotional emails to their list.
- You could include a draft stand-alone email if you think they might be inclined to send it to their list. One approach may be to let their assistant know a week in advance that you’ll be sending these drafts, and then send them the drafts a day or two before the launch date.
- Be sure to let them know the ideal date for sharing. Ask them to share on that date or as soon as possible thereafter.

Thank you, Ellen!

More Tips to Follow Up and Secure Your Celebrity Foreword

If the foreword writer says, “yes,” ask for the best way to follow up. Is it okay to contact her directly or is there contact info for her assistant?

You can read here about How to Write a Foreword.

And this post offers more about the benefits of a celebrity or bestselling author foreword, as well as how to decide whom to ask for your foreword.

Have questions about foreword, blurbs, endorsements, Amazon Reviews or book launches for Ellen or me? Ask away! And please share this post on social media. Thanks.