One of my author friends, recently shared she has an author coach to help her with her books. I mistakenly thought an author coach was the same as a writing coach. But there are slight differences. Which coaching is right for you? Author or Writing? Only you can decide.
Author Coach
An Author Coach coaches you through phases of your book beyond getting your manuscript written through editing, publishing and/or marketing stages. Depending on their expertise, passion, they might help you with a particular goal or stage of your book journey, such as:
Preparing your manuscript to get a literary agent
Guiding you in self publishing a book
Marketing strategies for the author and the book
Specific book marketing strategies such as Amazon ads, meta ads, selling direct, podcasting
Guidance for publishing on Amazon/KDP
Optimizing your book description and positioning so your ideal readers can find you
Writing Coach
A writing coach focuses on improving your writing skills and creating a good draft. They can provide feedback and encouragement, and work with you to clarify your material. A writing coach can be a good choice if you’re having trouble writing your manuscript and need customized feedback.
Writing coaches will:
Offer support and motivation to encourage writers to continue their writing journeys
Offering guidance on the writing process, such as brainstorming and idea generation, research, and outlining
Providing feedback and big-picture critiques about a written work, such as its content, structure, and overall effectiveness
Editing and proofreading a piece of writing to make sure it has no grammar and spelling mistakes
Helping you develop a personalized writing plan that includes specific goals, strategies, and timelines for achieving those goals
Do You Need a Coach?
You know more than anyone–what it takes to get something done, how you handle priorities, what triggers avoidance and procrastination for you.
Consider an author coach if:
You are stuck getting started or finishing your first draft
Maybe you finished your first draft and have no idea what to do with it next or can’t seem to make yourself self-edit it enough to pass to a professional
You know your concept is good, but aren’t sure how to put the pieces together well and make it interesting
Your manuscript is ready for publishing and you aren’t sure what to do next
Benefits of Using a Coach
One of the biggest perks of working with an author coach or book coach is the personalized guidance and support they provide. They’re like your very own writing cheerleader, there to cheer you on when you’re feeling discouraged and offer a gentle nudge when you veer off course.
With their intuitive questions, deadlines and accountability, a good book coach can also help you improve your writing and stay true to your heart and style. Their knowledge and experience can bring clarity and confidence to proceed, and help you prepare for the marketing phase.
Thoughts …
There you have it. There are many benefits to hiring an author coach. Certainly more than I have listed here. If you would like to learn more you can check out this link. I would love to have your thoughts on author and writing coaching. Just leave them in the comments below.
With gratitude …
I am so glad you’re here. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I am grateful that I can share my writing journey with you. It is an endless journey of learning and growing. A journey that I am enjoying.
I am now booking author visits for the 2025 school year. If you are a classroom teacher, teacher assistant, Parent Teacher Association President, or After school Director I can work with you to create a visit that will meet the needs of your students. Please contact me to book your visit.
My website has been updates and it is now interactive. There are surprises everywhere. Click on the balloons and see where they take you. Can you find two writing videos? Freebies? A chocolate chip recipe? There’s even a special freebie to anyone who subscribes to my newsletter. Check out the resources for children, parents and teachers, librarians and homeschooling families.
Please consider purchasing a copy of Two Wins for Wiley or Gertie Saves the Day for gifts. The holidays are quickly approaching and books make great gifts. Books can be read over and over again. It is my wish to get as many books as I can into the hands of children. Children need to hear all kinds of stories. A book is the best gift for both children and adults!
A request …
You can really help this author by leaving a book review on Amazon or Goodreads. You can leave a review for Gertie Saves the Day here or here. Two Wins for Wiley here or here. Reviews can be as easy as 2-3 sentences. It should take about 30 seconds to leave and would make a huge difference for this author.
