You have a book in you wanting to be written.

I help you love it out by our listening to you together.

“Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and your caring with the world through a book,” wrote a reader to me after reading one of my books. “I learned things, I felt understood, and I grew increasingly inspired as I turned the pages. And I hope what I’ve written here conveys all of that to you.”

Her words were music to my ears.

And isn’t this the kind of response every author yearns for? To know that your book’s message — more than just that, its heart — has been conveyed?

What allows a work of writing to do this, to be a carrier of such healing, such wholeness-making?

It all starts with listening.

“It is a wonderful thing to listen to yourself.

When you listen to yourself, you write your own book.”

— Sherif Baba

Writing from the Deeper Self is a way to make contact with that divinely creative place in you whose expression wants to be known through you.

This can’t be done by fitting yourself into someone else’s template. It needs to be discovered through listening.

You might recognize something of the listening state in this excerpt from the “Sonnets to Orpheus” by Rainer Maria Rilke (Robert Bly translation):

Animals created by silence came forward from the clear

and relaxed forest where their lairs were,

and it turned out the reason they were so full of silence

was not cunning, and not terror,

it was listening.

So this is what you and I do together. We listen your book into being.

Do you know what it’s like to really listen to someone else? Where your interest lies in being present to them and taking in what matters to them, and letting them know that you have really received them?

Something happens to them in this interchange (them talking, your listening presence): they feel seen, known, more available to themselves. Beautiful things can open up in them that they may not even have known were there. You’re not talking over them, you’re not competing with what they say, you’re not trying to impress them, you’re not making yourself the center of the action and, when they mention a certain subject, saying, “Oh, something similar happened to me too, let me tell you all about it!” and launching in, and the other person is left incomplete.

No. You are present.

You are listening.

You are vibrantly receptive.

And your vibrant, receptive presence makes it possible for the other person to deepen, inside, without the need for defenses — to ease into the love you have held open for them, and thereby to know themselves more truly.

A perfect recipe for insightful revelation and a consequent authentic expression.

Listening Your Book into Being

This way of listening and being listened to is also a wonderful way to write a book.

Although it’s not generally taught in book-writing courses. Mostly because the focus there is on the craft, or on productivity (how many words can you churn out in one sitting?). But as significant as these things may be, what gets left out is the person doing the writing. You.

When your attention is on the outer form, rather than on the inner connection, you may write well.

But are you writing true?

Without that inner connection to your deeper Self, it can be hard to trust yourself as you write. “Is this good?” first-time (and even experienced) book writers can doubt themselves. “Can I do it well? Do I have anything of value to say? Will anyone even be interested? Who am I to even attempt this?” And so on. The noise of these doubts crowds out the deeper knowing available in us all.

What you really may long for is to find out who you are through your writing, and what you are truly capable of. What your soul has to say that will make a difference to you and to your readers.

This is where receptive listening comes in.

So we sit together. You tell me what’s true for you about this book that’s calling you to write it, to the best of your current knowledge. As I take that in, something happens in the space between us. You begin to realize things. Your eyes start to light up. Your heartbeat becomes more rhythmic. Something gives itself to you from inside that inspires you, that you trust. And so you begin to write out of this listening.

And discover that you’re not only writing a book — you’re an artist.

(There is an art to this.)

Books written in this way do more than just impart a message: they offer an artistry, a music that only you can compose. At some point, your book will land similarly in your readers, whose longing to encounter such music will spark them into sounding their own in some form.

This goes beyond just declaring a message on your book’s pages. It lets your book transmit something that goes even beyond words. It turns people you haven’t met into beloveds.

Do you know how grateful such readers are?

“I finished reading your book the other night. . . . In all, it was a lovely experience. I felt that you were speaking from the heart, seeking to be of service from the sincere desire to assist, not to indoctrinate or impress. And I felt that you and I were having a conversation,”

the same reader I quoted earlier wrote me spontaneously, after reading one of my books on the creative process, Starting Your Book. She went on:

“I absolutely needed to read this when I did. I’ve been trying to understand the work of creativity theorists who posit that there’s a certain way creativity should work. I have not been successful in understanding. In fact, I’ve been rather frustrated (maybe this is a sign to stop reading the writing of others and start doing more of my own writing). . . . Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and your caring with the world through a book. I learned things, I felt understood, and I grew increasingly inspired as I turned the pages. And I hope what I’ve written here conveys all of that to you.” — Sarah Beaber

It’s one of the best feelings possible — that what you’ve given from your deep inner being has been fully received and made use of.

