Lisa Tener
MS
Free
Book Writing Coach Expert
Lisa Tener Quick Facts
- Main Areas
- Book Writing, publishing, author platform, book proposals
- Career Focus
- Book Writing Coach, Author, Speaker, Book Writing Courses
- Affiliation
- Write Your Book
National book writing coach and published author Lisa Tener helps authors write books and get published. Lisa has appeared on ABC World News with Peter Jennings, and PBS-TV. Her book-writing clients have been featured on Oprah, Montel Williams, and CNN. Lisa speaks, coaches and teaches how to write a book throughout the US, and serves on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School continuing education course on bookwriting and publishing. Get free book writing & publishing updates here.
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Lisa Tener Books
Articles by this expert
SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert.
Article
Selling Your First Book – What you Should Know
Selling Your First Book – What you Should Know First books, like first husbands, can turn out to be a surprise. “If I’d only known he squeezes the toothpaste from the top…” “I should have asked his mother if she’d tried to cure him of dragging dirty boots throughout the house. At least I could have saved myself the trouble of ordering eggshell white rnrunners in the hallways.” Do your research and you can save money on a shrink later on.
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Do You Really Need an Agent When You Are Ready to Publish your Book?
Mary has a friend who works for a publishing house. This friend was excited by Mary’s book idea and said she could submit it to a publisher without an agent. What should she do? It seemed like a dream come true - to have an ‘in’ without an agent. But could it damage her career in the long run? It's essential to know the publisher who is interested in your book. Is this their subject of expertise? Are they trying to break into a new field? Are they really the best match for you and your book?
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To Sell Books - Use Strategy, Not Tactics
Whether you’ve completed your book or you’re still writing, it’s important to develop a book promotion strategy. All book proposals should include this crucial element—and it’s often one of the most important sections of the proposal to many agents and publishers. If you attempt to take the advice of most internet gurus you’ll drive yourself crazy.
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Writing with Intention
As a writer, do you think of yourself as spontaneous, tapping into the ever-present flow at a moment’s notice? It’s a pretty image, but how often do you find yourself blocked or stuck when you try to create something from nothing? Let me share with you a shovel that can dig you out of this hole—the shovel of intention. Writing with intention does not have to mean knowing exactly what you want.
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How to Write a Book: First Steps
Have you always wanted to write a book? Or are you just starting to think about the things writing a book can do for your life and career? Writing a book can help you: • Attract new and ideal clients to your business. • Quit your day job and start a whole new career - like my client Pat Hastings did when she retired from being a substance abuse counselor and, with the help of her book, became an international speaker and spiritual coach. • Earn more money and passive income. • Get high profile speaking opportunities. • Get paid to travel.
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Publish Your Non-Fiction Book – 7 Hints
1. Spend $15.99, or less if you’re a smart shopper, and get yourself a copy of "How to Write a Book Proposal" by Michael Larson. I know I say this elsewhere on my site, but it bears repeating—this book is pure gold. The first time I attended a writers’ conference, the speaker incidentally introduced the one active agent who was attending the conference. As we walked out of the room, I followed a group of women to a table in the nearby café where I suddenly found myself sitting at the table with this one agent.
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Why Hire an Agent for your Book?
As an author who published her first book without an agent, I can tell you that you can reach a publisher without an agent. I can also tell you that there are very good reasons to find yourself a reputable agent. Perhaps you’ve heard some of them before—they are worth serious consideration: • A Sweeter Deal: It’s not always true, but generally, an agent will get you a better package (more money!). For one thing, an agent knows what language to look for in the contract.
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Article
How Much Time Does it Take to Write a Book?
An aspiring author recently called me to explore writing coaching to help him write his book. He wondered about hiring a ghostwriter. Generally, I’m all about writing your book yourself. I’ve met too many people who’ve hired ghostwriters and been disappointed. And most relatively smart people can develop an engaging (or even compelling) style and find their authentic voice as a writer by learning a few important skills with the help of a writing coach or editor.
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Websites & resources
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Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Lisa Tener
"Writing a book will transform your life. It forces you to expand in ways you never imagined--to live your life bigger than before." - Lisa Tener
Contacting Lisa Tener
Bookcoach @ LisaTener dot com
How to get started
Have you always wanted to write a book? Or are you just starting to think about the things writing a book can do for your life and career? Writing a book can help you:
• Attract new and ideal clients to your business.
• Quit your day job and start a whole new career - like my client Pat Hastings did when she retired from being a substance abuse counselor and, with the help of her book became an international speaker and spiritual coach
• Earn more money and passive income.
• Get high profile speaking opportunities.
• Get paid to travel.
• Get on national TV and spread your message to millions.
• Open the door to opportunities you never even dreamed of.
If you‘re like many people, though, you may find the idea of writing a book overwhelming. Where do you start? Here are seven steps that will get you going.
1. Clarify the WHY? Why do you want to write this book. What will it do for you, your readers, your business and the world? Your "why" will help you in many of the book-writing decisions you need to make.
2. Make the time. We‘re all busy. The biggest difference between those who succeed and become published and those whose books languish is that the former cut things out of their lives to make the time for their book. What will you cut out or limit (phone calls, shopping, e-mails, video games, TV)? Now commit the times in your schedule by writing them in your calendar or putting them in your blackberry.
3. Get clear on your audience. A successful book is written with a particular reader in mind. Especially if you don‘t already have a big platform, you‘ll want to target a core audience, knowing it will reach others too. This is sometimes the hardest thing for writers who often see that their book can help everyone, but it’s a pillar of marketing success. Think about what your readers most want and focus on providing your material in a way that helps them see they can achieve their goals and desires.
4. Organize your book. Many of us creative types loathe structure. Yet, many people have come to me with bits and pieces hoping I can help them make it into a book. They often have to throw most of it out because it just doesn‘t fit. Create the structure first. This is something a book coach, developmental editor or book writing class can help you with if it feels overwhelming to you.
5. Get support. It‘s easy to think you can do it alone,but getting support will keep you on track when you falter. You may find a writing buddy who’s also writing a book, a close friend, an editor or coach or a class. The people who tend to succeed also often get expert help to write and complete their books more quickly and to write a better book.
6. Make a plan. Yes, another anathema to us creative types, but it works. Have you ever been to a meeting that had no agenda? Was it mostly a waste of time? When you know where you‘re going it’s much easier to get there.
7. Intention is key. Intend to have fun. Intend for it to be easy. Intend for your book to be magnificent. And enjoy the process.
Other highlights
Lisa Tener's 8 week Bring Your Book to Life Program has helped authors like Kathy LeMay complete a first draft of their book in as little as 8 weeks. This course comes with 8 teleseminars, private consultation with Lisa and feedback.
Lisa also teaches a version of Bring Your Book to Life in Narragansett RI in person. People have travelled weekly from as far away as Maine to take this class, and one person relocated for the 8 weeks from Florida to take Lisa's class live in person!
“I wrote my first draft of The Generosity Plan in just 60 days in Lisa Tener's book-writing class. From beginning to end, Lisa’s book writing course provides the information you desperately need."
- Kathy LeMay, author of The Generosity Plan