WRITER TIPS

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When Do You Need A Writing Coach?

Here are the most common reasons people seek me out:

You can’t get a project started
You can’t finish a project
You haven’t been published yet and don’t know how to get there
You’re frustrated with lack of progress
You have a completed draft and don’t know what to do next
You can’t figure out how to fit writing into your schedule
When you focus on productivity, your self-care gets back-burnered
You don’t know why rejections are piling up
You hate writing “in a vacuum” and need someone on your team
You are worried about sacrificing function for writing productivity
You find yourself pulling your hair out and thinking, I don’t know what I’m doing!
You have been published and don’t know how to take your writing to the next level
You have a chronic illness that slows you down but you want to write a book
You want to learn how to reach publishers and agents
You feel like you’re desperately grasping for success yet not getting anywhere
You have a story to tell and don’t know how to tell it
You want to gain more access to your creative brilliance

I can help you solve these and other writing-related problems. Check out my coaching services.

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Formatting Your Manuscript

First impressions matter in the literary world. Before sending your manuscript off to an editor, publisher, agent, or writing coach, you want it to look as good as possible.

This starts with correct formatting. If your manuscript is not properly formatted, your reader may not take your work seriously. Meeting the industry standards of formatting guidelines sends a positive message to your reader that you are a professional who takes pride and care in her work. This will encourage your reader to apply the same degree of professionalism and care while reading your manuscript.

Shunn format is the industry standard. A few publishers will ask for a different formatting style, but Shunn is the most widely accepted, and without it, many publishers and agents will not read your work. That’s how important formatting is.

Once you have your manuscript formatted correctly, be sure to run a spelling and grammar check. The more polished your work is, the more time and attention your editor, publisher, agent, or coach can spend on assessing its potential and value, and the more she will enjoy the read.

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When Do You Need An Editor?

A manuscript full of typos and grammar errors will not be taken seriously. It can even harm a writer’s reputation. An editor can remedy that for you and do a whole lot more.

She can help you achieve consistency in voice, scene, and pacing, note where plot pieces are missing, where characterization falls flat, and when themes don’t come round full circle. If you are struggling with these or other elements of story craft, a substantive editor can be an essential resource.

If you aren’t sure what order things go in, if you are having trouble figuring out how to present a character or certain information in your project, if your project has holes in it, if you can’t tell what reader feedback to pay attention to and which to ignore, you need an editor.

I can help. Find out more about my editorial services.