Q&A
Writing Coaches, Book Doctors,
Book Coaches
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Is a
writing coach expensive?
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Do all writers need a freelance editor or writing
coach?
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What can a coach
do for me?
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Can I try a book coach's
services before I pay?
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Do I need a coach?
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Is it the Writing Coach, Ghost Writer, or Editor's
job to make the book publishable?
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Beware of writers posing as a Book Coach,
Book Doctor,
or a Writing Coach?
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How to distinguish between editors and predators.
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What
makes a good writing coach?
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How do I Choose
a Good Writing Coach?
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Am I ready for a book coach or writing coach?
No.
I helped one author polish their work, which was published for only $120.00. That was all the help they needed. I
critique 10 pages and compile an easy to understand report for $30.00.
And, I tell clients, right up front, whether I can help them or not.
I can also refer clients to resources where they will find -
FREE HELP- to help promote
their
own books, and career as a writer.
I do not differentiate
between published, e-published, and self-published author, but many
editors do. There are
successful authors in all three fields, each measures whether
they are a 'real' author by different achievements. Each field has
national awards, and each has goals they strive for. The editor
needs to understand what is needed. A writer needs a coach that
works in their field. A traditional publishing editor in the
literary field cannot help a romance writer. A traditional
publishing editor cannot help an e-book writer. An e-book editor
cannot help a self-published writer. These are true, unless the
writer is experienced in the field.
Writing coaches can cut years
off the time needed to become a published author. Editor work on one
manuscript, or project, but rarely leave the client with enhanced writing
skills. A writer who wants to be published by a large publishing
company needs to find a freelance coach or editor who has dealt with that
company. A few weeks of professional help can make the difference
between acceptance and rejection.
A
good book coach does more than prepare a book for publication. A few
hours with a book coach can cut years off the time a new writer needs to
become a published author. They do this by using the writer's own work to
help them learn how to self-edit.
A book coach is doing a
disservice to their client by taking their work, editing mistakes, and
then handing it back. A writer can hire an editor to do that.
A coach should walk the writer through the book. This provides the
writer with strong editing and rewriting skills.
Normally,
no. However, I have several online services where writers can read
articles, receive free lessons, listen to online lectures, or take
low cost courses ($19.00 - $39.00) to find out if my style of coaching and
editing will work for them. Just go the the link page to find more
about the free help I offer authors. I also offer new clients a base fee.
We will work until that fee is used (5 hours). After that time you
may continue, or leave.
Any good coach will offer
samples. Many good editors and coaches do take your writing, and
send you back a half hours work, to show what they can do for the client.
They are also willing to
exchange emails. Personally, I would hesitate to work with any coach
or editor who refuses to work with an author, offering samples, and
exchanging e-mails, for a couple of weeks before a contract is sent.
"It's not
what we know that results in failure. It's those pesky little
'intangibles' that we don't know. They sabotage our achievements.
If we knew what we don't know, we'd all be successful."
Can you answer
yes to these questions?
- I want to be a paid
author, not a hobby writer.
- I work hard to achieve my
goals
- I do not understand how to
implement the theory taught in books and courses into the skills needed
to make publishers accept my work.
- I do not understand why
poorly written books are published and mine is not.
- I want someone else to
write or correct my book (ghostwriting).
- The entire concept of
author promotion boggles my mind.
- I just want someone to
tell me whether my book is worth finishing.
- I do not want to take a
course, I learn better with a one-to-one mentor.
- I have read a dozen books,
and taken courses, but I do not understand how to make my dream a
reality.
- Everyone tells me my
writing is good. So why do I keep receiving rejection letters?
- How can one writer get
their first book published, while I have been writing for five years and
still have not received on positive response from a publisher.
- I am published, but want
to know how to land a bigger publisher.
- I am interested in
self-publishing, but do not want to spend $3000.00.
These
questions, and many more, haunt writers. The publishing world is
unfair, unjust, and confusing for many new writers. Digital printing
opened the world of publishing to people who only dreamed of seeing their
work in print. However, the education world has not kept up with
teaching these new writers how to make their dream of a writing career a
reality.
This is the biggest
misunderstanding. A writing coach is hired to help a writer develop
their own style and voice, improving it to the point their work can be
published. A ghost writer is hired to write the book in an appealing and
marketable manner. The editor's job is to find grammar and structure
mistakes, so the writer can correct them. (Editors and coaches do
not make the corrections, only ghost writers do.)
However, because these
professionals are working with the writer's story, style, voice, and
themes, they are unable to change the book and make it publishable.
In many cases, it is illegal
for an editor to change the writer's work. Their job is to make
suggestions.
Book
and writing coaches offer the same services. A Book coach or doctor works
on structure and elements of a good book. A writing coach improves a
students writing, but should be able to work as a book doctor, if they
have enough experience. The problem arises when one coach tries to stretch
themselves too thin. They not only offer the services they are
strong in, but they offer extras. i have seen editors and coaches
offer to do everything from copywriting and technical writing, to fiction
and articles, to speeches and sales presentations. Everyone in the
industry knows that this is impossible. It takes years to become an
expert at any one discipline. Just look at the number of years it
takes to become an educated writer in one discipline.
