Isaacs, Ink.

What I Do

2010-05-18T12:06:00.001-07:00

Lately, a lot of people have been asking me about what I do. So here's a little explanation:

As a writer, I help people articulate their message clearly and succinctly. This happens across many different genres: I write marketing materials like newsletters, welcome packages, case studies, bios, and brochures. I ghostwrite books and articles. I pen content for websites and blogs. I write grants for non-profits.

As an editor, I work closely with clients to make their written materials flow more smoothly and become accessible to a wider audience. I edit written materials like executive summaries, manuals, books, dissertations, articles, and websites.

As a writing coach, I help people identify their blocks and clear the way for clarity and creativity.

It's easy to work on so many types of projects because they all involve the same skill sets: Gathering large amounts of information and condensing it into something interesting. Interviewing people to discover their voice, and then writing accordingly. Really listening to understand what people want to say. And telling a story in a compelling way.

Many people feel blocked and anxious about writing. They procrastinate, make excuses, and then rush to finish it, often sloppily. The bottom line is that most people would rather be doing something else. And that's where I come in.

Tagline Contest

2010-04-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

The time has come for a tagline for Isaacs, Ink!

As many of you know, I have worked as a professional namer for Idiom (the San Francisco-based naming and branding consultants responsible for Genuity, Dreamery, and Fogdog). But as a true collaborator, I always like to gather information before settling on something.

Here are a few submissions so far:

Where Your Words Come Alive
Don't Be Content With Mediocre Content
Let Us Put Your Pen to Paper

Vote on one of these, or create your own. The winner will receive a prize valued at $50!

Writerly Advice

2010-03-23T14:16:00.001-07:00

Many people come to me for advice about writing. I always try to help. Some people get stuck on the first sentence. Other people find that they have too much to say and have trouble organizing their thoughts. And still others tell me that it takes them hours to write a simple one-page letter. In my work, I find that it doesn't really matter what topic I'm writing about. As long as I'm focused and have a true understanding of what I'm trying to articulate, I can find a way to say it. And so can you.

Here is the advice I most frequently give for people struggling to write:

1. Talk It Out. Many people feel overwhelmed at the prospect of putting a pen to paper, or keys on a keyboard. When I'm in a one-on-one situation helping someone write, they sometimes have a jumble of random words on the page. They often say "What I'm really trying to say is. . . ." and then they launch into a beautifully constructed and eloquent sentence. So when you are stuck, simply take a breath and say what you mean. Then write it down. You might just find your sentence speaks to you with very little effort.

2. First Is Sometimes Last. Logic dictates that we start at the beginning, move to the middle, and finish at the end. Writing isn't always like that. Sometimes the beginning of a piece of writing doesn't come into full view until you write the middle, or the end. So don't get stuck if you can't start at the beginning. Start at the middle or the end. You might just get clarity when you least expect it and find the perfect way to start.

3. Walking and Daydreaming are Part of the Writing Process.
Writing is a process that isn't necessarily linear. You don't always sit down and write until you are done. Ideas need time to percolate and seep in. Your subconscious is always working — even during off-hours. So give yourself permission to take a break or stretch or take a walk. Don't feel guilty — you are still working by giving your mind space to stretch and explore its nooks and crannies. Let your mind wander until it comes to a natural new conclusion on its own. It might happen in the shower, or in a dream, or on the treadmill. You just don't know until it happens.

4. Give Yourself A Deadline.
Writing isn't like math. There is no one correct answer and no one (besides maybe your editor if you are in that line of work) telling you to stop. If you are like me, you could keep on tinkering until until you have to go to bed, and then get up and tinker some more. The thing with writing, is that there are so many ways to go. Once you have chosen a direction, commit to it. Then tell yourself that you will be done at a certain time. Stop, with the knowledge that your first instincts are often the best ones.

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

2010-02-18T21:10:00.000-08:00

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Moving Through Change

2010-02-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

Being a freelancer, I'm accustomed to change. Clients come and go. My schedule varies from week to week. One day I'm in an office full of employees at a meeting, the next three weeks I'm flying solo in my office. One day I'm interviewing a doctor at the Mayo Clinic about natural supplements to lower cholesterol, the next day is spent on business like invoices and contracts

The freelance life isn't for everybody. But I am grateful for the flexibility, the spontaneity, and the unknowing-ness of it all. It makes me feel alive, and gives the illusion of freedom. I could be a day away from the biggest job of my life, or a black hole where the phone doesn't ring.

In the midst of this constantly changing schedule, I am thinking about the things that don't change, the things that add a rhythm and consistency to my days and weeks:

1. My morning cup of coffee.
2. The Sunday newspaper— Styles section first, then Week in Review, then Front Page, and Arts.
3. Dinner with my family.
4. A morning stretch and intention.

I'm holding on to these simple things amidst bigger changes; a new house, a new city, a new baby, a new routine, a new job opportunity. It's these things that keep me grounded, and steady.

Enjoy what changes, and what stays the same. For now.

My Job Is So Cool!

