Member Spotlight: Elizabeth Dougherty

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Prescriptive nonfiction, my specialty, exists to transform readers’ lives for the better. The reader has a problem; the author has solutions. I coauthored a book to give experts the blueprint to write advice-based books that can change the world.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I’m a poster child for the culprits procrastination, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome. I put my mom’s mantra on repeat: “Some things you do, and some things you just get done.” Then follow Anne Lamott’s advice and write a shitty first draft.

What is your favorite time to write? It’s more about being focused and eliminating distractions than the time of day. I quit all apps except Word. I also explicitly and specifically decide what I’m not going to do, things like dishes and laundry, that are great excuses to procrastinate.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? Make writing a collaboration. Build a community where you share ideas, exchange feedback, and encourage each other. When I faltered, Marisa Solis, my coauthor, reaffirmed her faith in me, saying: “Writing is hard. You can do hard things.”

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? For most of my life, I had to hold a print book in my hands to access and benefit from what an author had to say. Because of today’s technology, we can easily be virtually connected across the globe to share what we write and learn from each other. Amazing!

Elizabeth Dougherty’s The Complete Expert to Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book, co-written by Marisa Solis, is out now with The Collective Book Studio.