5 Best Practices for Writing Partners

Every author has their own preferred environment and process for writing, which makes it especially challenging for teams who must consider the preferences and proclivities of both writing partners. While this makes it difficult to lay out a one-size-fits-all set of writing best practices, there are common pitfalls to watch out for.

Here are some tips and tricks to help writing partners get the words out and keep on top of the material.

1. Set up a regular routine

You will be astonished by how quickly a week, two weeks, or even a month can evaporate wit... keep reading


“Writing my book gave me a deeper understanding of my work”: Dr. Vanessa Lapointe’s author journey

The power of writing a book, for many experts, is in spreading their lessons to a wider audience in order to maximize their impact.

For Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, getting her message out there was a major motivation to write. Author of the bestselling Discipline Without Damage, Dr. Lapointe talks with LifeTree Media publisher Maggie Langrick about the rewarding journey she took with her new book, Parenting Right From the Start (published by LifeTree in October 2019). The act of w... keep reading


“Writing is a battle cry against self-doubt”: Claire Booth’s author journey

As any author knows, it’s no easy feat to write a book. The dreaded writer’s block often rears its head along the way. But pushing yourself through this challenging process has its rewards.

Entrepreneur, speaker, and author Claire Booth talks with LifeTree Media publisher Maggie Langrick about her struggles with overcoming achiever fever, which is the subject of her first book, The Achiever Fever Cure (published by LifeTree in January 2019). Claire opens up about the transformation... keep reading


Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Book

As a publisher of nonfiction expert-written books, I have seen first-hand the transformative difference that becoming a published author can make in an individual’s personal life and career. In fact, it’s the single most powerful way to position yourself as a thought leader—if you do it right.

There are more routes to publication available than ever before. While there is no one “best” way to publish a book, there is a way that is best for you. To help you navigate the complex world of modern publishing, here are five questions every aspiring nonfiction author... keep reading


6 of the Best Book Outlining Apps

It’s one thing to want to write a nonfiction book. It’s another to actually do it. A good starting point is to write a book outline, which can help you clarify your message and key points, and structure your arguments in a persuasive and digestible way. Nowadays there are plenty of accessible digital programs to make the outlining process quicker and more efficient.

Here are six top options to help you set your book up for success.

For brainstorming: MindMeister

If you’re a visual thinker, MindMeister... keep reading


Three Mistakes New Authors Make When Writing a Nonfiction Book

Every author starts out with great intentions and ambitious goals, but they don’t necessarily have good publishing instincts. In countless meetings and consultation sessions with aspiring authors of nonfiction books, I’ve found that there are three key mistakes that most new authors make.

1.   They write about what interests them, rather than what interests their audience. Over the course of your career, you’ve acquired a wealth of information, not all of which is useful to your target reader. Your book is not the right forum in which to explore the arcane ... keep reading


What I Learned About Confidence from Writing Growing Strong Girls: A Guest Post from Lindsay Sealey

This post was written by Lindsay Sealey, author of Growing Strong Girls.

Last year, I set an intention to become a stronger, more resilient person. I committed to taking one risk every day for a year—one act of bravery that would challenge me to grow. Out of these 365 actions, the bravest one was my decision to write a book.

I had wanted to write a book for a long time because I felt strong... keep reading


How to write a world-changing manifesto

When I sit down to work with a new author, I always ask them about their goals for their book, and invariably I get a version of the same answer: They want to make a difference in people’s lives. Very often, they want to change the way people think, elevate a conversation, and bring new understanding to a vexing problem.

That’s a great mission. We all want to have an impact on the world, and most of us would like that impact to be a positive one. But changing the world through a book begins with changing the mind of one reader, and then the next. Most of us are stubbornly attache... keep reading


Writing groups: what they are and how to join one

You might stumble across them in libraries and coffee shops across the country: a circle of writers surrounding a paper-covered table. Armed with their notebooks and a desire to master the use of language, these writers have committed to their writing groups, and you may want to as well.

At its core, writing groups (or writing circles) are places for you and other writers to come together, share ideas, and get feedback on your work. They might be a peer critique in your living room over a glass of wine, a workshop or class with an instructor, or even a Facebook discussion group with ... keep reading


An Editor Stumbles into a Writing Workshop

Nine a.m. on a Sunday morning and I rolled into the conference hall.

I’d had a long week and was looking forward to sitting in back row of some interesting talks that I had no responsibility to develop, edit, or promote, until the caffeine from my large cup of tea kicked in. It was this editor’s day off! Little did I know I was about to discover something unexpected inside myself and to glimpse that spark that draws me to my vocation in the first place.

I set out to attend Limmud, an all-day festival of Jewish learning in down... keep reading