They are very different. Book coaching starts with an idea, an outline, a partial draft, or a completed draft and supports the writer toward completion. Editing reviews a completed draft and makes suggestions, revisions, or corrections. Coaches review draft pages and provide feedback but make no or only light corrections such as dialogue punctuation, speech tags, and obvious spelling errors to demonstrate good writing practice.
Both! I offer coaching for fiction and nonfiction projects. I understand that the demands and deliverables vary for the two and further vary depending on your publishing plans (traditional, independent, or hybrid.)
The development processes have many similarities but the end products are quite different. Mostly this depends on publisher demands. Traditionally published fiction is sold on the merits of a complete and polished manuscript. Traditionally published nonfiction is sold on the strength of a book proposal. Independent or self-publishing fiction and nonfiction require a complete and polished manuscript before formatting into book or ebook form. A well thought out book proposal and pitching plan will help fiction and nonfiction writers, regardless of publishing format.
A successful story coaching experience relies as much on having an open and positive growth mindset as it does on plot, structure, and writing skill. Bring a willingness to dig deep into your story concept and potentially change various story elements. At the beginning of the coaching process, you’ll complete a story-related questionnaire and share your notes, outlines, pages, story bible, character lists, and chapters.
Take a look at the processes, deliverables, and suggested readiness detailed on this website. Choosing a book coach is a deeply personal endeavor. One that requires trust. I aim to earn your trust by treating your words, your goals, and you with respect and objectivity. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your project and get your questions answered.
We’ll meet by video or audio conference or by phone. I utilize several secure conferencing platforms. Most clients prefer Zoom, but I also offer Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. Conferencing can be recorded on request. Phone conversations are not recorded. If you choose all coaching via phone, just be aware that you won’t have a recording to refer back to topics for future reference.
Every new client receives access to a personalized Author Portal and Google Drive Folder. The Author Portal is a repository for all your project documents, our business communications, contracts, writing resources, invoices, and scheduling. No more shifting through months of old emails. The Google Drive folder provides a way for you to share larger and real-time editable files.
First, to the fullest extent of the law, I do not share your personally identifiable information (PII) or manuscript with anyone at any time or for any reason. Second, my business systems are secured with Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, self-certified with Privacy Shield Certification, and adhere to GDPR regulations, United States Fair Information Practices Principles, California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA), and Children Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA.) Finally, the Google Workspace platform includes robust security detailed here.