Today’s Peace of Wisdom Can Be Found in Being the Bigger Person
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Betcha Didn't Know
Crunch Time: The Apple’s Global Tale
with Briley Crisafi
You might think you know apples—but odds are, you’ve only tasted a tiny sliver of the story. In this Betcha Didn’t Know, Briley Crisafi uncovers the juicy history behind the world’s most popular fruit, from its wild roots in Kazakhstan to its star status in American orchards. Learn why no apple grows quite the same from seed, how grafting helped farmers shape flavor and color, and what role crabapples played in the founding of the New World. It’s a crisp, surprising journey—core to peel.
Discussion Questions:
#1: Apples don’t grow “true to seed”—so you never know what you’ll get from a single apple seed. Can you think of a time when something didn’t turn out exactly how you planned… but the surprise ended up being even better?
#2: Apples have traveled from Kazakhstan to your kitchen, riding trade routes and crossing oceans. What’s another everyday item you use that has a surprisingly long or global journey behind it—and did learning that make you see it differently?
#3: It takes around 50 leaves to grow just one apple—and some trees can produce more than 1,000! What’s something in your life that might seem small, but actually takes a lot of unseen effort to make happen?
From the Contributor's Dock
Briley Crisafi
Briley Crisafi has always been inspired by the kind of imagination that impacts culture. Whether through music, writing, film, or any other medium, Briley has a true passion for the place where language and artwork meet to create storytelling.
While Briley had a wide array of interests growing up, she is grateful for the current opportunity she has to use many of them in a variety of professional settings. She teaches Spanish, Drama, Classical Dance, Voice, and choreographs for several organizations such as Veritas Florida and the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. She also co-produces a performance ministry with the most incredible team – her family – where she writes and directs full-length student productions each semester. Briley has also recently joined the staff of Heart to Honduras, and is excited to be returning to missions work.
Briley is excited to be a part of Wisdom Harbor Studios – learning from and working alongside some of the most talented artists, communicators, and servant-hearted leaders that exist anywhere!
Writers
How to Outline a Nonfiction Book
(Even if You Hate Outlining)
By Tami Nantz
You’ve got what you believe is a great idea for a nonfiction book. Your research is done, creativity is flowing, and you’re as ready as you’ll ever be to start writing. But there’s one little problem—you know you need to put some sort of plan in place before you begin, and you’re no fan of outlining.
Trust me, I get it. The thought of meticulously outlining my book’s structure feels about as fun as watching paint dry. We pantsers (those who write by the seat of our pants) are a free-spirited bunch, after all; creative souls unbound by norms. Outlining just stifles that creativity, right?
Maybe not. Hear me out. Even for the most ardent outline-phobes like myself, a little up-front planning can go a long way in conquering that daunting blank page. Outlining doesn’t have to be a painstaking, joy-sucking process.
Think of it as a light trail of breadcrumbs instead of a reinforced concrete path. You’re not locking yourself into an inflexible plan; you’re simply getting a general lay of the land to make the writing go a little smoother.
So, grab a glass of iced tea, pull up your favorite music-to-write-by playlist, and let’s explore some outlining tips even us pantsers can embrace!
The Freestylers Outline
Who says an outline has to be a rigid, detailed document? If that stresses you out, keep it blissfully vague with just the major mental signposts:
- A rough sketch of key topics/chapters
- A basic flow of how ideas could be grouped
- “Possibility piles” of themes, stories, research to potentially incorporate
Throw it into a list, a mind map, or whatever format works for you. The goal isn’t precise planning so much as preventing a chaotic jumble when you start the writing.
The Chapter-a-Day Approach
Don’t like what you outlined? Toss it and start over! The freedom is yours.
The Brain Dump
Speaking of freedom, sometimes just getting your ideas on the page first can be liberating and inspiring. Do a messy brain dump—write out all your thoughts, sections, stories, and ideas without concern for order. Then, take a step back and organize that chaotic masterpiece into a rough outline or ordered list. It’s like outlining in reverse!
The Constant Companion
For the Outlining Enthusiasts
The Detailed Blueprint
The Balanced Planner
Combine the Freestylers Outline with the Detailed Blueprint. Start with broad strokes and then gradually fill in the details as you become more confident in your direction. This allows for flexibility while still providing a comprehensive guide.
The Progressive Planner
Use the Constant Companion method with a twist: set aside regular intervals (e.g., weekly) to review and refine your outline. This keeps your structure dynamic and aligned with your evolving ideas.
The most important thing? Make outlining work for you and your unique process, not the other way around. If you need to deviate, do it! If you need to ditch it, ditch it! It is YOUR book, isn’t it?
Don’t think of an outline as a stuffy, rigid plan. It’s simply a light trailhead to orient your creative wanderings and keep you from getting hopelessly lost in the literary wilderness. With a loose outline in hand (or crumpled in your pocket), you’re free to roam as your muse guides you.
Just don’t forget to send me a postcard when you hit the bestseller list—happy writing!
From the Contributor's Dock
Tami Nantz
TamiNantz.com
Tami Nantz is the Communications Director for The Andy Andrews Group and currently lives in Greenville, SC with her husband John, and their two beautiful German Shepherds.
Tami began her writing career as a political commentator and activist. She’s ghostwritten for New York Times bestselling authors, and written across several genres. She’s had her writing featured on the Jerry Jenkins website, and interviewed writing celebrities such as Andy Andrews, Vince Flynn, Dinesh D’Souza, and Katie Pavlich, as well as many sitting Members of the House and Senate, producing news hits, book reviews, human interest stories, and opinion pieces for publication. Tami’s career has spanned more than fifteen years — she continues to produce her own work for publication. When she’s not writing, she can probably be found reading a good thriller or hiking with their daughter Anna!
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