PERMISSION TO ROAR

A how-to guide for women who dream of writing a nonfiction book.

Freedman (Shaking the Tree, Vol. 2, 2019, etc.), a writing coach and licensed therapist, wants to help readers “unlock the book that is inside” them. Specifically, she aims to empower “big, bold thinkers,” and although many of her tips will help writers of any gender, her target audience is women, who, she argues, are more likely than men to have “trouble owning and touting their expertise.” In this practical volume, she aims to take readers step by step from brainstorming and creating a writing routine to crafting an engaging title and working with different types of editors. Using her “Three-Key Method,” Freedman shows how would-be authors can identify their book’s “Promise,” or the “clear value” that it will deliver to readers; its “Premise,” or its core idea; and the “Approach,” or how one will present the information. Analyses of successful books, such as Susan Cain’s Quiet (2012) and Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss (2014), illustrate various authorial strategies. By breaking down the writing process into understandable steps, Freedman effectively demystifies it. Refreshingly, she also resists shopworn advice, such as that one must write every single day, in favor of more realistic guidance, such as that one can create a writing calendar with specific goals and rewards to keep on track. She doesn’t hesitate to tackle the emotional aspects of writing, as well, such as how to “kick-start your self-esteem boost” if you find yourself questioning whether you’re qualified to craft a book. She also urges readers to respect their intuition and inspiration, reminding them that “rules and organization alone do not create the magic” that “will make your book fly off the shelves.”

A clear road map that may help hopeful authors find their ways from ideas to finished books.