A book writing coach is, just like the name of this website, a writer’s ally. A writing coach is there to help you develop your book idea, organize your writing, and dig you out of slumps.
But it might be best to start with what a writing coach isn’t: a writing coach isn’t your editor or your ghostwriter. Instead, you can think of your book coach as your guide—basically, your sherpa on the writing path, and also your first objective audience.
A writing coach is there to help you:
- outline your idea and develop it into a compelling narrative
- identify your main objectives for the book
- map out a schedule and timeline for successfully completing the book
- determine your target audience and gear the writing to that audience
- know where and how to focus your research
- organize your content into a well-framed manuscript
- point out areas of strength and identify areas that need improvement
- guide and encourage you through rough patches
- stay focused and motivated toward the end-goal
- recommend developmental and copyediting options if necessary
- decide on the best publishing and promotion methods for your audience
4 Tips for Working With a Writing Coach
No matter what stage of the process you bring in a writing coach, and how much time you’re able to afford, this partnership will almost always be to your benefit. Writing a book can be as challenging as it is rewarding, and having an expert mentor to lean on can be invaluable to getting through the hurdles and making your book realized.
- Hire as close to the beginning of the project as possible. You wouldn’t want to try to find a trail guide in the middle of a hike, right? If you hire close to the beginning, your coach is there through every step of the process. However, a writing coach can step in and be helpful at any stage of the writing process, so if you’ve already started your manuscript, it’s not too late.
- Don’t be shy. Once you reach out to a writing coach, the first step will most likely be a phone call or, if you’re lucky enough to find a local writing coach who is able to meet, an in-person meeting. This introductory meeting will give the coach a chance to learn about your project, what you hope to accomplish with it, and what’s holding you back. Take advantage of this chance and don’t be shy about sharing your aspirations and fears with the writing coach — all of this can be valuable information for him/her in helping you reach your goal.
- Get the most bang for your buck. Determine the budget you have for a writing coach and how many hours you are able to pay for based on his/her hourly fees. Clarify your budget with the writing coach and discuss how you can make the most effective use of the time available. Even a few hours of guidance from a writing coach can make the difference between a manuscript gathering dust and a real, complete book.
- Be motivated, not intimidated. Don’t think of your writing coach as an intimidating presence you are afraid to disappoint, but an inspiring guide who is there for those times of struggle—that’s their job! Take advantage of having this ally and trust the guidance they provide to get you where you want to go.
Online Writing Courses: An Alternative
For writers who either don’t have the budget for a writing coach or aren’t quite at the right stage of the process to begin collaborating with one, online writing courses offer a couple of distinct advantages. An online writing course can act, in a sense, as an inexpensive version of working privately with a coach or as an “on ramp” to eventually working with a writing coach—for instance, when you’re gearing up to write the first draft, but want to take some time to hone your writing skills before you dive in.
The good news is, if you think this is the right direction for you, there is no shortage of options. There are close to 50,000 Google queries for “free online courses” every month in the USA alone. Assuming that it’s not one person searching for the phrase 16,000 times a day, that result translates to over 20,000 people looking for free online courses every month—and, to meet that demand, there are many courses available.
There is a reason for all of this—chief among them, in my opinion, is the benefit of the workshop aspect of online writing courses. Why is workshopping so valuable? Because no learning is complete without an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned. No learning is complete if a trained professional does not review and comment on your assignment. Workshop-based writing courses fill that gap. So if you do decide to pursue this option, be sure to find a writing course that gives you the opportunity to write and get feedback on your assignments.
4 Reasons to Try an Online Writing Course
- The feedback on your assignments is valuable knowledge you won’t forget. Let’s face it: once you’re out of an educational or academic setup, it doesn’t matter whether you remember the technical terms and definitions. What matters is whether you are able to apply your education the next time you write. While the theory of the course will be full of explanations and rules to follow, the assignments generate the true value, which is why an online writing course that doesn’t include some interactive element is little more than a useful webpage or series of articles. A good instructor’s remarks will stick with you and the next time that you write, you will remember the mistake you made in the assignment and what the instructor had to say about it. Taking a writing course is about gathering this kind of knowledge. What you should get from a good writing course is how to bank on your strengths, and how to recognize your weaknesses, address them, and turn them into strengths. And most of all, how to apply these lessons to create more effective drafts.
- You can learn from the comfort of your home writing studio. Although mingling with people and crowds is an increasingly important part of being a writer, especially during the promotional process, writing and solitude have always been indivisible when you’re talking about the writing process. Many writers prefer to work from the comfort of a peaceful place. This calm context helps writers focus on their work and let their imaginations fly. So the internet age has given writers a great gift: the online writing course. Students and trainees can enroll in classes, learn, and improve their skills from their homes, and as you’re likely to be doing your writing in the same place, it is easier to make a seamless transition from learning to application.
- They give you the flexibility to work around your schedule. The beauty of these courses to many people is that they give you the ability to choose your study-time according to your own daily schedule. Get your best ideas over coffee in the wee hours of the morning? More of a night owl who types feverishly in the dark? There’s a course out there for you.
- They are ideal for beginners. While online writing courses are good for writers of any stage, they are an especially great place for beginners to start. One of the most common hurdles a beginning writer may face is the fear or embarrassment around sharing his or her writing in front of a room full of strangers. Moving that interaction to a virtual classroom deflates this worry. Online writing courses offer beginners the opportunity to get crucial feedback without paralyzing fear and can serve as a good starting place to practice the feeling of vulnerability that always comes—even for experienced writers—when we share our work.