Lisa Cooper EllisonLisa Cooper Ellison

Lisa Cooper Ellison is an editor, speaker, and coach with an Ed.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a background in mindfulness. She has spent the last two decades helping clients and students turn difficult experiences into art and currently teaches courses in memoir, creative nonfiction, and mindful writing practices. Winner of the 2022 HippoCamp edition of the Lancaster Story Slam, Lisa’s essays and stories have been published in HuffPost, Hippocampus Literary Magazine, Kenyon Review Online, and the Keepthings, among others. Visit her website for a free copy of Write More, Fret Less: Five Brain Hacks that Will Supercharge Your Productivity, Creativity, and Confidence.
Ask the Editor: How Can I Avoid Lawsuits When Writing Memoir?
Miniature gold-plated scales of justice sit on an office desk in front of a man wearing a business suit.
Even lesser-known authors can experience legal issues if they don’t perform their due diligence while writing and revising their books ...
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/ Ask the Editor
Should I Hire an Editor to Help Cut My Manuscript?
Image: several pairs of barber's scissors hang on a wooden wall
Good editors are expensive, so the best time for a full manuscript review is when you’re pretty sure your book ...
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/ Ask the Editor
To Nail Your Book Proposal: Think in Synergies, Not Sections
To Nail Your Book Proposal: Think in Synergies, Not Sections
A successful nonfiction book proposal addresses market demand and cements the writer’s authority throughout the entire document ...
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/ Getting Published, Guest Post
How a Little Psychology Can Improve Your Memoir’s Setup
Image: a mirror covered in condensation, obscuring the reflected image.
The early part of your memoir should reveal the short list of narrator flaws and problems you’ll resolve by the ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
To Nail Your Memoir’s Beginning, Stop Looking in the Wrong Direction
Image: close-up photo of the End key on a computer keyboard.
Your book’s ending must reveal the story’s resolution. Once you know what you’re resolving, you can establish a clear path ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
How to Gracefully Leave Your Writing Group
"Bye" written in red lipstick on mirror with XX underneath
Wanting to leave your writing group doesn’t make you a jerk. Departing with grace is an act of kindness that ...
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/ Writing Advice
Why Your Amazing Writing Group Might Be Failing You
Why Your Amazing Writing Group Might Be Failing You
The real reason writing groups sometimes fail us has nothing to do with the lovely people in them. The failure ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
You Are Not Your Traumas. But Here’s How to Write About Them
Image: a stack of old photos and letters.
Writing sustainably about trauma requires practicing moderation, focusing on meaning, and working in ways that limit your exposure ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
3 Things to Ask Yourself Before Writing about Trauma
Image: a red heart-shaped piece of foam, torn in two down the middle and held together with a Band-Aid.
Writing about trauma isn’t like ripping off a Band-Aid. Here are some strategies for assessing whether you’re ready and proceeding ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Deciding Between Simple and Complex Memoir Structures
Image: a complex stairway with unexpected angles, seen from above.
Will you tell your story in a linear, chronological manner, or use a more complicated structure? Here’s how to decide ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Structure Isn’t the Holy Grail You’re Looking For
Image: dense layers of scaffolding inside the Hagia Sophia, obscuring a light-filled arched window.
Your memoir’s structure can reveal itself later, once the primary elements are in place. In the meantime, concentrate on scaffolding ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
To Write a Better Memoir, Learn This F-Word
Image: Regal illustration of the letter F, rendered in gold on a red background
True forgiveness can take years to achieve. That’s why memoirs take longer to write than novels. But it’s worth the ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
4 Voices That Can Help (or Hinder) Your Memoir
Image: art installation of a dark room containing four audio speakers suspended in mid-air and lit by spotlights, with people walking through the space.
In writing memoir, internal voices—with competing interests—can emerge to inform the narrative. A rounded story is careful to balance them ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Beware of Chapter-by-Chapter Book Critiques
Image: wooden sign on urban sidewalk, painted with two arrows; the arrow pointing right is labeled 'Awesome' and the arrow pointing left is labeled 'Less Awesome'
Misguided feedback, which can damage your manuscript, often arises from a common mistake: asking the right question of the wrong ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
3 Traps That Subvert Our Ability to Accept Feedback
Image: hands of a large Buddha statue
Finding the right editor or critique partner is important, but so is being mentally prepared for the feedback you’ll receive ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Fix Your Scene Shapes to Quickly Improve Your Manuscript
Image: a young boy preparing to sculpt shapes from clay
Like story arcs, individual scenes also have shapes. Understanding yours can help you improve the ones that are falling flat ...
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/ Guest Post, Writing Advice
Writing from the Bottom Rung: How to Sustain Your Creativity During a Pandemic
Image: cat staring from behind a window
In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the top rung is where creativity happens—after our sustenance and security are met. Many of ...
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/ Creativity + Inspiration, Guest Post
Schmoozing for Introverts: How to Network Like a Pro
schmoozing for introverts
Learn a few simple tricks to schmooze like a pro at your next writing conference—or at least operate like a ...
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/ Business for Writers, Guest Post