Writing coaching

[Jo Zebedee]

Following on from one of the posts in the writer's doubts threads, it made me remember my early days when I found a dearth of feedback: not confident enough to show anyone my work in a critique forum; not far enough for a editor to be what I needed.

I'm a qualified coach and I enjoy that sort of work, although I'm not doing much at the moment. I think I'd need to be published before I set anything up but in the meantime:

A coach would provide one to one sessions, either face fo face or, given my location, more likely remotely. Your immediate writing goals would be identified and a short programme designed around those. Crucially with coaching, the coach provides guidance and support, the coachee sets their aspirations and has responsibiltiy for the actions needed to achieve them, so it's very empowering. There's also a high degree of trust and confidentiality built into such a relationship and I'd be happy to join an accrediting body ( well, the nearest there is to it, it's a very murky world) to give peace of mind. It would not be an edit of your work, although reviews would probably form part of the contracting, but something with an empowering future-focus.

So, my questions ( hypothetcially)

Would anyone be interested in such a service?

What writing credentials would you look for in such a coach - publishing credits? A published book? Agented? Multiple books? Samples of completed works?

Would you pay for such a service? (Hey, I'm an impoverished writer!)

 

[Nick B]

That is an awesome idea and I am sure people would pay for good coaching, good luck.

I also am an impoverished writer (I think it's mandatory isn't it?) so sadly couldn't actually pay for such a service, but I'm sure plenty of people would.

 

[Mouse]

Sounds like a good idea to me!

Writing credentials - yes, those sorts of things you've listed. Would I pay? I would if I had the money.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Putting myself in the place of the (comparatively) young writer I once was (and imagining I had more money then than I actually did), I'd want some idea of what that kind of programme would be, what it might include -- because (possibly because I have never worked with a coach of any kind) I have no idea how a programme of that sort would work or what it would offer.

So apart from your credentials and the cost, I'd want some more specific examples of what might go into such a programme.

But I am afraid that earlier me would not have signed up for such a service with anyone but an already published writer with several books. Either that or someone who had worked a long time for a publishing company. I would want someone who had already gone through the entire process.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Interesting answers, thanks everyone. Money might be the scuppering element - aspiring authors may not exactly be a goldmine... (Who knew)

Teresa, I agree - this would be one on the long finger, if I got published. It's certainly what I'd look for in a coach.

In terms of the programme - sample programmes could be mocked up easily enough, but as each programme is tailored to the client, that would often be agreed at the initial, contracting stage, meeting. What if that meeting was free with no obligation to go on?

 

[ratsy]

Springs, I think that is a great idea and think you should seriously give it a plan. Does this kind of thing exist already? I have never heard of it...but I have never looked.

God knows I could use such a program. Coaching is a great thing. In sports they focus the players, train them in the proper ways to do things and give motivation...then make them practice, practice, practice. It wouldn't be that different.

Cool idea

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Then I might go to the meeting, if you caught me at a time when I was frustrated and looking for help. But that vagueness of "each programme tailored to the client" might make me reluctant to do even that.

It may be that I have a suspicious mind, but that would not inspire confidence. I would still like to know examples of what you had done for previous clients (naming no names, of course) so I would have an idea if it was even worth my time to go to such a meeting where I might possibly be pressured by someone who was trying to scam me.

Since it's you, I know that isn't what would happen. But we're assuming I didn't know you, aren't we?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Ratsy, it's a similar relationship - built around building the coachee, not just imparting skills.

Teresa, I can see that level of caution, especially if it was primarily e-led. I suppose what I'd do is do a few foc/cover costs charge and build some testimonials from that. Then launch with clients' comments/sample programmes (which could be built into the free of charge contract if suitable confidentiality was achieved.)

I might do a business plan and see if there are any guinea pigs at some stage - it would also tell me my costs for a programme.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

That might be enough to get me to the meeting; it would depend on whether anything in those sample programmes seemed to address my goals.

 

[Gary Compton]

Would you be willing to do the class in black leather and have a semi-colon whip? If so, I'm in!

