Writing Workshop

Conversing with the Creative Muse

December 31, 2019 by Lisa Tener

Lisa Tener Creativity catalyst — Your Creativity Catalyst

If you’ve worked with me or followed my blog for some time, you’ve probably heard me talk about the muse—an archetype for our creative source.

You may have also experienced the guided visualization I sometimes take writers through to receive clarity about their writing and creativity, experience a creative breakthrough or determine their next step. I call the exercise, “Meet Your Muse.”

I often ask my writing coach to take me through my Meet Your Muse exercise so I can easily access my deeper answers about my work. A recent example came just days after leading Leadership Coach Amanda Madorno in this exercise and meeting her creative muse—the ancestor horses. And so, before we go any further, I want to acknowledge Amanda and the horses for inspiring my most recent “Meet Your Muse” journey.

[bctt tweet=”Journey to the Creative Muse #creativity #writingworkshop” username=”LisaTener”]

We begin the journey in a snow-covered meadow, a cold landscape, a warm sun.

horse as creative muse — Photo by Alexandra on Unsplash

This is the first time I can remember traveling to meet my muse in snow. In the distance, I see a man wearing a fur cap traveling on a horse. The man’s breath and the horse’s breath fog as they near me. With a pat of his hand behind him, the man invites me to hop on the back of the horse and ride with him.

We ride with great speed. The man and horse perform all the work. I am literally going along for the ride, which feels exhilarating. And easy.

And then I realize: I want to take the reins.

The man and I switch places. This feels like an important shift.

I sense the vitality and power of the horse, feel the sleek, dark coat of this muscular being.

And a conversation with Amanda comes back to me. “Horses teach us to be fully embodied. To fully integrate body, heart and soul.”

I sense that this is part of the teaching of the horse that shows up in today’s journey—how to embody my writing, my creative work; how to integrate mind, body, heart and spirit in the work.

It Is Time to Ask My Questions

Because I had been feeling self-doubt and judgment about the book I’ve been working on, I ask my creative Muse, “Is my book good? Does it have worth? Value?”

You’re in the wrong question.

The right question feels nonverbal. It is more an openness to receive. The right question is a space in the heart that has no words. A space for the answers to bubble up, arise and inform, help me embody the work.

This answer is beyond words.

The words (of the book) will come. But first is the space for the words. Walk the talk. Embody your book all the time. Be the Book.

The book is the horse, is the snow, is the warm sun.

The book is the ground upon which you gallop.

I ask my muse, “Tell me what the horse is.”

The horse is the soul of the book.

An Invitation to Be Your Book Or Blog or Poem or Article or…

And so, dear reader, I invite you to imagine yourself as the soul of your book (or poem or essay or blog post or other creative project).

What is it like to be the book (or poem or essay or whatever)?

What do you learn from being it?

San Francisco Writers Conference 2018: How to Tap Into The Magic!

January 22, 2018 by Lisa Tener

San Francisco Writers Conference 2018 Guest Post by Cathy Turney

“Ingenuity, plus courage, plus work, equals miracles.”
—Bob Richards, Olympic pole vaulter and decathlete

Magic happens when you try to do the thing you didn’t think you could do. At any age.

It certainly did for a technophobic baby boomer who began writing in her “mature” adult years and ended up publishing three books and speaking at the San Francisco Writers Conference—about Twitter (Twitter!). Yes, that would be me.

Get Thee to The San Francisco Writers Conference!

If you’ve ever thought about writing, you need to go to writers conferences. There is no better way to get the total publishing picture, from both sides (traditional and self-publishing), for all genres, for promotion on all relevant social media. Attending conference presentations and one-on-ones with industry gurus not only sets you on the path to your goal but forms connections: instructors will likely remember you and possibly mentor you after everyone goes home. The best of the best is the 2018 San Francisco Writers Conference from February 15 to 18, and there’s still a wee window of time to enroll.

