Writing a book is a daunting task no matter how many times you’ve done it. Typically, a writer gets an idea–a cheeky bit of dialogue winds its way into their ear, a feeling washes over them in a moment of stillness, or a scene plays out like a movie across their minds–and it’s off to the races. But even the most fully formed idea isn’t 80,000+ words fully formed. Not to mention the revisions that come after the initial draft.
In short, there are a lot of opportunities for support during this months (or years) long process.
So when can a book coach help? The short answer? Wherever you most need support.
The longer answer?
A book coach can help:
- With a new idea. Before you let that scene run away on the page, it’s important to take a step back and set yourself up for success. For one thing, do you know where that scene you’ve envisioned in your head belongs? It might not be the first scene of the book. It could be a turning point or a climax or even the end. A coach can help you flesh out an idea and create a plan of attack for drafting your novel so you don’t start in the wrong place or chase a subplot down a rabbit hole for 20,000 words before realizing it dead ends. Whether you are a panster or a plotter, a tool like the Author Accelerator Blueprint for a Book can help you create a story foundation that will make drafting a more efficient experience.
- Writing forward. A book coach can not only provide accountability during the drafting process, but can also work with you along the way to set deadlines and give feedback so you never have to feel alone in the process. Plus, this method ensure you are learning along the way, applying new skills as you write forward meaning your initial draft will be stronger than it would be without help.
- With revision. Revision can feel overwhelming once you have this giant novel container. Often, writers write their way to a very rough draft to only then discover what the story is after it’s on the page. There is nothing wrong with that approach, per se, but it might mean you have a lot of excavating and rewriting before getting to a workable story. A coach can help set a revision up for success by identifying what is and isn’t working in a writer’s manuscript, working with them to clarify their story’s goal, and creating a plan to address the revision in an intentional way.
- With querying. Query letters and synopsis, oh my! This is personally my least favorite part of the process and one in which I enjoy employing a coach myself. A coach can help you create a query that sings to get an agent’s attention. They can provide guidance and pitch support as well as help you analyze your responses in case you need to make adjustments to your query or manuscript along the way.
So when is it a good time to use a book coach?
Any time!
There is no bad time to work with a coach. A book coach can help writers improve their skills, provide strategies for overcoming writer’s block, and help writers struggling to make progress no matter where in the process that shows up for a writer.
If you’d like to talk more about whether it’s time for you to partner with a book coach, I’d be happy to chat with you about it in a free discovery call. I promise this is not a sales call, just a time to ask your questions and an excuse for us to talk craft together!
monicacoxnet.wordpress.com 
One thought on “When to Use a Book Coach”