self-help genre

THREE TIPS FOR WRITING SELF-HELP – get published and make a difference

April 25, 2009 by Patricia Brooks

PATRICIA L. BROOKS, MAOM

Speaker, author, publishing consultant, business owner

and ASU faculty-associate

www.plbrooks.com

[email protected]

480-250-5556 cell

www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com https://brooksgoldmannpublishing.com

Three (3) Tips for Writing Self-Help

“Most people become writers because they are haunted by secrets they need to tell.”

David Morrell, Lessons of a Lifetime of Writing

Ø Why do you want to be a writer?

Why do you want to write self-help?

Ø Writing Inspiration for Self-Help

o Can you be an instrument for change?

o What is our purpose?

o Is your goal to have others follow you?

o Do you have objectives and strategies?

o Will your stories grab your audience?

o Do you understand good writing is not enough?

o What is your passion?

o What moves you?

o What is the cause and effect for you?

o For whom do you need to be a voice?

o What makes you who you are?

o Do you understand it is not about you?

Ø How serious are you about being prepared?

Ø The Importance of Research for Self-Help

o Practice strict research rules – Primary and Secondary

o Stay focused on the goal at hand

o Have a vision for success to stay motivated

o Do your homework and study history

o Realize there is no easy way and no basic formula

o Take copious notes in interviews and lectures

o Carry a notebook and camera everywhere

o Listen to people and ask questions

o Read ferociously on your topic for complete understanding

o Learn everything you can about your topic

o Understand yourself completely

o Have a follow-up plan, but don’t be obsessed

“Research is the reward not the penance to be able to write.”

David Morrell

Ø What gnaws at your soul?

Ø What incident in your life has motivated you to write this book?

Ø The Voice and Structure of Self-Help

o Rely on ideas coming spontaneously from within

o Pay attention to your subconscious

o Don’t doubt yourself, write daily

o Involve all of your senses in your writing

o Be mindfully aware of who you are

o Be clear on your goals, objectives and strategies

o Harness a distinct subject matter

o Secure a specific approach and be original

o Remember the five W’s of reporting

o Give yourself a timeline

o Emulate others you admire

Ø Ask yourself why would anyone care if you wrote this book?

Ø Ask yourself if it will hold interest?

Book/Peer Review – Live Life to the Max for Robin Reynolds

March 25, 2009 by Patricia Brooks

Book/Peer Review – Life to the Max

for Robin Reynolds, author

by Patricia L. Brooks, author

Robin Reynolds is hardly the first woman to write the self-help, feel good book for adults or children on life’s lessons, but this creative soul chose an unusual route to what appears to be publishing success. She has taken the “traditional” self-help, life lessons concept and written it from the voice of her late pet Max who has personality to “the max” and keeps you turning pages.

By passing clichés she writes clear and concise messages with one-liners on lessons for all ages along with the story and experience of this lovable dog that could have only been in Robin’s household. She has taken the children’s book genre to a new level by including the “big kids” like you and me. With the reminders we love to remember and the lessons we hold dear, Life to the Max is a journey back in time and you should not miss it.

Originally awarded the “gift award” by the AZ Book Publishers Association this past year, this book has transcended that arena and catapulted itself into self-help. By gently taking us on a path only a well-bred, sophisticated pooch like Max could take us, we travel all the way to his most critical lessons in life.

Many books about dogs are sappy, and I like dogs, many books for children are not educational, and I am a demanding teacher. Many books in the self-help genre are insulting and I read about one a month, but this book Robin has written takes all of that to task and shines through a different view – that of a lovable family pet.

Robin has found her niche in children’s books by utilizing the voice of an animal to tell “big kids” and children about life. Her work should be lauded for its fine writing, graceful lessons, good humor, beautiful illustrations, and fun photos and of course the philosophy behind it all.

I commend Robin and Max for doing an outstanding job, along with the other characters she developed to make this a family we would want to know and have as neighbors. I recommend this book to any of you as a gift giving idea for any “big kid” or smaller child on your list – self-help genre is a natural for gift giving.

We are in challenging times and many are seeking quiet and spiritual moments. I was moved to tears while reading this beautiful book and all the issues it addresses and all the lessons it reminded me were possible to revisit and love again.

Thank you Robin www.nicecreative.blogspot.com for rolling the dice and taking a shot at a new type of writing for you, we are all the better for it. We appreciate your courage in telling this very personal and heartfelt story that needed to be out there to be useful to many readers young and “forever young.”

Patricia L. Brooks, author/publishing consultant [email protected] 480-250-5556

THREE TIPS FOR WRITING SELF-HELP – April 21, 2009 event – Chandler Library, AZ

January 15, 2009 by Patricia Brooks

ARIZONA AUTHORS ASSOCIATION

and Chandler Library to feature Scottsdale Author/Publishing Consultant

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, January 13, 2009 – Published author, publishing consultant “book shepherd” and Scottsdale business woman, Patricia L. Brooks, www.plbrooks.com will be the featured speaker on Monday evening, April 20th at 6:00 p.m. at the Chandler Library, 4930 W. Ray Rd., Chandler, AZ.

The Arizona Authors Association, in partnership with the Chandler Library continues their speaker series with Patricia’s talk Three (3) Tips for Writing Self-Help. Patricia shares her inspirational portrait of the relationship you want to develop with your writing as you take the many steps needed to produce fine work.

Ø Writing Inspiration for Self-Help. Patricia takes you on your first step to writing with passion because you must write self-help. The journey is fresh and uplifting in its account of how she prepared to go from being a ferocious reader to a writer to an author in the self-help genre. Her perspective is generous and worth noting as she shares with you how to get focused on your goal.

Ø The Importance of Research for Self-Help. This author shows wit, courage and faith during times of challenge by giving you research rules for self-help. Along with insight into a philosophy of writing life worth emulating, she motivates you regardless of your challenges to launch your vision for success and deal with writer’s block.

Ø The Voice and the Structure of Self-Help. Patricia asks you to think about what your vision is for the book, and what your psychology and philosophy are behind the book. She wants you to be honest about how committed you are to do this work and how prepared and willing you are to be critical at all check points. She expects you to ask yourself who you are, what makes you that way and why you feel compelled to write what you want to write.

Patricia L. Brooks is president/founder of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers, a member of the AZ Authors Association, AZ Book Publishers Association and Phoenix Writers Club.

She is owner of P. L. Seminars, LLC (www.plbrooks.com), Brooks Goldmann Publishing Co., LLC, (www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com) and is associate faculty at Arizona State University – teaching Marketing, She has resided in Arizona for over 30 years and been active in the business community for all of that time.

Patricia holds a Masters Degree in Organizational Management, the Advanced Toastmasters designation and has been named to “Who’s Who of America’s Teachers.

She can be reached at [email protected] or 480-250-5556. Patricia will be signing books at this event for her first book, a memoir, entitled Gifts of Sisterhood. Free chapters available on www.plbrooks.com

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