Many writers are introverts, which is not a bad thing (as confirmed by the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking). But you get so much more out of conferences if you just talk to people. As author and motivational speaker Brian Tracy suggests, “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

How to Start a Conversation at a Writers Conference

So how do you overcome shyness at a conference and start a conversation?

The first step is to choose a target—another bashful person. How do you know someone’s bashful, or at least reticent? Because he or she is standing in line for registration, coffee, session sign-up, not talking. You will rescue that person, who will believe that you are one heckuva confident guy or gal because you had the nerve to break the ice. Just turn around, smile and say, “Hi. What’s your genre?” (Don’t use that line at the bar.)

If your target is wearing a name tag and does not have exposed cleavage, look at it and say, “Oh, you’re from Fresno.” S/he’ll respond with something that might then direct the conversation, at which point you can ask what brought that person to the conference.

And then let the person talk.

Congrats! You just began a conversation. Others will turn around and look on with awe and you can bring them into the chat, too.

Other questions you can ask: Are you going traditional or indie? Who’s been your favorite speaker so far? Have you read Cathy Turney’s book on Twitter? And if you fear you misspoke in some way (which you didn’t, because if nothing else other people will think how kind you were to reach out), remember: there’s nothing shorter than the public’s memory.

When you run into a speaker whose presentation you loved (wearing a name tag signals that speaker is approachable—unless s/he’s sprinting to the next session), say “Hi!” and venture a quick question. The presenters are friendly. They would not be at the conference if they didn’t want to meet potential clients such as yourself. If you have a business card, give it to them because when you approach them after the conference they’ll be more likely to remember that you bonded.

Why I live for the SFWC

I live for the San Francisco Writers Conference. I come away from it each year and thank heaven I learned that, be it the latest in self-publishing and marketing, better ways to build my platform, or different writing techniques, not to mention getting to meet the authors and publishing leaders I admire from afar. Here are a few presenters I’ll be bonding with at SFWC 2018:

Rusty Shelton—marketing genius behind Chicken Soup for the Soul (and many brands), who overcame my resistance to Twitter in five minutes and started this technophobe on the path to proselytizing about it—who’d ever have thought?
Linda Lee—WordPress genius who magically tweaked my writer website into one that even millennials love.
Frances Caballo—social media interpretress who, I swear, knows everything and every program associated with the subject. And what to do with it.
Here’s a photo of Lisa Tener with Jody Rein at the San Francisco Writers Conference in 2014 (where I met them both).

Jody Rein—literary agent supreme, who shares gold nuggets of advice from her years of putting authors on the New York Times best-sellers list.
Jim Azevedo—Smashwords marketing director whose can-do attitude has launched countless writers into self-publishing. And he’s a really nice guy!
Penny Sansevieri—prolific author and disseminator of “Red Hot” marketing, media and publicity tips for writers.
Barbara Santos—marketing maven and author whose aloha spirit is felt in every aspect of the conference, along with her husband, Rich, who keeps SFWC’s website, email and every other “technicality” working.
Laurie McLean—conference co-director and founder of Fuse Literary, which has published numerous best-sellers.
And, of course, Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada—founders of SFWC, literary agents, and icons of the publishing world who bring us, their disciples, up to speed on the make-or-break information we need to succeed as authors.

(to name a few.)

Twitter Tips for Conference Goers

Most conferences use hashtags to communicate with others at the conference, during the conference. It’s a great way to make new connections and develop online relationships, supporting each other in your respective work. You can quote a conference speaker in a tweet and the hashtag (#SFWC18) will help people at the conference find your tweet.

Hashtags aggregate conversations so that the tweeter can channel her post into streams where it will get the most interest. Or where people looking for a particular topic can go to view posts about it. An analogy would be a party, where clusters of attendees are discussing different topics and each chat cluster has a bubble with a hashtag and word in in it denoting their topic. For instance: a group chatting about food would be #food, one talking about kids would be #kids, and so forth.

San Francisco Writers Conference’s hashtag is #SFWC18. Once the conference begins it will become a raging river. Attendees will use it to arrange meet-ups, to share conference information with others who aren’t attending, to post photos and shout-outs to their favorite speakers, the possibilities are endless.

