Do You Need a Writing Coach?

Need a writing coach?

There are countless types of writers, from the Pulitzer Prize winning novelist to the small child who pens poetry about his puppy. Some people write for a living. Some people write for art. Others just do it for fun. There are serious writers, and then there are hobbyists.

Hobby writers enjoy writing and generally write for personal reasons. They keep journals and may write short stories, poems, or essays. They might be blogging. Maybe someday, they’d like to become a serious writer and think about getting their work published, but for the most part, they write for the sheer enjoyment of writing, or perhaps for personal development.

Are You a Hobbyist or a Serious Writer?

If you’re serious about your writing, you have goals. You want to become a published author, a freelance writer, or you’d like to land a job on the writing staff of a publication or production team. You have projects you want to complete, and you’re consistently trying to improve your writing.

You pay attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You work to make each piece you write better than the last piece you wrote. Writing is your life’s work so you take pride in your craftsmanship, and you make every effort to generate work that is coherent and captivating.

But just because you’re serious about your writing doesn’t mean that you’re reaching all of your writing goals or that your work is consistently improving. You’re human. Sometimes you get distracted. One novel idea overtakes another and before you know it you have three or four half-written, unfinished novels piled up and you’re getting ready to toss yet another one on top of the heap.

Or maybe you’re tirelessly sending your work out for publication. You have sent it to literary magazines, agents, and editors. But no luck. You know that every writer should expect plenty of rejection letters before getting a big break, but you’re starting to suspect that your break won’t come at all unless you make some kind of breakthrough in your writing.

Enter the Writing Coach

Every person who has achieved success has done so by enlisting the help of others. Some of us were lucky enough to study writing at university. We enlisted the help of experienced and educated instructors and peers who were traveling a similar path toward becoming established writers. Our classwork and assignments kept us on task and helped us develop good writing habits.

Others are self-taught, but they too enlisted the help of others. They studied works by successful authors and absorbed books and other resources on the craft of writing.

We all need a little help crossing the finish line. If you can’t attend classes and workshops because they don’t fit with your schedule or budget, or if you have exhausted your self-help-for-writers resources, then hiring a writing coach may be a smart option.

What a Writing Coach Does

A writing coach does not stand on the sidelines, holding a stopwatch while counting your laps. A writing coach gets in there and runs laps with you.

Your coach should be able to relate to your struggles, but also should be able to offer solutions to help you overcome your challenges. A good writing coach will hold you accountable and firmly, but gently, encourage you to stick to your goals and make sure you complete your projects.

Finally, a writing coach is more than a productivity expert. A writing coach knows good writing, and will work with you to make sure your writing is the best it can be.

Do You Need a Writing Coach?

Before you hire a writing coach, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I have writing goals that I am consistently NOT achieving?
• Do I regularly drop the ball on my writing projects?
• Do I need to work on improving my grammar, spelling, or punctuation?
• Do I need to develop a stronger voice, more realistic characters, or better plots?
• Could I benefit by enlisting the help of a writing coach who will provide thoughtful, honest feedback?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then a writing coach just might knock the wind back into your sails.

Luckily, I know a someone who might be able to help you.

Your Writing Coach

You don’t have to read Writing Forward for very long before you realize how passionate I am about helping other writers. Sure, I do my own writing and I work as a full time, freelance copywriter, but I actually get the biggest thrill when I know an article I’ve written genuinely helped someone with their writing.

I love to write and I’m good at it. Plus, I love to help people, especially writers. Being a writing coach only makes sense. As your writing coach, I will help you:

• Set writing goals and then achieve them.
• See your writing projects through to completion.
• Overcome challenges that interfere with your writing progress.
• Improve the mechanics of your writing (grammar, spelling, and punctuation).
• Become a better writer through insightful critiques on your written material.

If you’re a serious writer and interested in becoming an accomplished writer by getting published, or if you just want to improve your craft, check out my writing coach program and let’s talk about your writing goals.

And if you’re not ready to hire a writing coach, then just stick around for more creative writing tips and ideas here on Writing Forward.