 

[Hex]

I was going to write a comment but I'm afraid Gary has destroyed all my capacity for thought.

...

Oh right.

Well, what would worry me as a beginner n all would be my own ability to judge the goals that I was supposed to set.

So coaching's a nice idea but I'd be a bit like Teresa (if I didn't know you) and I'd suspect it was about getting me to do the work -- thinking up the goals -- and then basically cheerleading at me.

I'm the beginner -- how would I know what I need to know or do?

I'd want evidence that (a) you knew what you were talking about -- so published book(s) etc.,
(b) you had some way of helping me to develop goals -- some useful way that would make sense to me, and to develop goals that I understood and also thought were valuable,
(c) I'd like some kind of link to tangible outcomes. Is this about feel-goodery and floatiness or can something in the programme lead me closer to overall success and a film deal and merchandise in my local Starbucks etc etc.

There is also the tiny detail that people can be reluctant toy recognise how beginnery they really are. I try not to, certainly.

 

[Gary Compton]

"It's Friday night, ladies," he says in a Del-boy type voice. "Time for fun, frivolity and pina-coladas."

Haha!

Sorry Springs. I will now behave.

 

[crystal haven]

Does this kind of thing exist already? I have never heard of it...but I have never looked.

Yes, it exists. I've seen this from published authors in the historical romance genre.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Teresa, Hex, you're a hard sell...

An example of a coaching programme for eg getting agented ( and that's the first thing, I suppose, they are very much geared to an outcome. Which isn't to say someone couldn't take one for ongoing development, but then it would ordinarily be broken into small steps)

At the first session, we'd decide what, exactly, you want to achieve. A one-off query or the skill to carry it on? For a specified agent, or a wider range? What genre? What experience have you had to date and how did it go? I'd also review your learning style so the agreed activities would be ones you actually benefit from (see in a second), your longer-term aspirations. We'd agree our approach, what you're prepared to do between sessions, confidentiality and what not. From there, you would suggest ways you might be able to move things on, I'd provide suggestions as to what might achieve that, and you'd go away with actions before the next session ( I'm making this up as I go along here - I'd do a lot research before the first meeting ordinarily)

The sort of actions/support would be tailored to your learning style - so for a reflector, perhaps reading Queryshark for us to talk about next time and decide the next goal from, for an activist writing a sample query based on a exemplar, for a pragmatist perhaps writing one and getting critique feedback from, for a theorist researching agents' perspective on what they want to see. ( hopefully it's becoming clearer why I wouldn't be able, neccesarily, to produce a past programme that would solve your question - that's what a training programme provides and, as the first meeting is contracting, it might well be what I suggest someone avails of instead of coaching, if I don't believe they're committed to the process.)

The second session reviews the work done between the two meetings using some coaching models ( see in a moment) and reviews goals - which might change between sessions. You may now see the need to have your first ten pages shipshape to go with the query - at which point we'd review how to work on that.)

By the final session, working through the process, I'd hope ( provided the coachee works, which is part of it, although I'd help with keeping motivation etc) you have everything ready to go and, crucially, the abilty to write any query in the future.

The sort of models use vary from person to person, dependant on what their goals are, which model they find easiest to use ( I usually try a range so that they can take those away as tools for future learning) but most are based on

Setting the goal
Reviewing where you are now
Looking at the options ahead
Selecting an option/way forward and planning how to best achieve it.

So, yes, Hex, there is work to be done. It's not a training course - they provide a different outcome and suit different people - and if someone wants the answers neatly packaged and handed to them, coaching isn't the tool, and I'd be upfront about that. I like success not miserable mis-matched people. The beginnery thing is definitely valid and comes down to the ability of the coach to manage.

Technically, a coach can provide support on any area of specialism - but a mentor can't, they are a specialist - but tend to more effective when they understand the environment the coachee is working within. But I've coached people in occupations I know little about very effectively because they provide the questions and answers, I provide the environment to facilitate the achievement of it.