Quote your favorite speakers and tag your tweets with #SFWC18. In addition, see if you can locate the speaker on Twitter and tag them with the @ symbol. For instance, to quote Frances Caballo, include “via @CaballoFrances” in your tweet, as well.

For the San Francisco Writers Conference, remember to end your tweets with #SFWC18.

Before flying off, I’d like to say don’t let Twitter intimidate you. There is so much about it that you don’t even need to know about. Relax. Focus. You can quickly build platform and share your product or service with thousands instantly. And if you attend the San Francisco Writers Conference please attend my session, “Twitter—Why? Why? Why?” I’ll follow you everywhere!

Join me at the San Francisco Writers Conference—I promise there will be magic.

How to Write, Despite: What My Thai/Indian/Nepalese/Chinese/Canadian/British/Australian Students Taught Me About Writing in Thailand

October 5, 2016 by Lisa Tener

I made it to Thailand to teach book writing—despite my fears of traveling as a woman alone in a foreign city where I do not even speak the language. Several times, I wondered if I should really go:

It’s rainy season; I might catch some exotic illness from a mosquito bite!
I might get lost and wander down the wrong–dangerous–road.
It could be terribly lonely to spend so much time on my own.
How will I ever overcome the jet lag to teach?
Can I even survive 22 or more hours of flying?

Don’t get me wrong. I felt excited, grateful, awed that I had the opportunity to visit the exotic land I had first seen—and dreamed of—on the posters of a Thai restaurant near Manhattan’s Bowery district in my pre-teen years.

But fear could have stopped me.

I’m glad it didn’t. Here are just a few snippets of the gifts that came when I transcended my fears:

The opportunity to view—and be awed and inspired by—the grand, elaborate and exquisite Buddhist temples, along with the sublime Buddha sculptures, exotic architecture and beautiful paintings adorning the many buildings and courtyards of each temple.
The most delicious food I’ve eaten in my life: I especially loved the coconut soups with their curries, basil, lemongrass, mushrooms and slices of sweet, crunchy lotus root.
Well fed writers
My own writing breakthroughs, as I rose each morning at 4 or 5 a.m. to fulfill my writing commitments I made in the workshop!
Shopper heaven—exquisitely woven Thai silks, exotic gifts for my family and friends, lovely postcards and notecards—all at bargain prices with my strong US dollars. I know, it’s a bit materialistic, but, as someone who loves a beautiful bargain, Bangkok met my desire for quality and price. I can’t wait to see each person’s face when as they receive their special gifts.
And, most importantly, the opportunity to teach—and learn from—an incredibly diverse group of international business executives, executive coaches, personal development trainers and even a bestselling author from Vietnam—all brought together by the awesome team at NLP Top Coach, who had invited me!

People had flown in from Shanghai, Myanmar, Vietnam for this workshop, and their nationalities of origin brought an additional five or six cultural contexts to the class. I learned how we are way more similar than different from each other; how easy it is to find common ground, even when language seems a barrier; how easily a tribe, a community, can form and contribute to each other’s growth and creativity. The international aspect seemed to make that connection easier, not harder!

From Howard, a corporate crisis-buster/commercial consultant originally from London but now based in Bangkok, I learned that acronyms can offer an amusing and curiosity-inspiring set up that draws your reader in.
From Danuvasin, Associate Professor and Associate Dean at the prestigious NIDA Business School in Bangkok, I learned that a Thai foot massage—WHILE YOU WRITE!—can relax your mind and stimulate your thinking!
From Sateesh, what a difference one word can make: “Lovingly” transformed his vision statement from an 8.5 to a 9.7. One more small change and he had a 10 (on the inspiration scale) before he left on Sunday.
And from Sebastien, I was reminded of the importance of generosity—in our lives, our words and our writing.

We all supported each other in our writing commitments and many of us got up at 4 or 5 in the morning to write. HEAVEN!

