To answer this question, first let’s talk about what a writing coach does NOT do: we do not line edit; we are not book doctors who rewrite the manuscript; we are not ghost writers; we do not co-author books; and we do not teach writing courses (although writing coaches have taken many writing courses). In coaching various authors over the past three years the initial call is generally spent dispelling the myths of what a writing coach does and how we can help authors start, continue, or finish a project that may be suited for an article, short story, chapter, or novel.  My first client was a gentleman in his 70s who wanted to produce his family history for an upcoming family reunion in Joplin, Missouri. He had an extensive genealogy background and had done considerable research tracing back his family roots to the early 1800s. He and I talked about “filling the gaps” with a fictionalized account of what might have occurred between two factual points: kind of like connecting the dots. The book took on the flavor of a historical fiction novel that was much more entertaining than the dry, genealogical approach originally considered by this author. He self-published the book and went to a professional binder to produce a book that remains a history of his family and conversational table piece for the family coffee table.  Another client, an MD with an impeccable reputation as a gynecologist wanted to capture his four years of medical school in a descriptive novel comprised of vignettes of composite medical students encountered in his four years of medical training. The book, A Harvard Death, will be published this summer. We worked with the manuscript, finding an agent to market his book to publishers before landing a publishing contract for his first book. This client was quite motivated to complete his manuscript and had set a deadline of one year to publish his book. He painstakingly reedited the manuscript at least four times with the encouragement of his coach, friends, and colleagues. It didn’t hurt any that he also had a Masters Degree in literature and had taken writing courses twenty years after his medical training.  Another client had a monthly newsletter she wanted to produce for busy executives who spent considerable time in airport lobbies. She is a motivational speaker with a busy consulting practice and deadlines were not being met. She hired me as her coach to keep her accountable and to break down her work into weekly segments that would lead to a quality monthly newsletter.  Still other clients want to know how to pick the right agent to market their project to reputable publishing houses that are not vanity presses. Important is the ability to write a proper query letter that describes the project succinctly, the applicable market, and the author’s credentials—all in one page single-spaced. This is perhaps the toughest part of an aspiring writer’s repertoire. Most writers are verbose and do not know how to sell or pitch their book in five minutes or less.  What do aspiring authors have in common? First, they are incredibly dedicated to writing and have been voracious readers their entire lives. Second, they have experienced numerous rejection and writing critiques and have “thick skins” developed by years of receiving rejection letters and critical comments by writer colleagues. Third, they want to improve their writing and look at this art form as a continuous growth process. They are seldom satisfied with a completed manuscript, just as an actor or director is seldom content with a final cut of his or her movie. Fourth, writers are quite creative and intelligent. They are great storytellers and understand the difference between narration and action. The proverbial “show me, don’t tell me” is the basic tenet behind being a good writer. Fifth, writers are resourceful people who have led unusual lives or met life’s challenges with dignity, daring, and determination to excel or “beat the odds.”  So the next time you have an interesting story to tell, don’t be bashful. Place your butt in a chair and take finger to keyboard and weave your story as an artist would mold from clay or paint with broad brush strokes on an empty canvass. No one has the right or power to censure your creativity, circumstances, or confidence. Be brave and tell your story. Who knows? Maybe your story will resonate with thousands of readers who will be inspired, entertained, or informed. Helpful Hints:

1. Take out a sheet of paper and write down five life experiences that changed the way you viewed the world. Describe a person who changed your life and the relationship that ensued as a result of his/her impact on your life.
2. Create a fantasy scene that encompasses something or someone who could pass as believable.

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