Published by Zondervan on January 12, 2021
Genres: Non-Fiction, Writing
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Discover the power of (finally) getting unstuck, claiming your clarity, and becoming the person whose life you want to live--all through a simple self-care practice you can build into your daily routine.
For anyone who's trying to make sense of their life, who wants to get unstuck from the patterns that hold them back, hear this incredible news: everything you need for the freedom you want is entirely within reach. This practice and pathway is free, it's readily available every day of your life, it takes just minutes of your time, and anyone can do it.
Author, writing coach, and speaker Allison Fallon's life transformed when she discovered the power of a daily writing practice. As it turns out, using your words is one of the most powerful means you have for unlocking your life. The Power of Writing It Down is your guide to this transformative tool available to us all. In as little as five to twenty minutes a day, scientific research shows this daily practice can help you:
Identify your ruts and create new neurological grooves toward better habitsFind fresh motivation and take ownership of your lifeHeal from past pain and traumaRelieve anxiety and depressionContextualize life's setbacks and minor frustrationsLive a more confident, balanced, and healthy life…and so much more Drawing from years of coaching hundreds through the writing process--from first-timers to New York Times bestselling authors--Allison shares tried and tested practices for getting started, staying inspired, and using this simple habit to shift how you feel and show up to your life. Pen and paper is simply the method, but the reward is the real magic: new depths of self-discovery, creativity, and intentionality for living.
The real review of this book will come in six months and in the form of whether or not I have a finished manuscript, but until then, this review will have to do. The Power of Writing It Down is two hundred pages of emotional encouragement and practical technique as Allison Fallon takes readers down the path of becoming writers. (HINT: We are all writers.)
The first couple of chapters address the excuses of “I don’t have a story” and “I’m not a writer.” Fallon encourages readers to simply write for fun, catharsis, remembrance, or even their mental health. She talks about writing, not as a means to the end of getting published but as the thing in and of itself. She teaches readers to stop stressing about the end of writing and focus instead on the beginning of writing, just getting words on the page.
With the ideological introduction as the foundation, Fallon builds the walls with some practical advice. The Sacred Art of Making Space introduces reads to techniques, tricks, and just flat-out obvious realities that will help us carve out the time needed to write (without feeling guilty for doing so!). The Drama of the Blank Page encourages readers to see the blinking cursor on a blank screen as thrilling, instead of terrifying.
With each chapter that follows, Fallon layers commonsense advice that is unflaggingly encouraging with practical techniques guaranteed to push through any mental blocks. I don’t know that I learned anything new from Fallon’s book—I’ve spent ten years picking the brains of the best in the business—but the way in which she approaches her advice is relatable, personal, and uplifting.
The Power of Writing it Down isn’t about techniques or systems or devices, it’s about Story. It’s about your story and telling your story and using your God-given artistry to create. I also found I could learn a lot about how to write non-fiction just by looking at how Fallon structures the book. Personal examples and stories abound as Fallon invites the reader into her life as she teaches this material that she’s honed over the years. The Power of Writing it Down is a must-have for the wannabe writer or even those established writers who need a kick in the pants.