Oh, there were so many lessons, big and small, and I promise I will soon have a new vehicle to truly share this Bangkok adventure with you. But in the meantime, as long as we are on the theme of transcending fear, here are a few thoughts about fear and writing:

As writers, we often face—or try to run from—our fears:

Fear of the blank page
Fear of revealing too much of yourself
Fear of not revealing enough
Fear of ridicule
Fear of success

When we face our fears—or “feel the fear and do it anyway”—we are rewarded for our efforts. No writing gets done if we allow fear to rule us.

[bctt tweet=”Here are 4 ways to skirt past fear:” username=”LisaTener”]

Do something you love first. Doing something you enjoy can put you in a heightened state where there is less space for fear to control you. In Bangkok, I did my Qigong meditation to put me in a calm and happy state. What do you love to do? What makes you happy?
Get support. Meet a friend at a café or library for writing time. The presence of another person can often help you get past your fear. In class, several people commented how helpful—and easy— it was to be writing with others. Who can be your “buddy”? Can you meet by email, phone or Skype, or is face-to-face more powerful for you?
Make a commitment. Your commitment to another person can lessen the fear. In my mind, I had been “too busy to write” for several weeks before traveling to Thailand. Of course, for a writer whose lifeblood is writing, “no time” is just Fear in one of its many disguises. By making a commitment to the class participants, I had to write. I couldn’t be in integrity and not write. Believe me, fear showed up in the morning, but I wrote anyway. And, gosh, am I grateful!
Get in a Habit. In Bangkok, my groove means going to bed by 9 or 10 and wake up around 5 to write. In Rhode Island, I may need a new plan. I do know that writing by habit makes it so much easier to write in the face of fear. So, feel free to call me on it when I get home and ask me what new habit I’ve come up with (there’s commitment, again!).

Here’s the thing:

Fear is small-minded and weak. It’s not even a worthy opponent for your fabulous Self. Once you’re writing, fear is powerless to stop you. The 700 pound gorilla is smaller than an ant. So, find your way to write “despite.” Please comment on what works for you.

………….

While writing this post, I received an email from Luke Salway, General Manager of NLP Top Coach, the company that invited me to teach book writing in Thailand. Apparently, we’re traveling to lunch tomorrow near the trendy EmQuartier.

On the back of his motorcycle.

If you’ve experienced the Bangkok traffic and noticed the huge dents in practically every taxicab around, if you’ve almost been run over by a car more than once, you’d know that it’s a bit fear-inducing to ponder this next adventure.

Now, Luke offered me an out. But he also promised to drive carefully.

How can I write about fear and do otherwise? Especially my last day on this exotic adventure.

“Do you have an extra helmet?”
“Yes.”
“You’re on.”

Yes, one more adventure to write about.

How Carol Lambert Got Unstuck, Finished Her Book Proposal and Signed a Book Deal

June 19, 2015 by Lisa Tener

Carol Got Unstuck

“Last summer I imagined being 80 years old and asked myself, ‘What regrets would I have?’ Not finishing and publishing my book. That would be a big regret.” Carol A. Lambert’s work on her book and book proposal had slowed down due to a couple of personal transitions.

“Life got in the way. My progress was slow, on and off.”

When she anticipated the potential regret of not finishing, Carol decided to make the book a priority again.

“I felt stuck, though, not as energized. Then I got an email to sign up for the free call Writing in the Zone.” That call inspired Carol to sign up for the series of the same name.

The 6 Elements That Got Carol Unstuck

women-with-controlling-partners — Carol’s book

Several elements of Writing in the Zone helped Carol overcome her writing challenges:

1. Passion: “Writing in the Zone helped me find my way back to my passion.”

2. Commitment: “I needed a committed way to make it happen. In the class, I made a commitment to the process, to Lisa and to my accountability partner. That worked. It helped me follow through.”

3. Structure: “The structure kept me on task. Weekly calls with my accountability partner also made it easy to stay on track.”

