If you’ve read almost any book on a particular discipline, you know the importance of having the right people around you, including a writing coach. The top professionals in any given field usually had at least one mentor figure, if not more, helping them as they came up.
Anybody can have a dream. Knowing how to pursue the dream and actually pursuing it are two different things entirely. Whether you’re writing your first book or just getting into the process, a coach can be a huge benefit to your journey. Athletes have coaches. Musicians have conductors. Actors have directors. And writers have book coaches.
Some of the most successful people have interacted with the best mentors and coaches. Hiring or working with a coach is not something that shows how little you know, but rather shows how much there is to know about your particular discipline—in this case, writing. That you are aware of this fact is a huge step in the right direction.
Writing is like jumping into the deep end of a swimming pool and not realizing that it leads to the ocean. Many writers can get confused and overwhelmed just chapters into their book, and be unsure how to continue.
If you started a book and haven’t finished it yet, had an idea and only made it halfway through, or struggled to finally write your ending chapter, you’re not alone. Writing is hard work and takes a lot of forethought and self-discipline. This is simply a fact of writing. Creating an entire world on a blank piece of paper is intimidating to say the least.
Not only do coaches know where you want to go and have a plan on how to help you get there, but they’ve worked through the process before. If you’re wondering if you need a coach, don’t know how to find one, or are generally just unsure what step to take next, this article is for you.
Writing coaches: what’s covered
- What does a writing coach do?
- Is a writing coach worth it?
- How to find a writing coach?
- Why would you need a writing coach?
- When should you hire a writing coach?
- What is the difference between a book coach and a writing coach?
- What is the difference between a writing coach and an editor?
- How much does a writing coach cost?
What does a writing coach do?
A writing coach is a professional with the sole purpose of coaching you through your creative process. A coach is not an editor, a ghostwriter, or alpha or beta readers (although they can read your work). A coach may draw your focus to varying writing rules and current trends, but this is not their primary objective.
In fact, a coach’s goal is to help you through the process. They want to encourage you to continue. Be the cheerleader you need. Help you continue when you’re not sure you can.
Think of a writing coach as a personal trainer. If you work with a personal trainer several times a week, their encouragement is a big part of your progress.
Maybe you show up for training and they walk in, pumped to be there, and excited that you showed. When you leave they let you know they’ll see you in a day or two, and tell you that you did a great job.
The same is true for a coach who helps writers. They’re not hired to give you developmental edits or line edit your work. They’re here to encourage you to make it through the process. Writing a book is a lot of work. It’s a tremendous undertaking. A coach may be just what you need.
Is a writing coach worth it?
Yes, a coach is worth it if you need a bit of help becoming your best or want to achieve bigger dreams than you know you can alone. As the saying goes, if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.
I’ve worked with a variety of writing coaches over the years, and each one has helped me in a variety of ways. Some coaches are more encouraging, others focus on your ultimate writing goal, and still others know how to give quality feedback that helps you change for the better.
Still others encompass all of the above, and then some! So, is a coach worth it? While I can’t speak for every writer, I can say that for myself, I would not be near the writing goals I am today if not for my coaches. They have been more than worth every penny.
However, just as finding the right fit in a fitness coach matters, the right fit in a coach for your writing matters as well. Let’s delve into how you can find one, and find the right one!
How to find a writing coach?
There are countless online writing communities where you can ask around for coaching referrals. Connect with faculty at a writing conference or ask writing friends who they’ve worked with.
If you have a favorite author, you could search their website and check to see if they offer coaching services. If it is not listed on their site, peruse their contact page and consider sending them an email articulating who you are and that you would like to work with them.
Keep your email effective but succinct. Authors are very busy and if they’re open to the idea, showing that you respect their time will likely heighten your chances of working together.
If you don’t hear back, you can take that as a no and simply move on to the next person. Finding the perfect coach for you will take some time and effort, but it’s worth it in the long run. However, if you don’t have time to do your own searching, good news!
If you’re part of any program with us, we have coaches with all of the programs. Yes, you read that right! Any program you are in through our services, we have a coach for you. Simply login to your specific program and find the coach you need. Coaches are a tremendous part of our success stories, so be sure to find an author that fits your needs.
In fact, here is a list of our coaches for your convenience. From our Author Success Coaches to our Fiction Success Coaches, we’re here to help you achieve your writing goals. You don’t have to take your writing journey alone, or spend hours online trying to find someone to help. We’ve got you covered!
Why would you need a writing coach?
You need a coach if you could benefit from encouragement on your writing journey. Remember, a coach is not an editor, but someone to encourage you in your journey. They will help keep you on track, encourage you when you feel like quitting, and heighten your chances of making it to the last page.
However, hiring a coach will help you get to the editing stage. To hire a professional editor, you must have a manuscript to edit. And to have a manuscript to edit, you must have it complete.
The prerequisite to becoming a published author is writing a book. Many people set off to write a book, but few finish. All it takes to start writing is grabbing a pen or pencil or opening a blank document on your computer.
What it takes to finish writing a book is time, effort, persistence, and overall grit. A coach can help you in all these areas. If you struggle in any of these places, you may benefit from hiring a coach. But when should you?
