Usually when we think of coaching, we think of sports. A team coach. A hitting coach. A defensive lineman coach. But many business leaders have coaches too. In fact, multiple articles are found online about people who use coaches including Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack Obama, among many others.
In a 2013 TED talk, Bill Gates said;
“Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter if you’re a basketball player. A tennis player. A gymnast. Or a bridge player.” And then the video cuts to a picture of Gates playing bridge. He goes on to say, “we all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
In the video, he goes on to talk about teachers…and the lack of coaching in that arena. But that could also be said for writers.
But the tide is changing.
It’s becoming more common for writers to have a coach – called a book coach. I’m not talking about their editors or their agents, although both would certainly fall into the category of coach. I’m talking about a coach that is with the writer from the start of their writing journey and helps them through the hard days. The days when the story isn’t coming together, or the characters are not dynamic enough.
A book coach will ask tough questions to get the writer to think…what does your main character want? Why do they want it? And what’s the point of the story?
A book coach is the one that sticks to a process and holds the writer accountable. And they will help to deliver the writer into the query process, supporting their writing along the way.
Throughout my 30+ years in business, I have always had a coach. Through those long years, they have educated me to see things up ahead that I would have otherwise missed. They encouraged me when opportunities presented themselves. They motivated me to aim higher.
I loved the concept so much that in 2023 I became a certified book coach – helping writers reach their audience and realize their dreams.
Here are two articles on book coaching and developmental editing and their benefits.
The first is from Author Accelerator CEO Jennie Nash. In her piece, Why Do Writers Hire Book Coaches? she discusses what a book coach is and whether hiring one may be right for you.
The second is from the writer’s perspective. By Caroline Leavitt called Why it’s okay to hire a Developmental Editor – And Not Keep It A Secret. In it, she proudly admits to hiring a developmental editor, aka book coach, to help with several novels and notes when it’s a good time to consider one, even “when you think you’ve done all you can do.”
If you’re on a writing journey, or know someone who is, I’d love to help. Pass along the link to my website www.SecondActBookCoaching.com, or just drop me a note and say hi! I’d love to hear from you.
You can reach me at Nancy@SecondActBookCoaching.com and tell me about your writing journey.
Continue the conversation:
If you’ve had a coach or mentor in the past, what is one thing they helped you accomplish?