4. Community: “When my partner felt a lack of confidence and asked, ‘Who am I to write a book?’ I sent her the Marianne Williamson quote, ‘Who are you not to…?'” The mutual support, just 15 minutes a week, energized Carol.

5. Vision: “I loved the exercise of creating a vision statement. And hearing other people’s vision statements also helped me clarify mine.”

6. Momentum: “The focus on gratitude at the end of each writing session left me feeling inspired and grateful instead of disappointed. That was very powerful for me. Writing in the Zone got me unstuck and carried me through the rest of the process.”

In Carol’s case, after she got unstuck, “the rest of the process” meant completing a book proposal with brainstorming, guidance and feedback from me. We queried two acquisitions editors I knew and Carol received offers from both publishers. Both publishers were very excited about Carol’s book, Women with Controlling Partners and Carol and I are thrilled with the level of passion and resources that New Harbinger brought to publishing and promoting her book.

November 2017 Update:

Carol’s book is now published and you can buy it here.

While I am not currently teaching Writing in the Zone, I will be teaching Bring Your Book to Life® in February and it’s not too early to sign up and begin the private work with me to get started!

October is the Month for Writers Conferences and Book Festivals!

September 17, 2014 by Lisa Tener

I love writers conferences–both presenting and attending workshops. Perhaps my favorite aspect of writers conferences is the opportunity for new input into one’s writing:

An essayist may show you a new way of seeing something about your writing.
Or a poet may teach you a nifty trick to get your creative juices flowing.
Or you may learn some editing tools that make your writing better.

There’s also, of course, the sense of community–just being around other people who love writing, who love words. I often find myself especially inspired after the evening readings–staying up late to write some more.

Writers conferences also offer a time to step away from all the responsibilities of everyday life to completely focus on writing. That focus can also be powerful.

If you’re thinking about a writers conference, October is a perfect month:

Here is a sampling of writers conferences and book festivals coming up in October:

Oct. 17-19, 2014 – Digital Authors 2.0 and Self-Publishing Conference, sponsored by West Coast Writers Conferences. Los Angeles Valley College, Van Nuys, CA

Oct. 17-19, 2014 – Whistler Readers and Writers Festival, Whistler, BC

Oct. 19-24, 2014 – Salt Cay Writers Retreat, Salt Cay, Bahamas

Oct. 25, 2014 – Boston Book Festival – free and excellent! (150 Presenters, including Doris Kearns Goodwin and Herbie Hancock on memoir)

Oct. 21-26, 2014 – The Vancouver Writers Fest, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Oct. 24-26, 2014 – Chicago Writers Conference, University Center, Chicago, IL

Oct. 24-26, 2014 – The La Jolla Writers Conference, Paradise Point Resort and Spa, San Diego, CA

And here are a few in November:

Salt Cay Writers Retreat — Salt Cay, Bahamas

Nov. 6-9, 2014 – Sanibel Island Writers Conference, Sanibel Island, FL

Nov. 15, 2014 – Baltimore Writers’ Conference, Towson, MD

Nov. 16-23, 2013 – Miami Book Fair International, Miami, FL

Know of one not listed here? Add it as a comment! Thanks.

How to Write with Ease: Brief Video Chat

February 7, 2014 by Lisa Tener

As you may know, next week at the San Francisco Writers Conference, I’ll be sharing how to get into that space where you are writing your most inspired writing and the words flow with ease. I call it “Writing in the Zone.”

Here’s a sneak peek at the workshop where I discuss the first step, clearing your mind (and body, workspace…anything that needs clearing) so you can enter that sacred inner space to write.

Many thanks to Anne Hill for introducing me to Google Hangouts and for this fun interview.

Yes, there is still time to sign up for my “Writing in the Zone” pre-conference workshop for only $99, Anne Hill’s “Being an Author for the Long Haul,” Mike Larsen’s and Jody Rein’s “3 Steps to a Winning Proposal” or any of the other terrific pre-conference and post conference workshops on February 13 and 17.