I read a rather upsetting article the other day. It was called “8 Ways to Defend Yourself Against Writing Coach Scams” and even as I clicked, I was slinking down in my seat.

It was bad.

The article itself was fine, if a little bland, but it was published in a reputable publication.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you go from thrilled to the bone to do something to questioning all of your decisions? Spoiler alert: it SUCKS.

*My face when I have a moment of insecurity because someone else thinks my business is a scam.*

As a writing coach, it’s hard to read about what I do in such a negative light. Hell, in a human way, it’s hard to read that people do that to other people! I mean, come on. Who builds their life around scamming people who are just trying to do what they love? Or make a better life for themselves?

Gross. Seriously.

But after I got over all of these emotions tumbling out of my mind around me, it occurred to me that maybe people don’t really know what writing coaches do. I mean, I didn’t really know until I got more involved in the online business world. And there are SO many types of coaches, even just within my little world of writing!

So here goes: an explanation of what a writing coach can actually do for you, what I focus on specifically (it’s not scamming you - ain’t nobody got time for that!), and what it can help you accomplish as a writer. After all, you are a writer, right? Or you want to be - even if you haven’t quite called yourself one yet. (Which, by the way, completely okay! It’s a whole thing.)

What Does a Writing Coach Do?

Writing coaches tend to focus in one of two areas: development and publishing. Sometimes you’ll find a coach who does both, if they’ve had extensive experiences in more than one part of the writing process, but mostly, we pick one area that we like to work with writers on the most.

Developmental writing coaches, which is what I am, work with the ideas. We work with you on your thoughts to organize them and start writing. It’s mostly big picture stuff like creating a system of organization, habits, and writing schedule.

We love hearing about all of your wild ideas and we can help you begin to put them on the page with some kind of coherence - because let’s be honest, our brain is great at thinking about things about a mile a minute and not always great when it comes to actually writing said ideas down.

Writing coaches who focus on publishing are also called book coaches. There are a CRAZY number of book coaches, which is awesome, if a little intimidating. Book coaches help you get your manuscript ready to query with the hope of getting published by a traditional publishing house.

They can also help you get a book ready to self-publish, if you’re interested in going that route. These guys and gals are talented in the marketing and networking aspects of publishing. They can help most when you’re ideas and all shined up and ready to get sent out into the world.

Personally, I love the development - ideas - stage of writing. It’s a super passion for me because confidence is a big deal in the beginning of a new writing project, or a writing career. It’s easy to miss the connection between confidence and writing because, since writing is a skill, it is possible to communicate clearly without being confident. However, just because you can email your boss with ease (maybe) doesn’t mean you would feel good about sitting down to write a novel.

That takes GUTS.

So when I work with writers during coaching, a lot of what I do is build up confidence and make you feel good about where you’re at right now. It’s hard to improve when you don’t really feel good about where you’re starting.

Plus, I get it. I have one of those stories that people are like “Why did you stop writing for so long?” (7 years, to be exact), and it’s literally because I didn’t know how to take criticism and feedback. My confidence was super fragile and having your parents say you’re good at something doesn’t really make you feel great when a professional tells you you’re not.

How Can a Writing Coach Help You Be a Better Writer?

So what the heck do people use a writing coach for?

Short answer? To write better.

Hah!

Better answer: there are a number of things that writing coaches can help you do, depending on your goals.

Some of the things that I work with writers on include:

Writing a Novel

Going from idea (or hazy midnight thought to an actual, working idea) through the writing itself. We plan, write, and look at your writing together, similar to a writing workshop.

Writing a Non-Fiction Book

Planning and setting goals for a non-fiction book, like an e-book or something for business, and helping you get through the writing. Similar to a novel, we plan, write, and workshop your writing - with the added consideration of your specific audience. Who exactly is it for and what do you want them to do with the info once they get it from your awesome book?

Writing Organization

Helping you get your thoughts and writing project into some kind of recognizable book-shaped thing. It’s okay if you don’t write the book from beginning to end - I sure as hell don’t! That doesn’t mean you don’t need a system to put everything into so you can actually find the pieces you’re weaving together. Also, eventually it will need to have a beginning, middle, and end, so it’s helpful to develop a way to process things and keep them for later when you're finalizing everything.

Writing Goals

Even if you don’t want to write a whole book right now, having writing goals keeps you moving. We work together on setting both short- and long-term goals so you can take baby steps toward your writing dreams. Even if you want to be a NY Times bestseller. Even if you just want to write a few pages and see how it goes. No matter what it is, we’ll talk about it together, set goals, and check-in on them frequently.

Accountability

Here’s the thing - people procrastinate, right? For writers, “tomorrow” can easily become a year from now because they don’t feel like their writing is as important as other things in their life. Or maybe because they’re scared. Or even because they simply just don't have anyone to keep them accountable to what they want to get done. So, as a coach, I do check-ins and create specific tasks for you so you can start doing what you want (and stop feeling bad that you pushed your writing dream back again.)

Where Do You Find a Writing Coach?

I’d like to point out the power of Google...EXCEPT that’s probably not the best thing to do in this instance. I mean, definitely do your research, but Google is a super mixed bag with articles that are informative and articles that supposedly tell “definitively” whether you need a writing coach (or not). Oh, and about the scams. RE: Scared the hell out of me the other day (and I AM a writing coach who WILL hire a book coach when I’m ready. Yikes!)

So, what I recommend is asking around your writer friend circle if anyone knows a writing coach they love (surely someone knows someone). Personally, I feel like a reference from a trusted friend is always more comforting than great copy on a website or other reviews I might find.

I would also love to work with you! If you’re interested in what’s included in my coaching packages, you can check that out here. And, if you have any questions, we’ll hop on a call and chat.

There will never be a point where I tell you that I’m the only person who does what I do. Or the best in the world. I mean, I’d like to think I’m pretty great (lol) but in all reality, you’re the only person who can decide whether I’m the right fit for you. If there’s anything I’ve learned about working with writers and marketers and brilliant people in all kinds of industries, it’s that “best” is subjective. There’s almost always someone with more credentials or experience or XYZ than you. It’s just a fact with so many people here on Earth.

BUT

I love what I do, and I’m a damn good writer. I do it for a living! And I’ve loved it all my life. So, I definitely could be the best writing coach for you, which is way more important than “best writing coach ever” or whatever other boxes people tell you to “make sure” they have when you work with them.

My challenge to you is to think about your writing dream and book a call about writing coaching.

Have you read anything different about writing coaching? Had different experiences with coaches? Have questions I didn’t answer? I’d love to hear about your experiences and recommendations! Find me on social media or drop a comment below.

Let’s chat because you, my friend, are on your way to great writing.

What is a Writing Coach?