📚 Why subscribe?

My mission is to empower women to discover their sisu (strength, courage, and determination) through my fiction, newsletters, podcast, and book coaching.

📝 In the Women Writing newsletter, I interview inspiring authors who are finding time and space in their busy lives to write. They discuss a range of topics, including the following:

  • writing practices (where and when they write)

  • challenges they’ve faced

  • best and worst writing advice

📝 In Book Coach Writes a Book, I’m exploring how an initial seed of an idea evolves into a book that readers can hold in their hands. I write historical fiction about Finnish Canadians, so you’ll learn a little Finnish history, too. Some of the topics include the following:

  • initial ideas

  • research

  • planning & drafting

  • querying & rejection

  • acceptances & contracts

  • marketing & promotion

  • book launches

  • and more 


☞ I also share upcoming book coaching offerings:

  • Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat

  • group book coaching sessions

  • 1:1 book coaching

  • webinars and in-person workshops

  • author events

🎧 Women Writing Podcast

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle in for a discussion about all things writerly. In this podcast, we'll take a coffee break together to chat with authors, publishers, book coaches, marketers, agents, publicists, booksellers, and more.

Fun fact: Finns drink the most coffee per capita in the world. Just doing my part for the stats and fueling my writing!

If you love books, are a writer, or a reader, there’s something to inspire you. Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update.

☞ Join the Women Writing Circle

Do you have goals you want to meet, a book you want to start (or complete), a desire to focus on your passion?, Do you find it difficult to prioritize yourself? If this sounds like you, the writing circle will provide a specific date and time to write, an opportunity to set biweekly goals, and a community of other writers. Isn’t it time to put yourself on the schedule?

Here are the details for the Women Writing Circle:

  • biweekly 90-minute meetings

  • goals check-in

  • two 30-minute writing sprints (more if time allows)

  • a supportive and encouraging environment

  • a community of writers

We’ll meet biweekly on Mondays from 6:30-8:00 PM EST starting on Monday, January 13, 2025, just in time to jumpstart your 2025 writing goals. The Women Writing circle is open to paid subscribers.

📚 Who am I?

My name is Liisa Kovala, a Finnish Canadian author, book coach, and former teacher. I’m the author of Sisu’s Winter War (Latitude 46, 2022) and Surviving Stutthof: My Father’s Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017). My short stories and creative non-fiction have been published in a variety of anthologies and literary magazines. As a certified Author Accelerator fiction and memoir book coach, I work with writers both in small group settings and 1:1 and I co-host Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreats with

. I’m a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, Canadian Authors Association, and past-president of Sudbury Writers’ Guild. Visit liisakovala.com and liiskovalabookcoach.com.

📅 Stay up-to-date

You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox or you can download the app and read directly from the site.

☞Tuesdays: Women Writing interviews

☞Thursdays: Women Writing podcast

☞Saturdays: Book Coach Writes a Book newsletter

Be part of a community of people who share your writerly interests. Let’s inspire each other! Thank you for subscribing. Much gratitude to all my readers and this generous community of writers.

Sisu’s Winter War Book Launch 2022

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.

Subscribe to Women Writing

On creating time and space to write, best (and worst) advice, inspiration, and motivation from women writers and industry folks to empower writers.

People

Author. Book Coach. Podcaster. Empowering women to develop their sisu (grit & determination) to become fearless writers.