And no, Gary. Sorry.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

So this is for someone who already has a complete manuscript they plan to set out? Or would there be another programme for writers who are still in the process of completing a manuscript and want to polish their skills?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

So this is for someone who already has a complete manuscript they plan to set out? Or would there be another programme for writers who are still in the process of completing a manuscript and want to polish their skills?

It can be delievered to anyone at any stage of the process from someone not sure how to start writing to established writers wondering where to go next with their career. It's less about the writing skills per se as developing the skills you need at that point. Which is why I'm not sure that it's where you're at as a writer that's as relevant as how good you are at coaching, if that makes sense? A very good writer with publishing credits and no coaching skills would be worse than a good coach with less writing experience - but they would be a very good mentor where the person without occupational competence couldn't mentor.

I've coached, amongst others, youth workers, engineers, CEOs, social workers, business development managers and unemployed people seeking work. My occupational competence in some of these areas is zero, but that doesn't matter because my competence is in the arena of coaching.

 

[millymollymo]

This reminds me a lot of the life coach I used to know. A lot of (would be) writers I have encountered are not the most confident of creatures. (Can't think why ) Also they are known to over think, plot and worry about an outcome before it's in front of them. Now more than ever, expectation, and the possibility of that dream coming true can get really clouded with all the Twitter, internet, blog advice, some totally irrelevant to the genre. It can leave you hellishly confused. So yes, there is a calling for it.

Coaching is a people skill, writing doesn't require the same talents, though can tap them.

But, as Teresa has pointed out, and stressed oh so elegantly, money is a massive issue, we don't do these things because of the warm glowy feeling it might bring (regardless of the whip and leather Gary needs ) As a person that can spend her meagre earnings ten different ways before it's landed in the bank, I would want to see reputation, experience, confidence, past results.
And then there's the whole time commitment thing - how many hours are expected - is it just an adhoc approach? "I'll get back to you when I can." from your students is going to result in a busy Jan-April and quiet summer.

Evaluate what your time costs. I'd suggest a tiered approach, so that you and your student can review and progress, pay monthly, or via each goal reached.
Each potential client is going want an individual approach, so arrange the pricing and goal structure around them.


Would I use it? Personally? No, but I am not everyone else.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Yes, it's similar to the life coaching model. The problem with it was that a lot of people jumped on that bandwagon without training - or aptitude - and gave it a bad name. I think, looking at the responses, it's probably beyond the means of most writers. Because it's one to one, unlike a training course, costs are high. Ah well. Back to the day job.

 

[Hex]

For me (but I appreciate this is probably just me), I'd like a research background to the learning styles stuff because my attitude towards questionnaire-based stuff has been influenced by dodgy internet questionnaires, and anything where people are packaged neatly into one of four groups makes me twitch all over.

(That's just a matter of presentation, though, not a fundamental issue).

re the one-to-one -- could you do online workshops/tutorials like some of the agents do? 8 people at a time, maybe, and everyone not only gets your feedback and support deciding aspirations etc, they get the feedback of their peers -- and that's motivational too, like weight watcher meetings. Then it would pay you more overall, and cost less for each person. You could offer one-to-one on the side.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Group coaching is a possibility and it does bring costs down. If you get a good group it's nice and energetic which helps the motivation.

The learning styles is done using Honey and Mumford and supported by a Myer-Briggs profile, so are the proper researched models as opposed to the more simplistic questionnaires that are often bandied about. They're still questionaire based - I don't know any that aren't in terms of the diagnostics - but they are backed up with substantial theory. When I do them, whilst someone is often dominant in one of the four 'boxes', I also consider where their non-dominance lies and look to support growth there. Also, if there are a couple of dominant areas eg activist mixed with theorist, I'd want to support learning that pulls on both skills. So probably not as theoretical as you'd like, but with some degree of rigour within it.

Millymollymo, the agreement in terms of expectations ie how long a response time, support levels, is all drawn up/confirmed at the contracting stage. It's a formal process of support and intervention and should never be ad-hoc ( another thing many coaches do which isn't supported by best practice.) that's not to say eg there can be a change - life happens - but the expectations should be clear at the beginning.