I was in charge of a new book publishing house when a writer asked me to review her manuscript on teaching second languages to students with learning disabilities.
As a professor as well, I realized how important her topic was. Many students struggle just to pass language courses.
As soon as I saw the manuscript, my heart sank. It was informative but uninspiring. It read like a handbook.
What should I do?
I asked the author how she came to write the book. She said that the idea came partly from her daughter’s academic struggles.
It also evolved from her own teaching of second languages. Throughout her many years of teaching, she had often wondered about how best to teach the students in her classrooms who were really smart, but seemed to “hit a wall”’ when it came to learning a foreign language.
She studied the extensive research in the field of foreign languages and learning disabilities, so that she had a theoretical base for better understanding how struggling students learn differently. She also tried out different strategies and ended up developing a multisensory approach that made teaching and learning both effective and fun.
“Okay,” I said. “You have a great story to tell. Let’s see how you can rewrite the book as your journey. Describe how you learned to teach a second language effectively. How you did it to honor your daughter as well to serve teachers. Describe the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Along the way, explain to teachers exactly how they can be successful.”
The manuscript became her inspiring personal story instead of just her instructional techniques.
The author got more inspired and passionate as she wrote. I got excited as a reader, not just as the publisher. I could imagine the book motivating teachers to succeed and giving hope to struggling students.
All I really did was help her learn to write from her heart what she already knew.
Normally, heart requires personal stories. Stories bind us as authors and readers. They can make nonfiction as engaging as fiction.
Writing with heart nurtures author-reader relationships. Open-hearted writers are like trusted guides on a personal journey with readers.
The prose must create an emotional bond with readers. A reader has to be led to say, “I want to believe and experience what this author is saying. I want to join the author’s journey.”
About half of the nonfiction books on bestseller lists are written from the heart.
I’ve noticed that cookbooks increasingly include the lives of the cooks. They describe a cook’s journey into a new cuisine and its culture.
Heart-to-heart storytelling is powerful. Facts and logic have their places, but they don’t stir our souls.
The deepest, heart-filled writing touches our souls. It addresses fear, hope, and joy. The author addressed all of these emotions. She drenched the story of her successful teaching with heart.
When the book came out, I read it again. My heart sang. It gave me renewed hope for teachers and students alike.
— Dr. Q
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