What Does It Mean to Hire a Book Coach?

by Jenna Faccenda / November 23, 2018 / Editing, Guest Posts

Today, I’d like to welcome a guest to blog!

While a book coach myself, in the past I haven’t talked much about what exactly a book coach is or does on this blog. So when Jenna approached me with a post on that very subject, I figured now was a great time to dive into the issue in a little more depth!

Below she talks about everything from what hiring a book coach is like, to why you even would to begin with. I hope you all enjoy this guest appearance by Jenna, and I encourage you to drop in and say hello to both her and her co-writer Rachel over at Writely Me!

Embracing the Writing Journey

Writing a novel can be a journey to say the least. You start with this idea in your head and flesh it out into this entire 50k word novel. To say that’s an achievement is an understatement, especially when there’s no formal education around writing a novel.

You don’t need a degree to have a book published—you just need to create one.

So, without some sort of manual, how do you know when you’re doing it right?

Well, in the world of writing, there are professionals available to help you in both the creation and polishing of your novel. Some of these professionals include editors and book coaches.

Editors work with you to polish your novel once your manuscript is complete. They’ll help you pinpoint problems in your plot and in the development of your characters. Some editors will even work on the grammatical errors found in your manuscript.

Then, there are book coaches.

The Writing Cooperative defines a book coach as “a writing partner in all aspects except for actually writing.” A book coach works alongside you through the writing process as both a coach and an editor, and can help you build your initial outline or act as an accountability partner to bring your story to life!

 

Should You Hire a Book Coach?

The Benefits of Hiring a Book Coach:

A book coach is like an editor, beta reader, and coach all-in-one.

They’ll be there through trials and tribulations, helping you past the roadblocks you face along the way, and they’ll help make your writing process feel less isolated thanks to some simple guidance.

There are several benefits that come with hiring a book coach. Some include accountability when making time to write, help putting your ideas into words, a person to brainstorm with, or an outside perspective on your work.

When to Hire a Book Coach:

So, how do you know when it’s time to work with a book coach?

Deciding to work alongside someone is all dependent on how you are as a writer. If you don’t want someone to see your work until it’s complete, then hiring a book coach probably isn’t the best decision for you.

But, if you find yourself pausing your writing due to different roadblocks then a book coach might be a great solution. Normally, the best time to hire a book coach is at the beginning of your writing process, but you can hire a book coach at any time.

Who Should Hire a Book Coach:

All of these are examples of people who would benefit from hiring a book coach.

Ashley has been working on her novel for a year now and has over 100k words written. The problem is, she feels like her story has no direction and she’s struggling to try and find a way to end it.

Joe knows exactly the story he wants to tell. He knows the characters, the ending, even the plot twists he wants to implement. The only issue is that he’s struggling to get what’s on paper to match what’s in his head.

Rachel hasn’t worked on her manuscript in over a year. She just has random scenes written down on napkins and the back of receipts. It isn’t that she doesn’t want to finish her story; she just can’t find the time to write with her busy lifestyle.

A book coach could help Ashley tie up the loose ends in her story and give it a proper ending, or could help Joe formulate his thoughts and ensure that they translate onto paper just as he wants them to. A book coach could also help Rachel carve out the time to write and help her make real progress on her story!

How to Hire a Book Coach:

Fortunately, book coaches have become more popular in the last few years, which is great!

You can find a book coach by searching the web or through the editors behind your favorite writing websites. In terms of pricing, every book coach’s rates are different and normally dependent on a unique plan.

However, regardless of who you work with, there’s usually a common system book coaches will use. In the beginning they’ll offer a consultation to go over your personal needs and devise a tailored plan for you. After that plan is put in place you’ll set goals together and your coach will help guide you through weekly check-ins, consultations, or other methods.

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Overall, hiring a book coach is a great way to jumpstart your writing or pick it back up if you’ve fallen out of the habit. There are tons of coaches out there who specialize in all kinds of genres and methods, all with a variety of personalities.

You can be sure that one of them is right for your novel!