Why Work One-on-One With a Book Coach?

~Guest blog by Michele Regenold

Opportunities abound for your professional growth as a kidlit writer! Conferences, workshops, classes, retreats—in-person and online. Plus books, podcasts, newsletters, and websites, including this one.
But there is another option: You can work one-on-one with a book coach.

What does a book coach do?
A book coach is a smart, experienced editor who provides feedback on your writing. This includes specific suggestions for helping you accomplish your writing goals as well as ongoing encouragement and support as you work toward achieving those goals.
Most book coaches provide both written feedback and oral feedback. For each submission a client sends me, for example, I return to them a short editorial letter with my big picture feedback along with their manuscript to which I’ve added my questions and comments. Then we have a call via Zoom to discuss any questions and reactions to the feedback and plan their next submission.
Book coaching relationships can last from a few weeks to a year or more, depending on the writer’s needs and goals, and the book coach’s approach.

Why would you want to hire a book coach?
Two core elements that a book coach brings to the work are accountability and feedback. Your book coach wants to help you craft the best story you can and accomplish your writing goals.
Some writers want more guidance early in the process and they seek help with the story premise, the characters, the plot, and the first draft. On the other hand, sometimes writers with a completed draft are too close to the story to see it clearly and a book coach can guide them out of their story wilderness.
When to hire a book coach?
​You’ll get the most benefit from working with a book coach when:

• Your critique group has already read several versions of your work and they no longer have fresh eyes.
• You’ve received feedback from an agent or editor critique, revised based on that feedback, and now aren’t sure if your story is better or worse.
• You know your story needs help/work but you’re not sure what to change or how.
• You love your story, want to give its best shot at being published, and are determined to do what’s necessary.

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What to look for in a book coach?
Their specialty
Much like literary agents and book editors, book coaches tend to specialize in terms of age group and genre. A book coach for adult mysteries and thrillers wouldn’t take on a writer of picture books, and probably not a writer of middle grade mysteries either, but maybe a writer of young adult mysteries.
For instance, I focus on helping writers of middle grade and young adult novels. In terms of genre, I’ve worked with clients writing MG historical, MG contemporary, MG science fiction, YA fantasy, and YA science fiction. I’d balk at novels in verse, however, since I rarely read them.
Consider what you need the most help with—is it the tropes of your genre or is it targeting the age group of your audience?
The experience level of writers they help
Consider your level of experience as a writer and your understanding of how fiction works. If novel writing is new to you, then seek a book coach who works best with newer writers. They’ll help you learn basic craft elements like the fundamentals of a scene and a character arc. Likewise, if you’ve already written a novel or two, a book coach who works with experienced writers may be a better fit.
The stage of the writing process
Also consider how much of your story has been written—a few pages, a partial draft, a complete draft. Some book coaches prefer to work on revision of an existing draft while others prefer to help you plan and execute a first draft.
The book coach’s credentials
There is no official licensing for book coaches. However, there is a company called Author Accelerator that provides an extensive certification course for people who’d like to become book coaches. They maintain a searchable list of Author Accelerator-certified book coaches.
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Other credentials include advanced degrees, professional writing and editing work and references from clients.

Most book coaches offer a free “discovery” or “intake” call after reviewing your submission packet, which is an opportunity for you to assess whether you are a good match.

If you want to write, but don’t know where to start, or if you are stuck in your work-in-progress and need a different perspective, consider hiring a book coach to help you realize your book-dreams!

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Bio:
​Michele Regenold is an Author Accelerator-certified book coach specializing in MG and YA fiction. She helps writers with big ambitions realize their goals through 1:1 coaching. Michele is a writer herself, mainly of middle grade fiction that often includes an animal character’s point of view. She’s represented by Mary Cummings with Great River Literary. Contact Michele on her website, check out her blog, and discover more about her tool for interviewing characters. 

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