There is no reference to
current or past clients, and testimonials cannot be confirmed.
It is easy to say you are a
working editor, it is hard to prove that you actually have clients.
However, it should not be too hard to point potential clients to published
articles on the web and in print.
It should also be easy to
contact their associates.
There is no way to confirm
the coaches credentials.
There are many ways to
translate the information on a web page or brochure.
"I worked with _____
publishing company for three years."
This can mean several things:
- I was the receptionist
- I sent had one article
published the first year, and one article published the third.
- I checked the final proofs
for typos.
"I have twenty years
experience."
- I started writing twenty
years ago.
- I wrote stories in high
school, twenty years ago.
- I worked as an intern at a
publishing house twenty years ago, and have been active as a writer ever
since.
- I have no education, but I
have worked with friends, helping them with their own work, for twenty
years.
"I am mult-published"
- I have one hundred free
articles floating on the web.
"I am an award winning
author."
- I won three contests in
the last twenty years.
Remember, you are suppose to
be dealing with 'experts' in the communication world. These people
are promising to make the client appear to be a wordsmith, so any
misleading statements must indicate the coach/editor is either:
- 1) Purposely misleading
the client
- 2) An amateur
How would a truly experienced
writer rewrite the above examples?
"I was senior editor for ____
publishing for five years. I have 23 articles in print, 45 paid
articles on the web, and 250 free self-promotion articles on the web."
"In the last twenty years I
worked as an editor for three publishing companies, have coached over 200
writers, and taught more than 80 writing courses, 150 workshops, and was a
guest speaker 32 times."
"I won The National
Self-Publishing Excellence award in 1999"
"My publishing credentials
include, three books that were signed by a publishing company, two of
which were published, and 45 articles, the three most prestigious were
Living with Stress, published in Life magazine, January 1991,
Parenting for Work at Home Moms, WHAM magazine, May 1998, and How to
Make $100 000 as a freelance writer, How to Write, Dec 2000."
It is misleading to advertise
as a ghost writer in the hopes of landing a few extra dollars if you
really are a coach. This professional should advertise themselves as
a coach with extensive experience as a ghost writer.
Can any experienced writer
be an editor or writing coach?
NO. Think about it.
If this were true, then publishing companies would not need in-house
editors. They would just wait until experienced writers sent them
perfect work for print.
Can any in-house editor or
freelance writer work as an editor or writing coach?
No. In-house editors
learn to meet the demands of that particular publishing house.
Freelance writers are in a better position to offer their services as a
freelance writer or writing coach, because they work with dozens of
publishers, and can help their clients meet their industry standards.
A good writing coach is not
necessarily the most published writer, or the longest working editor.
A person can work their entire life as an editor, and never excel above
mediocre.
A good coach should
understand what the publishing industry needs. More important, they
should have a solid understanding of adult education and coaching methods.
The best writer may make a lousy coach.
Example: A writer with ten
novels published can only teach their clients how they became published.
A teacher who works with hundreds of writers, or an editor with experience
in adult education, will have the skills to communicate with clients in a
clear, concise, and beneficial manner. The writing coach must be a
fan of the genre.
A practical example: A
romance writer hires a freelance editor with a BA in English, and ten
years experience in literary publishing. The project takes four
months, and $2000.00, but the manuscript is perfect. Five years
later the novel is still unpublished. The writer takes the
manuscript to a freelance editor with experience in the romance genre,
only to find the vocabulary (vernacular) and grammar style are a college
level. This poses a problem because most romance novel readers want
to read at a grade 7 - 9 level. This writer did receive good
service for her money, unfortunately, she hired the wrong service.
Writing
coaches fall into
two groups. The first group have found success and a high degree of
recognition and respect in their respective field. They promote
themselves, and offer to accept clients. These coaches rarely promote their
clients, or their share the joy of their client's success. They
impart what they know, then leave the client to use the information to the best of their ability.
These coaches leave clients with few new skills, and no ability to
independently improve their performance.
The second type of coach
focuses on the client. They measure success by the acclaim
their clients receive. They do not impart knowledge, but, like a
sports coach, encourage their clients to build skills and learn to excel.
A good coach should:
- be willing to
exchange a few emails, or chat to you on MSN or YAHOO.
- have a broadband
phone service so they can discuss problems on the phone.
- reply to emails
within one business day.
- be able to send students
to multiple web sites and print publications to research their style.
- not change the client's
style, voice, or message
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Yes.
Promotion must start before you start writing. This is
especially true if you want to follow the traditional publishing route.
Traditional publishers do not promote books by new authors. These
back listed books only have a six to eight week shelf life, after that
they are returned to the publisher who sells them to clearing houses. Many
publishing houses do not pay royalties on the copies sold to clearing
houses.
Without backing from a
publisher, and with only eight weeks to make an impact on the book buying
public, an author either needs mega bucks, or to have a solid fan base,
and well developed network in place before their book is released.
This takes a committed plan of action, and a couple of years investment.
A book coach can improve
structure and prose so a writer is published sooner. Some can also
help authors learn how to promote themselves, cost effectively, so they
are able to sell large numbers of books when the time comes.
So, if you have decided that
writing is the career for you, then you are ready for a book coach.
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