Book Coaching for Science Fiction and Fantasy - How I Got Started

Gina Kammer Author

May 15, 2024 |

Learn how a former writing instructor and in-house children's editor revolutionized her freelance editing business with book coaching for SFF authors.

Book Coaching for Science Fiction and Fantasy - How I Got Started

Book coaching is a relatively new industry. At first, I didn’t even realize that “book coaching” was what I was doing. I was a new freelance editor after working in-house for a children’s publisher. I also had a background in teaching college writing/literature and had formerly been a newspaper editor. But what I quickly realized when working with writers on their book projects was that they were seeking more mentorship.

In fact, one client specifically requested that we not do a full edit of her fantasy manuscript all at once. Instead, she wanted to be able to submit to me chapters at a time. I would edit, and then return the feedback, and she’d send me the next chapter or two. I agreed, and the rest is history! Mostly…

It still felt more like partial edits to me, but the client and I were touching base more frequently and it was a more ongoing relationship than the one-off edits I usually performed. But it wasn't true book coaching yet.

The Difference between a Writing Coach and an Editor

Book coaching is a great way to get support walking through the process of whatever stage of novel development you’re at. A writing coach may offer mentorship for novel planning, drafting, and revising. 

Some authors prefer the coaching model for regular deadlines for drafting or revising, submitting a chapter or two at a time for feedback and discussing their work on calls. This model better holds them accountable with project management and keeps them on task with energy focused in the right areas to get them through drafting or revision.

Book coaching offers...

• guidance through the writing process
• strong, foundational strategies and tools to use even after coaching
• individualized support for areas of writing, mechanics, or story craft
• an ongoing relationship and a creative soundboard
• confidence and validation to keep going in a way that’s not as possible with one-off edits
• monthly (or other regular) pricing
• resources and exercises along the way as they relate to your project
• regular calls to discuss feedback, story trajectory, and any assignments
• brainstorming sessions for breakthrough solutions
• progress reviews

Coaching can be really beneficial for authors who want to learn more about how story works (and its effect on readers, which is my specialty!), gain clarity on priorities and project plans, or level up their craft. 

Book coaching is rather like a fast-track MFA or writing course tailored specifically to you while workshopping your project. Plus, I take the cognitive science approach by keeping in mind how story affects readers to make sure novels are doing what they need to at the right times to most highly impact readers.

However, single or multiple rounds of edits are great for assessing, developing, or copy editing completed manuscripts. If you have a manuscript in our niche that you’d like to publish or submit to agents or publishers, an editor can help you get it ready with respect to your readers. 

Editing is best for authors when...

• your craft foundations are strong 
• you're ready to dive into the details of shoring up your story content or text in one-off editorial rounds (you provide the whole manuscript at once and receive feedback on the whole manuscript at once)
• you have budgeted for larger, one-time fees as edits may require multiple rounds (paid separately) to cover all areas

Simply stated, writing is hard! It takes a lot of courage to put your heart and soul on the page and show it to others. But writing is also a process and a craft that requires as much honing as any other.

Most content edits (assessments and developmental edits) include a follow-up call to clarify feedback and answer any questions. But if you'd prefer more ongoing support, consider book coaching.

Understanding how much the ongoing mentorship of coaching could help them, authors naturally started seeking something more like book coaching, even if they didn't know what it was. I noticed that they craved more than an edit could provide.

But not long after finishing with my first client who wanted more ongoing edits, I got requests from other writers who were seeking more mentorship or writing coaching. It seemed like a perfect blend of my teaching background and editing experience. So I went for it!

Of course, there were several pivotal moments throughout my life that led to this point. Listen to more of that story in this replay of my Instagram live:

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My First Book Coaching Service

I put together some three- and six-month packages that included the chapter-by-chapter style of editing along with regular calls for discussing feedback and providing craft instruction. After I saw how powerful this stronger mentorship for writers was, I decided I needed to make it more than a “by request only” part of my business.

However, I didn’t quite know the best ways to run such a business efficiently. I could teach in the classroom and had done some teaching online for colleges, but I needed to reshape that experience for an online business to make sure writers could have the best experience possible. 

Becoming an Online Writing Coach

So I sought coaching myself for running a coaching business. After one false start with a business coach and then finally finding one that fit for me, I made some important changes.

Key Changes to Make Novel Coaching a Primary Part of the Business

One change was switching to a month-to-month model for clients since no two writers needed the exact same coaching package. This was helpful both for streamlining my own business and for giving my clients the power to own their own processes. 

I also invested in the course platform, Zenler, to host a more robust experience for my clients. I began to shift more of my coaching and content to Zenler so that writers could find everything in one place.

Zenler also allowed me to expand my book coaching business from only coaching clients privately to establishing a small community of writers in a high-touch program to help them plan, draft, and revise their novels. 

Now, the Enchant Your Readers book coaching program helps authors in multiple ways:

• Through craft instruction via course modules

• Editorial feedback through our community forum

• Coaching and answers for questions on our live calls twice per month

• Downloads for workbooks, tools, and templates to help authors take their next steps and stay on track

What many writers realized—just like me—was how much more coaching could help to provide them a solid foundation for their author careers than editing alone. Through this program, I have helped dozens of writers tell the kinds of stories that have a lasting impact on readers.

So if you want to experience the power of book coaching firsthand, join Enchant Your Readers to learn an efficient process for getting your story on the page and honing your craft along the way. Go to enchantyourreaders.com to learn more.

All services:

• Manuscript assessments

• Developmental editing

• Line/copy editing

• Query package reviews

• Novel coaching for science fiction and fantasy

• Critique Partner Program

• Private coaching and accountability

Categories: : book coaching, editing, manuscript stages, novel drafting, novel planning, writer mindset