The Busy Woman's Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book

A book is a passion shared. It says, “Here’s my stake in the world. Here’s what I believe. Here’s what I want to give to the world.”

Writing a book is a bold undertaking, and during the process, no one escapes fear and self-doubt about their work. No matter how smart and accomplished you are, you’ll be asking yourself, “Can I do this? Will it be good enough?” Believe it or not, your book can make a difference—even change the world—but only if you write it.

The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book will help you navigate the emotional labor of committing your ideas to paper.Other books may try to tell you how to “do” your book: you must complete A, B and C in a specific way, on a certain schedule. But rigid approaches don’t work for busy women immersed in running businesses, building art careers, caring for families and loved ones…or all of the above. Structure and flexibility are required.

This book is different. It will show you how to set up a writing practice so you can write your book on your schedule, no matter how busy you are. Cynthia shows you the ins and outs of writing a non-fiction book including how to:

• Gather your focus so you can drop into your writing easily
• Pull your ideas into an outline that will help you write
• Stay on track, even when the process becomes overwhelming
• Get back in the groove when life interrupts your flow
• Overcome the obstacles waiting just before the finish line
• Enjoy the process, in your way, in your time.

If you know you want to write but aren’t doing it, you are denying your essential self, a vital role that you are here to play. Our creativity is the source of our vitality. When we are creating, we tap into our truest aliveness. We generate new energy. This energy feels much better than the dread or pain of avoiding our writing. Everyone deserves to enjoy the aliveness that we generate when we are doing our creative work.

Cynthia Morris has been coaching writers, artists and entrepreneurs since 1999. She has helped thousands of people get beyond their fears and excuses to write their stories and their truth. Now, she’s put her best practices into short, solid chapters designed to help busy women focus, follow through, and finish writing their books.

Practical, encouraging and rich in decades of experience working with writers, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book is like having your own writer’s coach on call. You’ll love this collection of inspiration and actionable steps for finally getting your ideas out of your head and into your book. More than ever, women’s voices need to be heard. Writing your book will change the world, starting with yours.

STARRED REVIEW by Blue Star ReviewThe Busy Woman's Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book Cynthia Morris Original Impulse, 203 pages, (paperback) $19.95, 9780975922477 (Reviewed: May 2019)

Cynthia Morris' The Busy Woman's Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book is penned for women, with a particular bent to those who teach or consult. It serves both first-time authors who believe they have something unique to say and book-writing veterans who feel stuck in their craft. "The pain of hoarding ideas and never executing them is soul crushing," she writes in the introduction. "It's better to give things a try and see what happens than to always wonder if you could have written that book."

The author's writing style is straightforward and clean, as is the format: short, well-organized chapters, a flow that makes sense, and a tone that's both authoritative and reassuring, as in: "There will be times when you sag with despair and cry out, 'This is a mess!' Rest assured. This is normal."

Topics addressed range from issues most people face at some point, including the decision of whether to self-publish and ignoring naysayers, to the process of writing, revising and finishing. Morris offers advice on how to avoid the urge to excessively research during the writing phase, how to write a "shaggy" first draft and much more.

Highlighted boxes interject side tips, such as how to get back on track when life happens, and brief exercises close most chapters. At book's end, helpful checklists recap the main points. All told, Morris does an excellent job of breaking down a seemingly insurmountable project into bite-size, step-by-step pieces.

Despite its attention to detail, The Busy Woman's Guide isn't just about honing technique or choosing the right software. It's also about making a difference. To women, the author says, "Our voices and ideas are needed to help build a new way of being."

Will a book coached by Morris change the world? Probably not. But it could be a game-changer for the woman who conquers her doubts, follows the author's solid advice, and writes something that matters to her.
- Blue Star Review

STARRED REVIEW by Publisher's Weekly

The Busy Woman's Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book (Reviewed September 2019)
Cynthia L. Morris. Original Impulse, $19.95 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-9759224-7-7

Novelist and creative writing coach Morris (Create Your Writer's Life) provides a feast of bite-size information, exercises, and encouragement in this guide for aspiring authors.

Each of its five parts consists of short, well-organized sections filled with exercises and strategies for dealing with obstacles to writing, such as facing up to the pesky voice of one's inner critic. Part one considers the importance of developing the right mindset. Part two's abundance of succinct tips reveals ways to start writing by creating personal prompts, using free-writing, and scheduling writing times.

Morris's tone in part three is direct, but gentle, in her practical suggestions for creating a work zone, committing to a writing practice, and staying on course to finish one's project. Part four's information about software and strategies for deciding on book format and organization are crisp, clear, and relevant. The final part dives into writing the first draft and contains tips on revision and marketing the finished product.

Despite the title, the information Morris passes on about the writing process and publishing world, not to mention her useful checklists, are widely applicable, not just for the "busy woman." Her insightful book should spark reflection and promote creativity in practically any writer.

- Publisher's Weekly