When I worked at Doubleday in New York, our office had its share of high-maintenance authors, some of whom needed hours of assistance weekly to talk through both personal and professional problems. In addition to the mundane tasks I performed around the office, that became part of my job. As it turned out, engaging personally with writers was perhaps the most interesting part of working in big-league book publishing.
What Is Author Coaching?
Writing can be a lonely pursuit, especially over the course of an entire manuscript. An author coach is somebody who will be there to lend creative and/or emotional support, and to give advice about thorny issues within your manuscript.
As an author coach, I take a holistic approach to realizing the best in your manuscript. All issues, including narrative structure, characterization, vocabulary, and sentence structure are addressed and personally discussed between us both over the course of the first draft or re-write. We can also work on the best actual system for writing your book – be it via a story outline, automatic-writing exercises, or simply implementing a weekly word quota.
In short: you will be working one on one with a professional developmental editor over the course of your project.
How Author Coaching With Word Pill Works:
Author Coaching involves taking your project chapter by chapter through developmental and line editing with one-on-one sessions with Word Pill throughout.
Via video conferencing, we meet weekly, or bi-monthly (depending on need) to discuss the changes or direction the project might take. First I read your entire manuscript, then we begin working on it together, one chapter at a time. After I send changes and recommendations on a portion, we will have to opportunity to discuss it together, over Skype or telephone.
Who is Author Coaching Recommended For?
Writers who are looking for more guidance and support than a manuscript mark-up can provide will benefit from author coaching. Perhaps you are having problems motivating yourself to get the actual work done. Author coaching makes you accountable to somebody, and gives structure to what might otherwise be an endless, amorphous process of writing and/or revision.
Writers who want an intensive one-on-one writer's workshop with somebody who has professional experience in editing, writing, and teaching.
If you don’t have a completed manuscript but want a partner to brainstorm the direction your partial manuscript, proposal, or outline should take, author coaching is also an ideal solution.
Writers who are on a (metaphorical) ledge. There is no shame in asking for help.
Word Pill Author Coaching is one hundred percent discreet: I seek no credit in books published professionally or privately.
How Much Does it Cost?
I have to see the proposed project to be able to give an exact quote, but my prices are very competitive when compared to other Author Coaching services.
How Do I Know I Will Connect With You As An Editor?
I am happy to edit a sample chapter of up to 3,500 words and conduct a video consultation before you sign on, free of charge. Send me an email and I will give you my Skype account, or we can talk over the phone, if that is better for you.
Personally, I enjoy working with difficult problems because it challenges me as an editor. Send me your best, but don’t worry if you think it’s your worst: I would be happy to hear from you either way.
What Are Your Qualifications?
Author Coaching is an emerging field. There are no degrees or professionally recognized certificates. My qualifications come from fifteen years as an editor and literary review publisher, coupled with another ten as a classroom educator and private tutor, not to mention the fact that I am a writer myself.
e-mail: matt@wordpillediting.com
Read Matt's Blog
HERE! >>