coaching
How do you coach writers?
After years working closely with writers of all kinds and at all levels, I’ve found that great writing is a three-legged stool—it’s all about practice, process, and craft, and strengthening each of these legs is what my coaching achieves. Practice includes your daily writing journal and how you show up as a writer in your life—taking notes, asking questions, being curious, open, and empathetic. Process includes how you develop ideas and create essays, posts, or books about them—ideation, outlining, drafting, development. Craft is all about form and style—your voice, your word choices and syntax, how you vary sentences, how sentences work and how the form of a piece of writing functions.
Coaching is for people who want to work consistently over a period of time with direct 1:1 support and guidance along their journey. Coaching involves teaching you about your patterns, challenges, gifts, and opportunities, as well as “how language works,” how to structure, outline, and organize, come up with ideas, and any other writing problem you can think of.
There are three common tracks that our work can focus on: personal writing, professional writing, and book coaching. These are not exclusive but can all be covered within the same container; most of my writers work with me on professional and personal writing (and these often become one!). Additionally, many of my writers start with their newsletter, blog, or personal writing, and go on to write a book, where our process shifts to meet those specific challenges.
Personal Writing
Using the writing process and practice to understand our life’s journey, tell and retell stories from your life to help you understand where you are now, and answer big questions about the future. The personal track is all about using writing to become more self-aware, more empathetic, better thinkers, and braver communicators. Some of this writing may be published and shared, some is just for you.
Professional Writing
Improving and strategic planning for shared writing related to your coaching business, solopreneurship, or small company. You might want to publish about your industry on Substack, set up a blog or get a newsletter off the ground, articulate your philosophy or leadership style for your site, uncover your niche and mission, or all these and more. This is not marketing or ‘content,’ it’s finding your voice and refining your message, articulating your services, methods, mission, and philosophy well, and reaching aligned people with your authentic self and true perspective.
Book Coaching
Many folks reach out for book coaching specifically. You might have a manuscript you’re stuck on and need help with structure, organization, storytelling. Or you want or need to write a book but can’t decide what it’s going to be about, what to cover, or who you want to write for. Maybe you need accountability and help creating a schedule to get your book done within some necessary or desired timeline. Perhaps you’re worried about staying motivated over the long-term of a book project, want to discuss traditional versus self-publishing.
In the first month or weeks of our work, we'll focus on big book questions, like readership (who am I writing for and how can this knowledge be helpful to me in my process?), mood and voice, content coverage and depth, mission and purpose, overall design and thrust, working toward a solid structure and outline. Then, we build a writing schedule for you to make sure you're creating the time you need, and you’ll regularly send me your progress to review in detail, providing feedback and guidance on the page, and picking up discussion points for our ongoing sessions. As your book coach, I'm also your dedicated editor from developmental through line editing to publication polish, and your emotional support team whenever you get blocked, frustrated, or start veering off course. Every book I work on with a writer, I want that process to help them in their work and lives outside of the context of the one book. In addition to being an incredibly rewarding and satisfying accomplishment, writing a book can be an extraordinary vehicle for personal growth and greater self-knowledge, and it's really an honor to guide people through this experience.
Note: Book coaching can have different fees than regular coaching. I cover pricing toward the end of this page.
What kinds of problems can you help with?
How the fuck do I write a fucking goddamn book?
Trouble coming up with ideas for your writing
Trouble organizing ideas
Trouble outlining and structuring your essays, posts, or book
Trouble starting a new project, book, or individual piece
Trouble finishing a project, book, or individual piece
Nailing the value prop, mission statement, philosophy, and differentiation of your solo business
Feelings of inadequacy because you didn’t “do well” in school and don’t “know grammar”
Wanting to develop an original, authentic voice
“What is style and how do I get it?”
Helping you understand your challenges in process and craft
Emotional and / or practical trouble sharing your work
Uncertainty about how to get work published
Keeping motivated or staying accountable through the writing process
Difficulty making decisions about what to include and leave out
Difficulty bringing research into my work, and / or properly citing sources
Not believing in your work or why you’re doing this
Not seeing yourself as a writer or a “real” writer
Not sure you’re smart enough or that anyone will care about your work
“I have something to say, but I don’t know how to say it”
“I have something to say, but I don’t think anyone will care”
“I have an urge to write but I don’t know what or why”
Who do you work with?
A significant number of my clients are business or leadership coaches; writing is such an essential part of great coaching work, and I’ve helped several new and seasoned coaches understand their niche and coaching philosophy, as well as how to codify their methods, through writing assignments, discussion, and practice.
I also work with founders, solopreneurs, and creators for whom writing helps find the right audience, develop trust with them, and achieve a deep understanding of their mission, values, and philosophy—to build an authentic platform with their true, resonant voice.