And it can happen for you, too.

You don’t have to “have it all together” before you even begin.

You only need to be willing to see what wants to be known through you and give it room to speak.

As long as it’s your own desire to write a book and not something that someone else has talked you into doing (e.g., a well-meaning friend, a parent, or your junior-high-school teacher), you can depend on the Writing from the Deeper Self approach to bring you where you want and need to go with your creation.

Even if you haven’t really started writing yet, and you don’t quite know how to begin.

Even if you’ve been influenced by the idea that you should come up with a detailed outline and follow it, or be able to “write a book in a weekend.”

Even if you’re awash with all the ideas coming to you and don’t know how to weave them together into a unified whole.

Even if you have begun writing, but it feels like pushing a boulder uphill. All that work to produce an output that doesn’t truly reflect what you mean in your heart of hearts. You’re frustrated by the near-miss.

Even if you secretly suspect that you have a beautiful voice in writing, but you haven’t yet found a way to bring it out.

To really hear ourselves is magic.

All sorts of openings come out of that.

“Naomi Rose is a true gift to anyone wishing to bring a creative idea or project into form. A developmental work session with Naomi becomes more than the sum of its parts. Our collaborations inspire me to remain in alignment with not only myself but also my purpose — and to meet my goals. She has the innate ability to coax out, in the most gentle and supportive way, that which wants to grow. She assists in unearthing buried creative seeds and nurtures growth so that a living, thriving form emerges — a tangible idea, a written piece, or a new creative work. Her non-linear approach to creating births tangible outcomes. With Naomi as my creative developer, I feel well cared-for and well heard — and inspired to bring my many gifts into the world." — Dana Watt, Chaplain to spiritual entrepreneurs

Whether you are an experienced writer or a “budding” first-time author,

I help you bring forth the book of your heart in a way that’s true for you.

Answering the call to write the book of your heart and soul can be much more than a way to simply produce a book. It also can be a profoundly creative and healing act, opening you to beautiful qualities and discoveries in yourself that you may not have fully realized were available. Discoveries that revise your sense of who you are — that, in essence, rewrite your life.

We do this together by paying attention not only to who you are and what you are moved to write, but also to the unique way that the creative process operates in you.

We don’t try to fit you into some template for writing a book. Instead, we listen to you to find out what fits for you.

Then writing a book becomes a natural extension of this listening. It flows onto your pages from the undammed waters of inspiration.

If the inner life is important to you,

then the Writing from the Deeper Self approach will be a natural fit.

If you are someone who has sought to get beneath the surface and discover the true nature of things —

what really brings about happiness and wholeness . . . how genuine love can be mined and drawn forth . . . where beauty resides and its secrets . . . how suffering can be healed . . . and so much more . . .

and you have been called to write a book —

then you’ll feel at home with the Writing from the Deeper Approach.

You may be a healer by profession or temperament . . .

a creative being (in art or life, or both) . . .

a spiritual seeker and contemplative . . .

, a teacher (whether officially or that people like to learn from you) . . .

a person with wisdom (both earned and intrinsic) . . .

or someone who, in some other way, is brimming with the blessings of the inner life.

What a perfect place to write a book from — whatever your book’s foreground subject.

I would be privileged to work with you.

”What Naomi does superbly is to evoke the creative and articulate in each person who works with her, to such a degree that each one is surprised by his/her own talent for expression.” — Gay Luce, co-founder (with Dr. Jean Houston), Nine Gates Mystery School

One way to gauge the success of my clients in working with me is to see what some of their readers wrote as reviews of their books. Spontaneous and genuine, these speak to the impact of the book on the readers’ being — something that can’t be engineered or forced, but spills forth naturally out of the fullness of their hearts.

