What Is Book Coaching, and How Can It Help You Write Your Novel?
I asked my husband to take a photo to symbolize book coaching. Do you think he communicated the idea?
Over the past months, I’ve been doing an increasing amount of book coaching with an increasing number of authors. In fact, many of the writers who initially reach out to me for another service, such as developmental editing or manuscript evaluation, ultimately choose book coaching. And I love this: One of my favorite things about working directly with authors, rather than for my publisher clients, is the opportunity for interactive, collaborative work.
Authors clearly love it too. In the age of artificial intelligence, I suspect many of us increasingly understand the value of the kind of direct human connection one has with a book coach.
But one of the difficulties of forming a book coaching relationship is that authors often don’t know what book coaching is. And that’s no surprise: It’s a lot of different things!
One Name, Many Descriptions
Some book coaches offer a structured coaching program, sometimes as part of a group coaching program, with a set number of sessions focused on specific goals. Others offer coaching packages that include specific services over a defined period.
These can be great approaches—and someday, I might offer something along those lines.
For now, though, what I enjoy—and what my clients are finding valuable—is an approach that’s tailored to the individual. The only thing my coaching services have in common from client to client is that they’re all priced at an hourly rate.
Well, I suppose there’s another thing: So far, I’ve met all my coaching clients via Zoom. But that’s not an obligation. Although I prefer speaking with clients directly, if a writer wished to conduct coaching entirely via email or a messaging platform, that would be fine. My goal is to tailor my services to the client’s needs, objectives, and comfort level.
And when your services are tailored to the client, it’s hard to say exactly what you do. Instead, it’s easier to describe what you’ve done. So let’s look at a few ways I’ve worked with various writers!
Client-Centered Book Coaching
One of the first things to note is that a client can work with a coach at any stage of the writing process.
Coaching for New Writers
Here are a few ways I might work with a client who’s newer to writing:
Let’s say a client hasn’t begun their first book. We can discuss their expectations, how the publishing industry works, and how they might make best use of their time and money. Are their expectations realistic? If not, what might more realistic expectations look like? What should they expect in terms of timelines and budgets?
Let’s say a client is in the process of writing their first book. If they want a professional opinion on it, they can hire me to read what they’ve written and discuss their strengths and areas for improvement.
Or maybe they’re writing their book, but they’re stuck. One recent client wasn’t sure how to end his novel; he hired me to read his work in progress and help him understand how to resolve it.
Other authors have wanted help with a specific aspect of their book, such as ensuring characters have well-defined voices. In those cases, they might hire me to examine a section, and then after we’ve met via Zoom and discussed my feedback, I might give them a homework assignment or two, or simply some written feedback.
In the above cases, coaching can be a one-off meeting with the potential for a longer relationship. If the client wants to return for another session, I’d be happy to meet again, but there’s no requirement that they do so.
I’ve had a number of coaching clients for whom book coaching is a variation on a manuscript evaluation. They hire me to read their entire book; then we meet to discuss it and create a revision plan, and I send them some high-level feedback. This is similar to a standard manuscript evaluation, but instead of an editorial letter, we simply have a discussion that covers the same points I’d make in a written manuscript evaluation. Again, this is usually a one-off meeting, but I’m happy to meet again!
But coaching is often an ongoing relationship. Maybe an author wants accountability coaching, so they might agree to send me a certain amount of writing at set intervals, and we might meet regularly to discuss their progress. Or they might want ongoing support as they work through a difficult project. (And what writing project isn’t difficult, honestly?)
Coaching for Writers with a Completed Manuscript
What about clients who’ve completed a book? There are a number of ways I’ve worked with these authors, though the possibilities are endless:
A client might want revision coaching, especially if I’ve worked with them on a developmental edit or done a manuscript evaluation. In this case, it might be similar to accountability coaching: They’ll send me work at set intervals, or simply whenever they’re ready, and we might meet to discuss how effective their revisions are.
Someone might know they have a specific problem they want to solve in their completed manuscript. For instance, if they know they need to trim word count, we might work through a portion of their manuscript together to cut unnecessary material, until they feel equipped to tackle the rest of the revisions on their own.
An author might need help interpreting feedback from beta readers, agents, or the like. They might hire me to review the feedback and discuss which suggestions to focus on in their revisions.
Someone who’s completed their book might need help navigating the publishing process. This is a service I refer to as publishing support, and it can vary from advising a client on whether self-publishing or traditional publishing is a better fit for them, to walking a client through every step of the self-publishing process, from buying ISBNs to clicking the “Publish” button—and beyond.
Coaching for Established Writers
It doesn’t stop with the first book, of course. Every book an author writes poses its own set of problems, and each stage of an author’s career brings new challenges, especially as one’s life and circumstances change.
How can a book coach help these clients?
Just because an author is established doesn’t mean they don’t need accountability coaching, revision support, a coached manuscript evaluation, or any other service new authors need! And an established author may actually be more willing to invest in such relationships.
An author might worry about consistency between one book and the other—or they might worry that a new avenue they’re exploring, such as a shift in genre or style, won’t be effective. Or perhaps their concern is that they’re doing the same thing over and over and that their work might be getting old. In these cases, a supportive but honest and straightforward professional ear can be invaluable.
A published author who’s taken a break from writing for a while might want to talk with me about changes in the industry since they were last involved with publishing. In this case, they might seek advice on whether their expectations and ideas are in line with today’s publishing industry.
Can One Coach Do It All?
Is there anything I won’t do as a book coach? Well, yes, of course. If my skills aren’t aligned with a client’s needs, I can’t adequately support them, and it would be not only unethical but also demoralizing and painful to attempt working with them. (One thing about book coaching that involves face-to-face meetings: if the client is excited and inspired, it’s a joy to work together; if they’re unhappy with the kind of coaching they’re getting, it’s draining and miserable for both client and coach. This is why many coaches are highly selective with the clients they take on.)
However, it isn’t easy to divide coaching into “things I’ll do” and “things I won’t do.” Sometimes, my skills are just right for a client’s project, but another potential client might ask me to do the same thing, and I’d feel unable to provide the service they asked for. In this case, the difference often has to do with something specific to the client’s objectives or background, or it could be that their book’s content, genre, or style aren’t the right fit for me in a specfic respect.
So if you’d like me to help you with something, just reach out and ask! I might say no, but I won’t think it’s an odd question—and if possible, I’ll recommend someone who might be able to help with anything I can’t.
And often, my answer is yes, and then we have the opportunity for a rewarding, exciting, made-for-you collaboration.
If you’d like to start a conversation, visit my services page to check out rates, then head to my contact form to get in touch!
Please forgive me for sharing this book coaching testimonial—it’s a bit braggy, but I’m so proud of it!
