Writers on Writing is our regular conversation with a writer or industry professional about the writing craft, industry insights, and their own practice. This week, we spoke to Maggie Hamilton about defining the mind, body, spirit genre, daring to meet people in their darkest moments through writing, and how to create a sense of discovery on the page.
What is the mind, body, and spirit genre?
I’m passionate about a genre that encompasses wellness and mindfulness; a whole range of wisdom traditions; inspirational memoir; popular psychology; mainstream and complementary medicines; significant life moments – birth, parenting, menopause, death; tarot and astrology; nature-based traditions; survival beyond death and more.
What are some common misconceptions about the mind, body, and spirit genre?
There is a belief that mind, body, spirit (MBS) is flaky, that it has no relationship to ‘real life’, when in fact it dares to ask the big questions of life. It doesn’t hesitate to take on the big topics we all grapple with at some stage – how to live well, how to die well, in the deeper sense of these concepts. It dares to meet people in their darkest moments; to seek ways to transform the mundane aspects of living, to build bridges; to forgive, forget and move.
On the healing front, boundaries are pushed, but then, many of the modalities MBS covers, such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, have thousands of years of observation and practice behind them, and to practice in these areas requires years of learning.
As a former publisher, what were the common features of the manuscripts that excited you?
Like most publishers, you’re looking for fresh ideas and/or a fresh interpretation on a subject. Manuscripts need to be engaging, (not bogged down in practitioner-speak), authentic and relatable, drawing on a wide range of everyday experiences.
Too many of the manuscripts I see are ‘thin’ offerings because the author is relying purely on their own experience. Rich offerings offer a host of perspectives and approaches and are far more likely to ‘hit the spot’.
How is an understanding of audience especially important for mind, body, spirit writing?
As writers we all love to feel that whatever we write is for ‘everyone’, but no book can make that claim. Understanding our specific audience allows us to get personal with our readers, to talk to their needs and understandings, their anxieties and aspirations. It gives us important clues about the language we use, the content, the way we choose to deliver our insights.
What are some craft considerations unique to mind, body, spirit writing?
Often when readers come to self-help books they’re in a down spot, where some aspect of life isn’t working, be it home, family, work, health or romance. So, there’s a heightened need to pay attention to your language – not just that it’s accurate but that it’s empathetic, reassuring, yet practical too. The musicality and rhythm of your words matter too, as they can add a wonderful numinous quality to the writing.
It’s also important not to overwhelm with too much information. Those writers who can distil, can offer everyday readers the essence of their work, are appreciated by their busy, often stressed and distracted readers. Essential too not to over-promise, to allow room in your offering for a tangible sense of discovery. Put these elements together and you have a book that genuinely speaks to its audience, which becomes a work that is shared over and over.
Writer, social researcher and former publisher, Maggie Hamilton gives frequent talks and lectures; is a media commentator and keen observer of social trends, and is published in over a dozen countries worldwide.
Passionate about life, creativity and better tomorrow, aside from her best-selling social research books, Maggie is the author of a number of spiritual books, including Coming Home, The Magic of the Moment, A Soft Place to Land and Inside the Secret Life of Fairies.
Join Maggie’s course, Writing Mind, Body, Spirit, Monday 25 May to Friday 3 July 2026, online.
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