While writing will help you succeed in your work, especially when building your own business, many of my clients have begun working with me as they transition away from the hustle and commit to deep inquiry and change. Writing can be a path out of stress, overcommitment, and misalignment in your work life.
Wherever you’re coming from, our work will help you find greater balance, get in touch with yourself, answer big questions, expand your thinking, and improve your writing craft. Where that craft wants to take you is something we’ll discover along the way.
See if you can find yourself here:
New or seasoned coaches who want to discover and reach their niche, develop and articulate their philosophy, codify methods, and improve their coaching practice
Founders who want to share their expertise and experience in the form of a blog, newsletter, or book
Founder who knows better writing will improve their communication, ability to fundraise, ability to sell and market, and the prospects for their company
Influencers looking to turn their content into a book or written guide
Solopreneurs and indie makers setting up a first website or business offering
Memoirists, essayists, newsletter writers and bloggers, authors working on their first or third or tenth book, and nonfiction writers of all kinds
Someone looking to make a big change in their lives who is open to being guided to greater self-awareness by the writing process
People who say things like, “I’ve always been drawn to / curious about / afraid of writing!” or “I used to create all the time, and now it’s been years. I wish I could find creative expression in my life.”
Do you work with fiction writers or poets?
My expertise is in editing and coaching non-fiction of all kinds. I am very happy to work with poets who are interested in the essay or hybrid forms. My masters thesis was in poetry, and many of my nonfiction writers are also poets or begin to explore poetry with me! Fiction is a great, great love of mine, but I can’t help you write your short story or novel—many other coaches can!
Do you work with teams?
Yes. If you’re interested in learning how writing can bond your team and prepare you for growth, downturns, and resilience, especially for early-stage startups, please reach out directly to discuss.
You may also be co-authoring a book with different teammates like a researcher and copywriter; having a coach there to keep everyone on schedule and directing the work can be extremely helpful. If you’re reaching out for book coaching and are working with a team, let me know in your email!
I’m interested in developing my editing career and/or coaching writers, can you help me?
I’m always happy to talk to people interested in editing or coaching, send me an email and let me know what’s up!
I’m a coach / founder / etc but have just one project in mind that I need editing on. Can I hire you as a freelance editor? How much would that be?
Rarely, I will moonlight as a freelance editor for a significant project like a book or series. Best to reach out directly and tell me what you’re looking for help on. (Subject line: “Editing”)
How do I get started working with you?
Contact me and tell me why you’re reaching out and what kind of support you might be looking for. If I think it might be a good fit, we’ll schedule an hour to talk about your goals, process, and challenges, how I might help, and how you want to work together.
When you first email me (subject line: “Coaching”), please also include a sample of your writing (a link or attachment is fine). This does not have to be an example of your “best” writing or a published piece; in fact, it could be something you’re really struggling with right now! The point is to give me a sense of how you write. If you have nothing to share, that’s ok, just let me know you’re not yet at that stage.
For book coaching: Subject line “Book coaching”; please include the status of your book, whether you’re attached to a publisher, and relevant material like an outline or sample chapter.
When we talk, I’ll ask you about your process, goals, and challenges, share my thoughts on what support / process might be helpful, and answer any questions you have. If we both think it’s a good fit, I’ll send you a proposal for how we might work together or an agreement to move forward based on our conversation.
How much do you charge?
I charge a monthly retainer for coaching clients rather than a session basis or hourly fee. Why?
Clients often want feedback on a variety of writing as it comes up (a founder whose book we’re writing might say, “Hey, can you review this slide deck by the end of the weekend? I just can’t see it anymore, does this sound real?” The answer is yes, happy to! As a coach I am here for all of your writing and thinking needs, and am available as things come up.
Our relationship is holistic and I do not track the time I devote to your work or growth.
Depending on your schedule, desired cadence, and where you’re at in a specific project, weekly or biweekly meetings might be best. (I can also help you figure this out in our free session.) For either arrangement, we talk in our sessions about what you’re working on, any insights or challenges that have shown up, discussing where to take a piece, doing deep inquiry through narrative interview, or doing a ‘craft hour’ of fun on-the-line live editing. You’re also getting editing on all your pieces, process and publishing guidance, prompts and assignments, a living curriculum based on your development. As your coach, I’m also available by text and of course email, and happy to join your Slack or Discord especially if you’re working with a team.
Weekly sessions at $2,000
Biweekly sessions at $1,200
My book coaching fee is based on frequency of meetings, volume of material you want help on, and depth of feedback or editing desired, as well as the current status of the book. Manuscript reviews can be $3,000-$6,000 or more, and ongoing book coaching anywhere from $1,200-$6,000
Do you ever offer reduced rates?
Yes, for a strong fit and enthusiasm to work together I am happy to figure out a comfortable cost and arrangement for both of us.