When should you hire a writing coach?
The answer to this is subjective, but a little bit of quiet and reflection can help you identify if you should hire one yet or wait a little while longer. Because of this, it’s crucial to do some self-reflection and take the time you need to do so. Grab a pen and a piece of paper, or open the Notes app on your phone, then answer the following questions.
Take your time and answer as honestly as you can:
- Do I have a hard time staying on track?
- Do I want professional help with my book?
- Am I a self-starter or do I benefit from encouragement?
- Is my deadline feasible or will I need help meeting it?
- Do I usually finish what I start?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s likely that yes, you should hire a coach. However, you can also benefit from hiring a coach in you developmental stages. While a coach is not an editor, they can help you brainstorm ideas and start on a great trajectory.
The more feedback you have before sitting down to write, the greater your chances of finishing well. Coaches are a tremendous asset both on your writing journey and as you start out.
What is the difference between a book coach and a writing coach?
While the terms are used interchangeably, “A book coach focuses on helping you through your writing process with a specific manuscript, while a writing coach focuses singularly on writing.”
This nuance can be articulated in the first word of each phrase: a book coach centers their focus on helping you complete your book while a writing coach centers their focus on helping you with the writing.
“Did you just repeat yourself?” you may ask. One coach I worked with sat me down and helped me through every single phrase of a page. While she did not edit my manuscript for me, she coached me through my reasoning for word choices and chronology of paragraphs, pretty much word by word.
This was a masterclass in writing and her writing coaching was a tremendous asset to me. I’ve also worked with a coach who does not pay as much attention to my writing as he does my book and my successful publication of my book.
These interactions rarely focus on my writing but my book journey: from dream to achievement. He encourages me when I need it, provides feedback on my process, and lends his insight when I have specific questions. Both my book coach and writing coach have greatly aided my writing journey.
So, while the differences aren’t stark in contrast, they do offer different areas of focus. Before settling on one for yourself, be sure you and your potential coach are on the same page about what you need and how to achieve it.
What is the difference between a writing coach and an editor?
A coach who focuses on writing is still different than an editor, not just in their approach but in the interaction you have with them. An editor may focus on the various literary devices you use, your plot structure, and a plethora of other details, and do so from afar.
In my work as a book editor, an author emails me their manuscript and I get to work. While we engage via emails with updates and questions, I am not their coach and therefore do not engage with them as much as with their work.
However, when I coach authors, my engagement shifts from primarily focusing on the writer’s work to a combined focus on the writer and their work. We engage via video calls, discuss the various elements of their goals, project, etc., and I (hopefully!) provide helpful encouragement and guidance.
These differences may seem nuanced. To help, just think of a coach as someone who comes alongside you throughout the writing process, while an editor focuses on your work after you complete the writing process.
How much does a writing coach cost?
How much a coach costs depends on their experience, what they offer, and a myriad of other factors. If you hire a coach who has never coached before, has little experience, and offers you the bare minimum, they will cost significantly less.
If you hire a coach who has coached for years or even decades, has experience to back them up, and is ready to offer you all the help they can give, they will cost significantly more.
There are two ways to go about hiring a coach:
- The first is to ask how much a writing coach costs, and determine your budget.
- The second is to ask how much it costs you to try and do it on your own.
If your budget is relatively small, do the research you need to and hire a coach who fits your budget and offers as much as you can get for your price point.
If you have a bit of a bigger budget, ask how much it will cost you not to hire a great writing coach. How much time will you lose without the encouragement a coach can offer? How important is your deadline and can you meet it without a coach to help ensure that you do? Do you want professional help on your book?
If the price point is an issue for you, one-on-one coaching through our programs is included with our life-time access programs, along with an exclusive community.
This involves group coaching multiple days a week. Our coaching is not generalized, but targeted at the specific stage you’re at in the process.
Usually the best coaching is the most specifically targeted, and our coaches will target your specific stage so you can get the most out of the coaching experience. Remember, choosing to move forward with hiring a writing coach is a big step toward your publication dreams.
Anyone can dream about writing a book. Most people can even start the process. Few people will make it through the halfway point, and even less will make it to the finish line.
Hiring a writing coach will help you not only start writing your book, but make it all the way to the end, with encouragement along the way. Just as a personal trainer wants to see you progress in your training regimen, a writing coach wants to see you progress from having your book idea to seeing it completed.
Writing coach: parting question and next step
Before you take the leap into hiring a coach, ask yourself one valuable question: Do I want to finish writing my book?
If you like the idea of being a writer but are not intent on finishing your book, a coach will be more of a frustration than a help. The relationship will not be pleasant for either you or the coach. If you answer yes, I do want to finish writing my book, launch yourself into finding your coach.
If you have a book burning inside you, a story aching to be told, and just aren’t sure how to make it to the final page, now is the time to take that step.
Your story needs to be told. You know the steps necessary to do so. The rest is up to you!
Enjoy the process of finding your coach, working together, and finishing your book. Receive their encouragement along the way and know that they are just as excited about you finishing your book as you are.
Wondering what the best path is for you? Take our quiz and find out!
