A book coach is a professional ally on your writing journey.  Depending on your needs, a coach can:

• Guide you through developing your idea into a manageable outline so you can begin writing your novel from a position of strength.
• Help you continue developing an outline you already have, building on its strengths and eliminating weaknesses.
• Work with you on a regular schedule to provide accountability, feedback, and continued developmental brainstorming to help you write a solid first draft.
• Adapt any or all of the above for revision of a novel already written.

I provide editorial assistance as we work through development and/or writing together, but I do not consider myself an editor.  My job is to help you figure out how to write the book you want to write.  To use yet another metaphor, this is your rodeo.  I’m just the clown helping keep the bulls away. 

That said, I have excellent editorial skills.  I am extremely detail-oriented, apply strict logical thinking to plot points, and have a good sense of plot and structure, especially as driven by a strong central character.  I teach these things as we work together and consider my best success to be working myself out of a job.

No, I am not providing manuscript review services at this time.  I can give you information on how to find someone else, however, so please drop me a line if you are interested.

Depending on the service provided, I work with my clients on an agreed schedule that fits both of our needs and desired timelines.  When a writer returns pages or completed exercises, I will then take a scheduled number of days (usually three to five) to read and then usually provide both in-line comments on the pages themselves and a short feedback letter, complete with suggested homework for the next deadline.  I ask that clients meet their deadlines, as I will meet mine, unless changed by prior agreement.

I usually provide a feedback letter that details any issues I see arising in the pages—structural problems, character anomalies, pacing, snags in logic, etc.  I support these with in-line comments on the pages themselves, as well as grammatical mistakes, if any.  (I do not focus on grammar or copy editing, so you will want to ensure you find someone who will before you submit to an agent or self-publish).  I also suggest “homework”, potentially—but not limited to—revision of specific scenes, research, worldbuilding, or additional exercises.

I will not work on horror novels (with the world the way it is right now, I don’t need more nightmares), and do not know enough science to work on science fiction.  If you drop me a line, however, I can point you in the direction of someone who might be able to help.

I specialize in women’s fiction (book club, up lit, commercial and upmarket), historical, and YA, though I also love a good romcom.

Unfortunately, I do not feel I am the right person to help guide you through that process.  I can provide you with information to direct you to someone who can, so please drop me a line. 

No.  If I knew how to do that, I’d be a bestseller myself!  I can promise that provided you put in the work and the time, I will help you develop your idea into an outline and/or finish your book.  Generally, this also means that your completed draft is in better shape than an average first draft—perhaps as good as a second or third draft.  This does not mean that it will be perfect and you will not have to revise it again.  When you finish the draft, I will write a final feedback letter containing various structural and developmental revision suggestions to help you through that next step.  Not only that, you will have many of the tools necessary to make those polishing revisions on your own!

No.  My coaching business is entirely separate from my writing life, and it is not my place to use it as a referral channel.

Drop me a line!  Using the contact form here or through the services page.  I will send you a questionnaire to find out more about you and your work, and we can then discuss next steps.