Today we’d like to introduce you to Annalisa Summea

Hi Annalisa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

I was originally published at the age of 9 when I won a statewide poetry competition and read my poem on the state house lawn. I published multiple times from that point on and people came to me wanting to know more about how they could get published too.

I began my journey in the world of writing due to a strong desire to help people tell their stories effectively. Observing that many aspiring writers struggled with the nonlinear nature of the creative process, I aimed to address this issue. This inspired me to write my book, Storytelling for Pantsers: How to Write and Revise Your Novel without an Outline. My goal was to guide writers through the often murky and frustrating stages of writing and help them achieve success.

The book targets writers who start their novels multiple times but never seem to finish, those who write chapters out of order, and those who get lost in the weeds of writing and revision. My intention was to provide a clear path for these writers to follow, validating their unique creative processes and offering practical advice based on my experience and neuroscience studies.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

I wrote Storytelling for Pantsers: How to Write and Revise your Novel without an Outline in a month due to a tight deadline from the publisher. Although I completed it on time, I was left exhausted and unable to hold a conversation for a week after writing 267 pages. This intense and hurried process was a significant challenge.

The feedback from readers has been incredibly rewarding. Many have expressed that they finally felt understood and validated as writers. They found motivation and clarity in their writing style, often for the first time. This sense of belonging and understanding is what I hoped to achieve with my book.

Despite the challenges, such as writing the entire book in a month to meet a tight deadline, the effort was worth it. My book stands out because it combines serious writing craft advice with a humorous and whimsical approach, making the writing process enjoyable rather than drudgery. This approach has helped many writers get unstuck and find true forward momentum in their writing journey. I’ve even been honored by winning both a “Best Business Book” and “Humor” Award for the book so I must be doing something right.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?

I help writers to build successful author careers – from idea to multiple publications and even media rights, like film or television. I’ve created a soup to nuts program on how to become a successful author.

From my study of neuroscience, I also specialize in helping writers overcome the nonlinear nature of the creative process and transform their ideas into well-crafted books. We understand the challenges that many writers face, such as getting stuck in the writing process or having their creativity disrupted by the need for a more structured approach.

At Date With The Muse, we offer a system that combines years of experience working with writers and insights from neuroscience to help writers find success in sharing their important messages. Our approach is designed to help writers navigate through the murky phases of writing and revision, providing a straightforward path on how to finish, pitch, and traditionally publish their novel – and really build out an author career – whether their dream is selling loads of books or writing in a beach cabana.

Because the system I created is based on neuroscience, we are known for our unique approach that validates and supports the writing styles of outliners and non-outliners alike. We create a bespoke strategy for each individual author and work 1 on 1 with them the whole way. I was even featured on 4 episodes of PBS’s Creative Living to share neuroscientific techniques for tapping creativity.

What sets us apart is our blend of practical writing advice with a humorous and engaging style. In addition, Storytelling for Pantsers: How to Write and Revise your Novel without an Outline not only addresses the technical aspects of writing but also makes the process enjoyable. I emphasize that writing novels should be fun. One of our taglines is to take the craft of writing seriously without taking ourselves too seriously.

One of the things I’m most proud of is the feedback we receive from our readers, who often tell us that our book has finally provided them with a sense of belonging and validation for their writing style. Many have found Storytelling for Pantsers: How to Write and Revise your Novel without an Outline to be the first resource that truly understands and supports their creative process. They’ve even ranked it up there with Strunk and White’s Guide on essential must-haves for authors.

Our most important value is that we are dedicated to helping writers succeed by embracing their unique creative processes. Our program is designed to provide practical support and the right encouraging line of questioning to writers who struggle with traditional methods. Whether you’re a seasoned author or someone who has started the same novel multiple times, Date With The Muse offers the guidance and tools you need to bring your story to life.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?

We are headed into season 7 of our own podcast, The Writing Gym podcast, which is available everywhere podcasts are available. What I’m most proud of for the podcast is that there are so many writing podcasts out there that are just people’s opinions. I wanted writers to be able to get information straight from the horse’s mouth, as it were. I interview New York Times best-selling authors, acquisitions editors, top literary agents for the best, most up-to-date tips on how to write a novel – and publish well.
– iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-writing-gym-podcast/id1197011355
– WG Website – www.writing-gym.com/weeklywritingreps
– iHeart Radio – https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-writing-gym-podcast-an-86471081/
– Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/6VtMNmwM3H2zlb19Mpbx1M
– Alexa – https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93cml0aW5nZ3ltLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz
– YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Wg5cDqR2PCNfmRrQz1SGw/featured
– Tune In – https://tunein.com/podcasts/Education-Podcasts/The-Writing-Gym-Podcast-p1218801/
– Podplay – https://www.podplay.com/podcasts/the-writing-gym-podcast-annalisa-parent-writing-coach-213583
– Pandora (Stitcher) – https://www.pandora.com/podcast/the-writing-gym-podcast-annalisa-parent-writing-coach/PC:1000128817

Contact Info:

• Website: https://datewiththemuse.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annalisasummea?igsh=MTZ3amFqbG1sYnlxZQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063001761433
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnalisaParent
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Wg5cDqR2PCNfmRrQz1SGw/featured