What’s a book coach?

Just like a sports coach who helps an athlete reach top performance, a book coach helps writers create their best work. A book coach provides guidance in story construction, developmental editing, and offers emotional support during the writing process. While there are no guarantees, working with a book coach usually helps writers achieve better results in less time than when writers try to write a book without help.

Are you qualified to be a book coach? Are you a successfully published author?

I have been certified through Author Accelerator’s rigorous and thorough Book Coach Certification Program, which has equipped me to help writers bring out their best work. I have not traditionally published a novel myself, but editing and writing are two different skill sets. (Click here to read more about how book coaching is a separate skill set.) If it bothers you that I’m not a traditionally published novelist, then we’re not a great fit to work together, and that’s okay.

As for my educational background, I have a Ph.D. in applied and interdisciplinary mathematics and my graduate work in mathematical biology was published in academic journals. In addition to studying mathematics, I also studied music theory and composition as an undergraduate. I have always balanced the analytical with the creative, which is a top-notch quality to have in a book coach, if I do say so myself.

Will my book idea remain mine?

Yes! A book coach helps you bring your ideas to life through your writing on the page. Publishing credentials are fully yours because the work is fully yours!

Can you help me get my book published? Can you help me get an agent? Can you guarantee to make my book a bestseller?

The publishing industry is unpredictable and subjective. I cannot guarantee that working with me will help you get your book published, agented, or placed on a bestseller list. No one else can make those guarantees either. Do not work with a book coach or editor that makes these empty promises.

Will you write my book for me?

No. You’re looking for a ghostwriter, not a book coach. A ghostwriter uses a writer’s ideas and outlines to draft prose. A book coach empowers a writer to write her own book.

Will you proofread or copyedit my book?

No. You’re looking for a proofreader or copy editor, not a book coach. Proofreaders and copy editors typically work with an author in the final stages of the revision process to prepare a book for publication. A book coach works with a writer during the planning, drafting, and developmental editing stages.

What types of writers do you coach?

When looking for a book coach, it is to your advantage to look for coaching strengths that complement your writing strengths. My book coaching superpowers are connecting and organizing ideas (structure), book logic, trimming word count, knowing a book’s place in the market, and helping writers achieve big goals by taking manageable steps. If you need help in these areas, I would love to hear from you!

I’m open to working with writers of all experience levels working on commercial fiction set in the real world (women’s fiction, romance, historical fiction, historical romance, and select mystery, thriller, and suspense projects) for middle grade, young adult, and adult audiences. I do not work on erotica or horror. You can get an idea for the kinds of books I like to read in the next question. After our consultation call, if I don’t think we’re a good fit to work together, I’ll connect you with one of my talented colleagues who is better suited to your project.

***Coming soon: Nonfiction book coaching will be available in Fall 2024.

What are your favorite books?

The dreaded question of every devoted reader! Here’s a not-so-exclusive list of books I love.

Middle Grade: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, The Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager, Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt, Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee, A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat, The Next Great Jane by K. L. Going, Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca, The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson, the Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look, Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (And as a kid, my favorites included Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, and Redwall by Brian Jacques.)

Young Adult: Everything Sad is Untrue (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, Lovely War by Julie Berry, The Red Fletch by Margaret McNellis, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe, Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram, The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Adult Fiction: Thank You For Listening and My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan, Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, anything by Sarah Adams, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir, Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding, Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay, Very Sincerely Yours by Kerry Winfrey

Adult Nonfiction (not writing books): Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, Creativity, Inc by Ed Catmull, Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Finish by Jon Acuff, The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone, Rethinking School by Susan Wise Bauer, Quiet by Susan Cain, Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

Writing Books: The Structure of a Story by Ross Hartmann, Intuitive Editing by Tiffany Yates Martin, The Magic Words by Cheryl B. Klein, Writing Irresistible KidLit by Mary Kole, Dear Writer, You Need to Quit by Becca Syme, Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, Blueprint for a Book by Jennie Nash, Blueprint for a Nonfiction Book by Jennie Nash

Why do you homeschool your kids?

We slowly fell into the decision to homeschool. My husband and I both attended public schools, so we thought we’d probably go that route, too. As our eldest approached school age, we learned more about homeschooling and decided to try it. We soon came to appreciate the flexibility in scheduling and the freedom to choose studies tailored to our kids’ abilities and interests. We see ourselves as contractors for our kids education - we teach many subjects at home, but our kids also attend school classes and participate in extracurricular activities. We are thankful to have these options, and we value the many wonderful teachers who are part of our children’s lives.

So you studied mathematical biology… Exactly what is that?

Mathematical biology is an increasingly important field that applies mathematics to biological problems. It’s used in models of ecological population studies, disease transmission rates, biochemical reactions, pharmaceutical protocols, and so much more. My doctoral dissertation explored the role of cancer stem cells in tumor growth. (If you really want to nerd out on this topic, you can find an example of my work here.)