So, for example, take the book by Jungian therapist Shoshana Fershtman, The Mystical Exodus in Jungian Perspective: Transforming Trauma and the Wellsprings of Renewal. Readers wrote these kinds of responses upon publication of this author’s longtime labor of love:

“Dr. Fershtman has gifted us with an extraordinary book that is both vast in scope and deep in personal passion. By telling the stories of our personal passages from dislocation and trauma to belonging and wholeness, we can know ourselves as unique and precious expressions of the significant social and religious movements that are awakening our world. . . . This book gave me a profound sense of pride, pleasure, and comfort in understanding the Jewish Renewal Movement as a vital force of healing in a world that yearns for wholeness.” —Rabbi Shefa Gold, author, Torah Journeys: The Inner Path to the Promised Land

“An important book with a potent message about the contagious nature of trauma and how it filters unimpeded through the generations. The courageous transparency with which the author interpolates within this exploration her own personal story will not only touch the hearts of the traumatized but will also deeply inform anyone engaged in the healing of trauma, whether professionally or academically. The book’s creative weave of relevant studies and moving anecdotes will undoubtedly earn its place amid the annals of literature on the science and treatment of trauma. . . . No less valuable, however, is the book’s vivid demonstration of the power of mythology in enriching our life journeys.” — Rabbi Gershon Winkler, author, Magic of the Ordinary

One thing that helped this author to write a book evoking such deeply moved reader-responses was her Book Development work with me. She wrote:

"When I began this process, my deepest yearnings were twofold: one, that the words expressed would be a true expression of my soul; and two, that in the process of writing I would find and deepen my relationship with my creativity, and myself. Naomi has been a precious guide in both respects. She has provided unwavering support and profound mirroring, and has gently guided and encouraged me, again and again, to write from the place of my true and authentic self.

“In the process, I have come into relationship with my deepest creative self, after a lifetime of longing and disconnection from it. Her intellectual capacity is also profound: she understands and helps me give voice to complex intellectual and conceptual concepts, as well as deeply personal and spiritual ones. She is a truly gifted teacher and guide. Anyone who has the pleasure of working with her will encounter the joy of discovering many hidden gifts and treasures in their work and, perhaps more importantly, in themselves." — Shoshana Fershtman, JD, PhD. Author, The Mystical Exodus in Jungian Perspective: Transforming Trauma and the Wellsprings of Renewal

You could have a similar experience. CONTACT ME to explore the possibilities.

Ready to embark on a book-writing journey of self-discovery, healing, artistry, and connection?

Invite your deeper Self to speak to you through writing the book of your heart.

Contact me to schedule a free consultation to explore the book that’s waiting to be born through you.

Be part of creating a world where your listened-forth words can catalyze readers into a healing, trusting, deeper connection with what’s in your book — and in themselves.

How to get started — options:

You can:

• Subscribe to my newsletter (see below).

• Read my books on the creative process and receive my guidance & support (see Naomi Rose books).

• Book a complimentary 30-minute session with me to explore your book-writing dream.

• And if you’re not yet quite ready to move forward, you can go to the “Is This You?” page and get a clearer sense of whether you are a good fit for the Writing from the Deeper Self approach.

However you get here,

I’m here to help you listen your book into being.

Because it’s not only how many pages you write. It’s how much of you comes onto the page.

As a thank-you, I’ll send you a free copy of my book, 10 Essential Qualities That Help You Write a Book. As these qualities become known to you and surface, they will support you abundantly to write the book of your heart and live more authentically.

“Sitting with you was like sitting with a seasoned spiritual director. Very present, very open to what I might say. Responding from the heart to my writings, which was very precious to me. For a person who is longing to be deeply heard, just sitting with you and seeing my spoken work impact you is a precious thing. You help me to see the transcendent aspect of my writing, so that it becomes an ‘of course’ to think of sharing it outside our meetings, perhaps to publish it.” — Roberta Gannon, MFT, Spiritual Director

A BIT ABOUT ME: I bring to my clients 30+ years in the publications field, & a lifetime of seeking & encouraging the expression of what’s real. I have worked as a writer, editor, consultant, and book developer, and hold an MA in English literature.

