Excellent question! A book coach is an editor, project manager, industry guide, accountability partner, and cheerleader. Like a seasoned teacher, book coaches don’t just tell you what to do; they help you develop the skills needed to do your best work. And like an effective sports coach or personal trainer, a book coach pushes you beyond what you even think you’re capable of doing, and they do so with encouragement and tough love.
Why have you never heard of book coaching before? It’s a relatively new profession born out of a need to ensure aspiring authors present the best version of their books when pitching agents or self-publishing. Literary agents today are overwhelmed with manuscripts, making the market highly competitive, and they don’t get paid unless they sell your manuscript, which means they want need manuscripts that are polished and near-publish-ready (there’s still a high probability you’ll be making some revisions and edits, either with your literary agent, acquisitions editor, or in-house editor).
In addition to the surge of manuscripts literary agents are getting, the option to hybrid or self-publish is much more prevalent, accessible, and accepted as a legitimate (and often, logical) path to publication. Choosing one of these options makes it essential for authors to get professional eyes on their work to ensure it is actually publish-ready.
So, what’s a book coach?
Got it! So why are you a book coach?
So glad you asked! When we set out to write a novel, there is a driving why that compels us to write. The same holds true for book coaching. Helping others has been a lifelong vocation for me, and I’ve always done so with a pen and notebook in hand. After graduating from Michigan State University and spending 15 years as a high school English and theater teacher in southeastern Michigan, I felt a pull to pursue my writing career. I began freelancing and teaching remotely, expanding my skills as an online educator and writing coach by designing online curriculum and coaching students with their college essays.
I discovered book coaching while writing my own novel (Julie Artz was my book coach during the revision process). I knew immediately I wanted to do what she does. Help others accomplish their book-writing goals? Talk about writing and books all day with like-minded creatives? Yes, please! A year after my own coaching experience, I enrolled in Jennie Nash’s Author Accelerator Fiction Certification program. While certification isn’t a requirement to become a book coach, training from industry experts was something I craved. I value education and wanted to learn all I could about how to be the most effective book coach possible. I’m so glad I did. Now, I get to spend my days helping people fulfill their dreams with my furry companion, Lucky, by my side.
Book coaching is my dream job; all of the steps I’ve taken in my career have led me to this profession.
What kinds of books do you read and coach?
You’re full of great questions! My book tastes are as eclectic as the manuscripts my coaching clients write. I’ve coached literary fiction, contemporary fiction, romance, satire, fantasy, and flash. I’d love to add upmarket women’s fiction, historical fiction, speculative, and YA to my repertoire! My main requirements? The story must have compelling characters, a plot that follows a believable cause-and-effect trajectory, and it must be written well. A compelling idea for a story is not enough without thoughtfully crafted syntax and diction (and bonus points for a unique structure). One of my favorite aspects of book coaching is helping writers revise their work, from big-picture structural changes to line-level revisions.
What don’t I coach? Hardcore sci-fi, physical horror, and erotica are not my jam. And while I love children’s literature and picture books, that’s not in my wheelhouse (but I’ll gladly direct you to a fellow Author Accelerator coach who specializes in these genres). Same for nonfiction and memoir: I don’t coach them, but I can send you to some fabulous coaches who do!
Interested in joining me as a book coach? First, click here to learn more about book coaching and then click here to sign up for the training.