The idea of writing a book is awesome... sometimes we just need a little push.
Working with a book coach can help you overcome some of the common hurdles on the path to finishing your manuscript, such as:
- Challenges with laying out the book's structure or crafting a compelling start.
- Lack of clarity about the key message of your book or the core audience.
- Struggling to allocate consistent writing time.
- Anxiety about your heartfelt work not garnering enough reader interest.
What is book coaching?
Book coaching allows authors to work with a writing professional to help them write their book. The process provides encouragement, planning, feedback, and perhaps most importantly, accountability for the author. Through this service, authors will receive the guidance and tools they need to turn ideas, experiences, expertise and story into a fully-formed first draft while gaining confidence in their writing along the way.
Why does it matter?
Everyone has a story in them and you deserve to tell yours!
Writing a book is no easy feat; it can be a monumental and time-consuming task.
Writing is a solitary pursuit, and it can be difficult to maintain momentum while sitting alone at a desk, trying to hold yourself accountable and learning as you go.
Much like a music teacher, personal trainer, or business coach, a book coach removes the guesswork and teaches skills and techniques to help authors improve.
A coach is in your corner, talking you around blocks, helping create a plan to stick to, and holding you accountable for each word you put down on the page.
Pairing with a book coach is perfect for authors who have a book in them, but who may be:
- Busy
- Blocked
- Wanting to improve their writing skills
- Stuck somewhere in the middle.
- Having a hard time getting started
- Lacking the motivation to show up at the keyboard every day
A book coach can help you break down a project into manageable steps, and can help clarify your vision, provide expert feedback, and help you stay on track to reach your goals.
Service options and pricing
Coaching Essential Package: Block of 12 sessions
$2,999
- Block of 12 video-coaching sessions over 6 months
- Twice-monthly (every two weeks) video sessions with your coach: 45 minutes
- Recordings of the calls for you to refer back to
Every session allows for the coach to read and offer immediate feedback on up to 2,500 words of new writing or 1,000 words of your outlines or plans, which should be provided to your coach in advance of the session
Book Coaching Lite Package: Block of 6 sessions
$1,799
- Block of 6 video-coaching sessions over 3 months
- Twice-monthly (every two weeks) video sessions with your coach: 45 minutes
- Recordings of the calls for you to refer back to
Every session allows for the coach to read and offer immediate feedback on up to 2,500 words of new writing or 1,000 words of your outlines or plans, which should be provided to your coach in advance of the session
Book Coaching FAQ
Our team of book coaches is a group of accomplished professionals with expansive experience guiding authors through the intricacies of writing books. Among their combined accolades are prestigious literary awards, notable editorial positions, and publications across a wide range of genres; they have worked with prominent traditional publishers and in magazines, journalism and ghostwriting.
This depends on how much time an author has, and how much progress they’re making with their manuscript. In order to keep the ball rolling, and to set authors and coaches up for success, sessions will be at least twice a month (every two weeks is ideal), and they'll choose a mutually convenient recurring day and time
The length of a book-coaching engagement can vary depending on your goals and needs. Some writers may only need six sessions to get back on track, while others may benefit from ongoing support over many months. Your coach will work with you to develop a coaching plan that fits your timeline and budget.
Absolutely! Once you’ve used all your sessions, you can purchase more to continue the progress you’ve already made with your coach.
Authors will receive a reminder email a few days before each session. If they can’t make it, they must reschedule within 48 hours or else forfeit the session. We won’t be able to provide refunds or credit for no-shows or late cancellations.
While book coaches and editors are both professionals who can help authors improve their writing, they have different responsibilities. A book coach typically works with an author at the beginning of the writing process and helps them develop their ideas, organize their thoughts, and create a writing plan. They can provide guidance on the overall structure of the book, and provide regular feedback and accountability throughout the writing process to help the author produce a well-crafted and engaging manuscript.
An editor comes in after the author has completed a draft of their manuscript, and their role is to review the manuscript for grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, and overall readability. Depending on your editing service, they may also make structural or developmental suggestions. The goal of an editor is to polish the manuscript and make it ready for publication.
- Structuring: Develop a strong framework that delivers meaning and keeps readers engaged from beginning to end.
- Overcoming writer's block: Learn strategies for breaking through creative blocks and staying motivated throughout the writing process.
- Writing style and technique: Refine your writing style and technique. Coaches offer advice on sentence structure, avoiding common mistakes, and using literary devices.
- Editing and revising: Edit and revise as you go in order to achieve the strongest first draft possible.
- Preparing for marketing: Receive guidance on the publishing process and how to get ready to market your book effectively. This could include assistance with preparing your back-cover content, writing an engaging synopsis, and identifying your target audience.
In the book-coaching service, coaches read up to 2,500 words of new writing ahead of each session in order to assist you with the writing process. Tellwell’s Manuscript Development service would be the better option in this case, where an editor will read everything you’ve written and provide a report to help you make a plan, bring it together, and help it take shape.
The book coach’s mandate is to work with you from the early stages of writing, often from inception. You will work together to create the first iteration of your book: the first draft. Once the draft is complete it is time to revise, and an editor is the best bet for this process. An editor brings a fresh set of eyes and a new perspective, both of which are vital when it comes to an objective appraisal of a draft. Moreover, an editor will see the errors that you and your coach are too familiar with the work to notice.
Absolutely! No matter what the final word count of a book may be, there is so much involved in planning and executing a book project. Writing a children’s book comes with its own unique set of standards and conventions, and due to length constraints it comes with its own challenges, too. Our team of book coaches possesses a wide range of experience and expertise, and includes coaches who specialize in children’s books.
Book coaching helps writers bring their book projects to completion by providing guidance, support, and feedback on various aspects of the writing process. A book coach can offer advice on anything from plot development and character arcs to writing style and marketing strategies. If you're struggling to make progress on your book or feeling stuck in your writing, a book coach can help you get back on track. They can also provide valuable feedback and insight that can help you improve your writing and increase your chances of market success.