I also bring a lifetime as a spiritual seeker, with graduate studies in Transpersonal Psychology, and studies in Sufi psychology and healing.

I am dedicated to helping you write the book of your heart and share it with a world that can so deeply benefit from its healing message and presence.

The creator of Writing from the Deeper Self, I have worked with authors, including first-time authors, since 1987. As a professional in the publications field, I also worked with publishers as an editor and consultant, as well as being the author of numerous articles on writing and healing and of books on the Creative Process.

Awards: I am listed in Who’s Who and Who’s Who of American Women for my written and editorial contributions. I was awarded the Thumbtack Elite Award for “Best Editor in the San Francisco Bay Area” in both 2015 and 2016.

(If you’d like to know more about me and my qualifications, see the “About” page on this site.)

NOTE: “Book Developer & Creative Midwife” is my own terminology. I am a Book Coach in terms of guiding you knowledgeably through the book-writing process — but with the nuanced addition of a soulful, collaborative receptivity to your discovering, through our work together, how who you actually are wants to write. (The term, “development,” here, refers to how a photographic negative in a darkened room will evolve from pure blank opacity into a clear and detailed visibility.) There are no templates, no “shoulds” in my way of guiding you — just listening to you really well so you recognize your path from within in writing your book, and have the support, trust, and confidence to take it.

“Naomi provided the warm and inviting space that I needed to speak about my work and listen to the words as they emerged from within. She listened to my words before they were even shaped. She was fascinated with my ideas as I shared them with her, and this receptivity validated what I was wanting to write.

“She showed me how to write from my deeper Self.

“It always surprises me when I receive a call from someone who has said they have read my book and want to work with me. This is what pleases me the most. Without the book, I could not have reached the number of people who are now able to learn about Essential Speaking.

“Naomi, thank you for listening to the heart of this book. It was inside me, and you welcomed it into being. Giving birth to books that heal is certainly your calling." — Doreen Downing, PhD; author, The 7 Secrets to Essential Speaking: Finding Your Voice, Change Your Life

💮

“Naomi has been such a great help to me. I had an idea for a book, but I would not have been able to get it off the ground if it had not been for Naomi’s enthusiastic support and her willingness to listen and reflect deeply on the work in progress. At every step of the way she has played an invaluable role in helping me delve deeper into this project and move it forward with integrity and heart.

“Naomi always makes me feel like my work is valuable, even if I have only managed to write two pages. I am very grateful for her unconditional support for my book and her appreciation for the deep urge I have to write it, as well as her understanding of the challenges inherent in the writing process. Naomi’s presence and wisdom are immense, and I cannot recommend her more highly.” — Marika F.

Where to go next:

• To find out if I have sensed you well enough, see the “Is This You?” page.

• To explore the scope of my services, see the main “Services” page. From there, you can go deeper into the particular services you are drawn to: Writing from the Deeper Self / Book Development / Book Writing for Therapists & Other Healers / Creative Midwifery, and Editing. (The Audiobooks I don’t do myself, but can lead you to someone who does).

• To find out more about me and my work, see the “About” page.

• To explore my books on the creative process, see the “Naomi Rose Books” page. To explore my clients’ books, click here.

• To watch an interview with me about my approach to helping people write books, by podcaster Naomi Estment, see the “Press” page.

• To read my blogs, click here.

• To find out about the special “Healing Enhancements” that I’ve put together to complement and support your writing journey, click on the following (purple) word-links: (1) Flower Essence Remedies, custom-designed based on my Writing from the Deeper Self approach. (2) Specialized hypnosis audios to address almost any issue that arises concerning writing a book (and much more).

• There are also unique Resources (Inspirational / Educational / Meditational / Deep Conversations / the Creative Process / Listening / Healing Sounds). Plus the 3 weaves of my Arts, Questions, and of course my online shop.

• And if you feel ready to book a complimentary 30-minute consultation to explore the possibilities, click here.

Thank you for reading what I have written, here. I look forward to reading what you will write.