Put me in, coach! Answering all of your Qs about coaching

Should I write this book?

The answer I have to this is simple— why not? I’d suggest asking yourself a different question, like what are your expectations? Fame? Give it a go. Family? Give it a go. You always wanted to give it a try, but never had time, and now you do? No answer is a wrong answer, but you’ve got to be specific. But to reiterate—if you’re even thinking about it, then yes, you should, or you’re going to question yourself forever!

With my book coaching services, not only will I help you start the journey, but I will also hold you accountable to finishing this book, and get you into the rhythm of writing. Out of 97% of people who begin writing a novel, only 30 out of 1000 go on to finish it. Only six out of those 30 go on to see their novel published. Where do you want to sit in this statistic? I do believe everyone has a story in them, and I’d love to help you share yours.

How does coaching work?

We start with a plan in our very first session—this keeps you accountable, and it keeps me accountable. We’re going to get your goals down, and track our progress against them

We meet twice per month for one hour—I’ve done this long enough to know that roadblocks come up. Trust me, shit is going to come up. Having support to navigate challenges, writers block, procrastination, getting stuck in your story is going to be what gets you through to the end. We’re building a writing habit for life-- that’s why we work together for at least six months, to make sure you build the habits you need to finish your book.

At the end of our work together, you’re not just going to have made progress on your book. You’re going to feel differently, you’re going to know you have what it takes to be a writer. And to deal with the challenges, the imposter syndrome, the writer’s block, the people who don’t get it. We’re not taught how to deal with that, but at the end of our time together you’re going to know exactly how to deal with that.

What all this means is, you’re not going to get halfway there. You’re not going to get stuck. We’re going to create the habits that make writing a lifelong (and hopefully fun) part of who you are.

Can you guarantee I’ll get published?

Of course you’ll be successful, you finished a book! That is a MASSIVE accomplishment! Now, getting it published is a different question. Publishing is a mystery, and sometimes it seems like there's no rhyme or reason to why books take off, but I do have some tricks up my sleeve to give you a leg up. Ultimately, everyone’s definition of success is different, and a large part of it depends on the work you’re willing to put into it. Do you work full-time? Part-time? When would you write? Will you commit to finishing? Don’t waste your time, and don’t waste mine either! I’m here to help you fulfill your dream, but we work as a team. I will note that some publishing companies, including RE:BOOKS, also do vanity books. Reach out for more information. 

How long will it take me to finish?

Writing is so personal. I can’t give you a deadline (unless I’m your publisher), but as your coach, I can nudge you along and help you set timelines. Creating your own deadline is a great tool because it allows you to map out your time and work towards a goal. As your coach, and someone who’s familiar with your process, I can help guide you towards a realistic timeframe, and give suggestions on how to structure your time in order to hit that goal.

Can you tell me what to write?

Yah, no. Hard no. A football coach doesn’t jump in to catch the football, and a writing coach can’t lean over your shoulder and feed you storylines. If you’re feeling blocked or uncertain about a turn of events, we can talk through options, and I can provide my opinions on your ideas, but I won’t give you my ideas.

What if I disagree with you?

You don’t like my advice? Great! Ignore it. Defend your choice. A large part of book coaching is learning when to accept feedback and when to stand your ground. At the end of the day this is your book and if you feel strongly about something, you need to be able to convince it’s a necessary component of the story. If you can’t, well, maybe that’s a sign that this isn’t the hill worth dying on, but ultimately I’m trying to get you to a place where every element of your story feels undeniably solid.

Still have questions? Or are you ready to write the damn book already? Either way, get in touch. I’d love to talk about your story.