Why Every Author Needs a Book Coach

A lot of people lean on coaches. Think about it. You've got your sports coach, your nutrition coach, your life coach, your career coach. It's not for nothing, being coached can open up new avenues in achieving your goals and help to provide support where you need it most. It's the same when it comes to writing.

A writing coach is much like any other coach - here to keep you moving, give advice, help you level up, be a partner, be tough when it calls for it and be your cheerleader when you need it. A book coach's goals are aligned with yours. Though, admittedly, it doesn't come with as cool of a victory montage as say bodybuilding. None the less, you will see progress, you will get results.

You might be a seasoned author, or on your first rodeo. But let me tell you, there's never a better time to have a book coach than the present. It's obvious why you might need some coaching before your first big manuscript, especially when navigating the world of publishing. But for those who have already earned their sea legs, it's just as invaluable to have a mentor close by to ensure you're not stuck in your own echo chamber. What's that saying? 'If you're the smartest person in the room you're in the wrong room'.

Here's what a good book coach can do for you.

GUIDANCE

Get in at the ground floor. A book coach is meant to be there for you from beginning to end. You may need one sooner than you think too, once you've had an idea, your coach can jump in and help flesh things out, guiding you through the process of constructing the narrative flow. It's not ideal to present a nearly finished piece of work and then retroactively try and patch up any issues. It's more productive to collaborate from the get-go.

When I'm coaching a writer, I often gather the tools and resources needed to facilitate a smooth writing process. Beyond that, I help authors define their ideal reader, create an outline, find additional editors if needed, designers to help with illustrations and help with important decisions regarding distribution. Along the writing process, I'm here to give my two cents and make adjustments.

FACETIME

Writing can be a lonely, sluggish game. It doesn't take a genius to know that getting in a bad headspace can affect the flow of work and hurt the content. When working with authors, I offer frequent communication via email, phone and video call. It may seem small, but having someone to offer kind words of encouragement or be there to bounce ideas off of makes a world of difference.

Any good book coach wants to listen to those ideas that suddenly strike you in the middle of the night, and better yet, book coaches offer you ideas that you can incorporate. It really is a productive partnership that solely focuses on, well, you!

ACCOUNTABILITY

Spending all your hours on one project will get old fast. Maybe you've hit a narrative dead-end, or a piece of dialogue just sounds off to you. Sure enough, I've seen it before, you'll stop wanting to write. Keeping your productivity up takes a little push and pull, but having a good book coach keeps you accountable.

I work with clients on a flexible schedule that works well with their lifestyle and gets them churning our pages in a timely fashion. Weekly calls and regular deadlines mean you won't slip into a cycle of procrastination.

IN THE BIZ

Book coaches are in the business of novels, publishing, writing, and their knowledge of the landscape grants you otherwise tricky access to some of the resources, information, trends and expectations of the industry. Not to toot my own horn, but I can say that my unique perspective has undoubtedly helped grow people's books both when in the writing room and once ready for marketing. Some things you just can't google.

CHECK, CHECK 1, 2

Nothing quite like spotting a typo once your book has gone to print. Cue the heart attack. Book coaches act as your last line of defense. Sure, you may have spell check, Grammarly and a junior editor to look things over. But even some of the most obvious of errors can fall under the cracks.

One of the most important things I do is to read your writing. It's an active process that takes several runs, and it's not just for grammar but structure, language, flow and plotline. I make sure everything is airtight and ready for its debut.

Ready to put your next big story into words? I'm here to make all of that a more comfortable, efficient and definitely more fun process. All writers are different; all projects need a little something else, which means my approach differs each time to serve your needs best. Maybe you need coaching on voice, pacing, story, or perhaps you need the full package. Let's have our first meeting and flesh out your primary goals so that we have an understanding of what will up your writing game.

Learn more about how Bewitching Content can help you bring your book to life: www.bewitchingcontent.com or you can email the Founder at [email protected].