Did you keep your new year’s resolution last year? We’ll be honest—we don’t even remember ours! Every year, the vast majority of people drop their new year’s resolutions by February.’
Most people know they can increase their odds of reaching fitness goals by working with a coach. But while it’s easy to imagine a sleek trainer with six-pack abs pushing you to do one more rep on the leg machine, aspiring athletes aren’t the only ones who can increase their gains by hiring a coach.
If you’ve set a resolution to finish your book in 2023, we highly recommend working with a writing coach. But many people aren’t sure about how a writing coach can actually help them.
What do writing coaches do?
Most writing coaches offer either a structured program, tailored support, or a combination of both. For example, we offer a structured twelve-week program designed to kick-start your book-writing journey by exploring your book’s big picture. We also provide an eight-week program for authors who want to learn how to write an academic journal article.
But most of our coaching is tailored to our individual author’s needs. Here are the five things an experienced writing coach or author concierge can do for you.
1. Provide Writing Accountability
Since we’re talking resolutions, let’s start with the obvious—a writing coach provides accountability. Most coaches will set a weekly check-in meeting. Your odds of making progress on your book increase dramatically when you’ve got someone asking you, week after week, how the writing is coming!
2. Develop Strategies to Prevent Writer’s Block
But what if you’re trying and it’s not going so well? Writing coaches are well-acquainted with writer’s block—and we know how to help you overcome its root cause, whatever that might be. For some, that’s insecurity. For others, it’s idea overload. And there are lots of reasons in between.
“A second set of eyes matters for more than just consistency—a writing coach can also help provide encouragement, making the writing process more enjoyable.”
Your writing coach will get to know you, asking targeted questions to help you develop strategies for getting words on the page.
3. Help Hone Your Ideas
Speaking of idea overload, writing coaches can help you hone your book’s idea, ensuring consistency and reader satisfaction. We coach our authors to focus on their concept first, a step we find accelerates writing and strengthens the book’s overall impact. Since it’s difficult to do this work alone, it pays to work with an experienced coach.
4. Offer Encouragement
A second set of eyes matters for more than just consistency—a writing coach can also help provide encouragement, making the writing process more enjoyable. Although your friends and family may be eager to cheer you on, if they don’t understand the writing process, their encouragement can feel hollow at best. At worst, it can exacerbate insecurities. A writing coach knows what it’s like to be in the book trenches, so they can provide the targeted support you need.
5. Support Your Publishing Journey
When your manuscript is finished, do you know what to do next? If not, ask a writing coach! While most writing coaches focus on the writing itself, many can also share book industry insights. This type of coach not only helps you finish your manuscript–they help guide you through the publishing process, ensuring you don’t miss a crucial step along the way. And they’re there for any questions you might have as you navigate the uncertainty of queries, proposals, and editors (oh my!).
If you’re ready to make 2023 the year you finally finish your book, reach out to a few writing coaches now. We can’t speak for all coaches, but we’re always happy to offer a free consultation to help you decide whether a writing coach is right for you. Let us know if we can help by scheduling a clarity call.
You can also get a sense of how we approach our structured program by checking out our free guide, Your Book’s Big Picture.
We can’t wait to learn more about your book project!