2009-12-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

Part of the reason I love freelancing is because I come across such a diverse, interesting, and inspirational group of people doing visionary things. Here are a few people I've been meeting with over the past few weeks:

Institute for Health & Healing
www.myhealthandhealing.com
Part of CPMC, the Institute for Health & Healing is an integrative medical dedicated to treating the whole person, not just symptoms. If you go, you can have a team of people, from an acupuncturist to a massage therapist. They also have an employee wellness program, so staff can get chair massage, discounts on integrative medical services, and workshops on stress reduction.

One Medical:
www.onemedical.md/sf
Very cool idea: Paying an annual fee for a medical practice that delivers no wait times, same-day appointments, online scheduling and medical records. Say goodbye to the dreaded phone-tree, tedious paperwork and rushed appointments. This is the doctor's office of the future.

Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health
kripalu.org I have amazing memories of a week spent here a few weeks ago; think fall leaves, a beautiful lake, and the best massage you've ever gotten. This amazing retreat center in the Berkshires, has all sorts of workshops and programs, bodywork, and seminars.

The Dance of Life

2009-12-16T14:04:00.000-08:00

I interviewed the yoga teacher Shiva Rea yesterday for an article I'm writing. She was talking about balancing the life of a householder, a spiritual practitioner who has a family. She said:

"Most parents would love to do everything with more energy than we have in that moment. The house never seems to get perfectly clean. Some things come together while some things are falling apart. It’s a dance."

For me, it's trying to accept those moments where things are falling apart — and be OK with it.

We are moving from an apartment to a house, and everything seems to be falling apart — my routine, my comfort zones, and the apartment is a wreck. I want to remember to be graceful in this dance, laugh while things fall apart, and embrace what comes next.

Have a joyful holiday!

Nora

2009-11-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

It's been two years since I last blogged. Since then, I've had a book tour, worked steadily, and had a (second) baby. But I'm still trying to take advice from my book, Women in Overdrive, about keeping snippets of unscheduled time to relax. Doesn't leave much time for blogging.

I just finished a project writing and editing
the website for Essential
Parenting, founded by Chris White. He's been studying
medicine, psychology, and eastern religions for 15 years, and has
synthesized his parenting philosophy into what he calls Essential
Parenting. The basic idea is that in order to be the best parent you
can, you need to work on your own issues before you pass them along to
your child.

The project was fun because Chris has a wild, brilliant and sometimes
meandering mind, and it was my job to craft his ideas into a coherent
message. I'll sign off with a quote from his site, by Martha Graham.

There
is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through
you into action, and there is only one of you in all time. This
expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through
any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have
it.

What Keeps us from Slowing Down?

2007-12-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

It's the holidays again, and I often think about slowing down at this time. It's this odd juxtaposition of everything speeding up around me-- shopping, parties, and traffic—while at the same time other things are slowing down: Less work comes my way between Christmas and New Year, and my husband and friends take off from work, giving the time a special feelig. This year, I experimented with making the holidays less stressful, and it worked! Here's what I did:

1. Ordered all of my presents online
2. When I went to visit family, I made sure that I got some exercise andnapped every day, even if it meant opting out of some activities.
3. Didn't check my email for a week.
4. Only went to holiday parties that I really wanted to go to.
5. Took an afternoon off to write meaningful cards to certain people in my life.

That's it. Pretty simple, but I feel relaxed and happy!

Nora on View From the Bay: January 10th on ABC7

2007-12-28T13:49:00.000-08:00

Tune in for a segment on Women in Overdrive on January 10th; I'll be talking about slowing down and giving a few reasonable tips.

Go Slow essay/Diablo magazine

2007-12-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

Keep an eye out for my essay called Go Slow in this month's Diablo magazine. It was fun to write, since it's written in the first-person and I tell the story of how I realized I had to slow down. I'll leave a little for the suspense factor, and then post it on my website. Happy New Year!

Media Bistro Seminar: Writing about Health and Wellness for Magazines/ April 26, 7-10

2007-03-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is a great 3-hour class for people interested in either breaking into magazines or those who want to take their writing up a notch. It takes place in downtown SF, and it's also a great way to make contacts with other people with the same interests. You never know who might become an editor one day!

You can sign up, or find out more info, at www.mediabistro.com

Here's the description:
With business, cooking, and travel magazines publishing alternative health stories, it's easy to see that interest from the mainstream is at an all-time high. Newsstands are filled with titles like Spirituality & Health, Body & Soul, Organic Style, Alternative Medicine, Luxury Spa Finder, and Breathe. As interest in health and spirituality explodes, titles are looking to fill their pages with stories on yoga, health, spirituality, and complementary medicine.

Articles about yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and fitness are being published in all kinds of magazines. To break into this growing market, you must learn where to find stories, how to pursue interesting holistic topics, and how to present them to a mainstream editor as essential for publication.
In this seminar, you will learn:

What editors at health and spirituality magazines are looking for
*How to break into new magazines
*How to pitch mainstream magazines health and spirituality stories
*Where to find the latest research for story ideas
*Hot topics: spas, hybrid fitness, eastern and western approaches

Qigong article in the NYTimes on April 5

2007-03-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

Look for it in the THursday Styles section!

