How to Work With a Writing Coach
Writing coach Linda G. Hatton breaks down how to work with a writing coach, including how to find one, what questions to ask, and more.
If you are stuck on a piece of writing, experiencing impostor syndrome, or just need some guidance and feedback about your writing skills, you might consider hiring a writing coach. If you are lacking a clear idea of what you want to work on, a coach can help you figure out your writing goals and help you determine your strengths.
Cost of Hiring a Coach
You might wonder if working with a coach will fit your budget. One benefit of coaching is that you can choose how often you want to schedule your sessions—whether it is weekly or monthly or anything in between, such as choosing to just send your coach a monthly retainer fee for a certain number of service hours each month.
Keep in mind that your coach will most likely spend time preparing for your sessions by coming up with writing exercises, evaluating your writing, and potentially sending you how-to articles they have written to address your specific needs. So if your coach charges $100 per session, you are likely paying about $50 per hour, or possibly even less, depending on how much time the coach spends preparing for each session.
How to Find a Writing Coach
There are a number of ways to find a writing coach. The best way is to look for recommendations from other writers in:
- Social media writing groups (Facebook has a number)
- Your local in-person writing communities (you may find these through a bookstore or library)
- Writer or editor associations (such as the Editorial Freelancers Association)
- By attending a writing conference (like the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference)
- Author events (where you can ask the author for recommendations)
Once you’ve found a potential coach, ask about a terms-of-service agreement. This little form also helps establish trust between you and your writing coach by stating that your work remains your work and the coach in no way owns it.
How to Prepare for a Session
During your initial meet-and-greet session, you can discuss what you would like to work on. You might focus on a novel, theatrical play, screenplay, poetry, creative nonfiction essay, blogging, or any other piece of writing in progress.
Once you decide on a particular piece of writing, your coach will likely have a timeline for when they would like to receive your piece for review—one week in advance of your meeting may be sufficient. Be clear about what you would like your coach to focus on. Here are some areas you may request:
- Grammar, spelling, and punctuation: Are you using the best words for your piece? Is your punctuation correct, or if you are breaking the rules, does it serve your story?
- Structure: Does your project’s structural order best serve your piece?
- Characters: Are your characters three-dimensional and believable? If not, how can you strengthen them?
- Plot holes: Does the coach have questions about the story’s world?
- Sub-plots & foreshadowing: How can you add layers to your story?
- Formatting issues: Are your headings styled? How can you indent your paragraphs without using tabs?
- Big-picture critique: If you would like help on all of the above, a coach can provide that too. You might, for instance, send an entire work first draft, then work through particular sections during each session.
You may prefer to work in another way, such as having the coach assign you writing exercises, help you brainstorm ideas, or answer general questions about your writing process. The coach may also provide you with tips about:
- Writing tools
- How to use Microsoft Word more efficiently
- How to query your writing
- How to organize your writing time
Knowing If You Have Found the Right Coach for You
During your session, pay attention to how your coach communicates:
- Does the coach use terms you don’t understand? If so, be sure to have them clarify.
- Does the coach explain why a section of your piece does or does not work, rather than just stating they liked or did not like something?
- Does the coach balance positive feedback with constructive criticism?
- Does the coach inspire you to write and revise?
Personality does play a part in whether you have found the right coach—and so does expertise. If you are a poet, a coach specializing in science fiction novel writing may not be right for you. But if your coach has a background in fiction and a good ear for poetry, this may be a good fit. Most importantly, at the end of your session, are you looking forward to meeting this person again?
Alternatives to One-on-One Writer Coaching
An alternative to having a Zoom or an in-person meeting is to work through email. Or you may choose to have a mix of the two. The coach’s payment structure will likely be different in this case, with them keeping track of hours and billing accordingly, so be sure to ask about their hourly rate.
Some coaches may offer group coaching where you can find support through your writing peers in a structured environment.
Happy Writing
Keep in mind that coaching styles differ. If you have tried one coach that did not work out, it may just be that your styles did not mesh. Another coach may be the perfect one for you.
Writing can sometimes be a lonely prospect. Having a coach can offer emotional support through their feedback on your process and progress. If you are working on a project where you feel overwhelmed, a writing coach can provide some handholding to help you along your way.