Back Page essay in the SF Chronicle Sunday Magazine/APril 1

2007-03-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

In the throes of my book launch, I wrote a humorous essay about how I was totally stressed out promoting my book about not getting stressed out. The piece will appear in the SF Chronicle's Sunday magazine on April 1. I enjoyed writing it, because it's very personal and talks about how I used my techniques in the book to get my head on straight. Keep an eye out for it.

Reading: Cody's Books on March 14th @ 7 pm

2007-02-14T20:38:00.001-08:00

I'll be reading from my book at Cody's Books in downtown San Francisco (2 Stockton Street) on March 14.

Reading: Book Passage on March 19th @ 7 pm

2007-02-14T20:32:00.000-08:00

I'll be doing a joint reading at the Book Passage in Corte Madera, on March 19th with the author of the book Slow is Beautiful, Cecil Andrews. Hope to see you there.

NYTimes article on February 15th

2007-02-14T20:30:00.001-08:00

Look out for my article on health clubs mobilizing members to get involved in philanthropy in a section called Physical Culture in the NYTimes on Thursday. It was interesting to write and I hope to read, too.

Yoga Journal Conference / book signing 1/20/07 @ 12:30

2007-01-05T12:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. Thanks to everyone who has emailed and called me about the book, and for buying it for your sisters, wives, daughters, and even fathers. I hope you all shifted gears a little during the holidays.

I'll be signing books at the Yoga Journal Conference on Saturday, January 20th @ 12:30. Look for the bookstore downstairs, and that's where I'll be.

It's a great and festive event with lots of wonderful people and classes. A perfect time to get out of overdrive after the holidays.

Unplugged Thanksgiving; Radio Interview 12/7

2006-11-29T12:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! After talking so much about two of tenets of getting out of overdrive—taking a media fast and having unstructured time—I decided to put both to the test. On the night before Thanksgiving, I shut off (!) my computer. At first, I tried to cheat because my music is also on my computer, but I realized it was futile to try and outsmart myself. So that left me with no computer plus a lot of quietness. I realized how many times I unconsciously go to the office to check email; simply checking my email would lead to something else, and an hour later I'd still be working/sending messages/surfing around. It turns out that, with my computer off, I used that time to sleep! I feel like I caught up on a year of sleep. I slept every time I hit a horizontal surface, whether it was the couch, bed, or even the floor. I didn't plan much, either, and it turned out to be a wonderful four days.

I'm going to be on an east coast radio program called Women's Room. You can listen to it Thursday, December 7th at 2 pm Pacific Time on WGLS on a program called Women's Room; go to
http://wgls.rowan.edu/ and then click on the Live Streaming link. If you miss it, it will be archived on this site in the archives department.

KALW and Moms Rising!

2006-11-22T13:55:00.000-08:00

It's almost impossible to talk about Women in Overdrive without talking about motherhood. And this is precisely the topic that kept coming up during my radio interview on KALW's Your Call Radio with Rose Aquilar the other day. We mothers feel like we don't have enough support when it comes to maternity leave, childcare, flexibility at work, and healthcare. So a very helpful listener (thank you!) called in to tell us about www.momsrising.org, which is a group working to do all of these things.
The caller also recommended a book, If Women Counted by Marilyn Waring. I haven't read it, so I'm just passing along the information to you.

A bit more about the show; I was really pleased to hear many men calling in with their questions and concerns. I know that Overdrive isn't only a women's issue, but the men who called in seemed genuinely humble and interested in becoming part of this important conversation.

People also confirmed ways to get out of overdrive that I talk about in my book, including exercise, meditation, redefining success, staying aware of each moment and taking it day by day. I especially liked the caller who did puzzles to get out of his head and bring awareness into his life!

Thank you.

Take Ten Minutes to Breathe

2006-11-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Life has a funny way of hitting you over the head with a message. It seems like every time I have an event for my book. Women in Overdrive, something extremely stressful has happened. It's almost as if the universe is saying "ha! Let's see if you can follow your own advice now, Miss Know It All!

I can't go into every instance, but two stand out in my mind: Heading for a 6:30 reading, I was stuck in downtown traffic—at 6:30! The second example happened before book party: The carton of books I was meant to sell had some major mix-up at FedEx and never arrived, despite the fact that I had made two trips to South San Francisco to try to pick them up (Each person claimed they were at the other station!)

So I'm trying to take my own advice, and stay calm in these situations. Despite the stresses, it's been wonderful to see
how many people want to talk about overdrive. During the past few weeks, at reading and workshops, whenever I say this women start nodding their heads dramatically: "We want to have it all, live life to the fullest. But the one thing that falls by the wayside is time for rest and relaxation." So just for today, try to carve out ten minutes with no TV, no computer, no book. As one of my teachers always says, We are human BEings, not human DOings!