A while back freelancer Susan Johnston Taylor was stuck in a rut, feeling “uninspired” and unable to come up with ideas for her regular clients. Hiring a writing coach fired her back up.
Although she bounces questions off fellow freelancers and freelance forums, Taylor will still set up a coaching session now and then.
“Sometimes I find that seeking advice from one person I trust is better than getting a chorus of conflicting opinions, especially when it’s a more personal or complicated issue,” she notes in an article on Contently.
She quoted author and coach Rochelle Melander, who suggested at least two times a writer might want to reach out:
During periods of change, such as writing a first book or taking on new and unfamiliar challenges.
Dealing with a consistent issue, such as trouble getting started or problems managing one’s writing hours.
Some coaches offer free trial sessions, to give you an idea of how the process works. That would be a short session, obviously; professionals can’t afford to give away hour-long blocks of their time.
A typical block would be 20 minutes, which should be enough to determine whether this is something that could improve your writing practice.
A freebie for you
Determine what you need – information on markets? tips on coming up with ideas? Social Media 101? – before you go online searching for a writing coach.
Remember that this isn’t just for beginners. For example, a reasonably good tennis player might meet with the tennis pro for a few sessions to improve her serve and her backhand. A person who’s already writing or blogging can benefit from working with a coach. (Hint: Three of the people I’ve coached make their living as writers.)
After reading Taylor’s article, I’ve decided to offer my own trial sessions. Here’s how it will work:
- You e-mail me one to three specific questions about writing.
- I respond with tactics and advice.
- If you like what you receive and that’s all you need, then mazel tov! Go forth and write some more!
- Should you want additional sessions by phone, I will offer a discount on your first writing coach package.
Send your questions to Coaching@WriteABlogPeopleWillRead.com. Seriously: This won’t cost you anything. You have nothing to lose but your writing issues. I look forward to hearing from you.
Related reading:
- You’ve been given a gift
- When life hands you blog fodder
- Writing: Cheaper than therapy
- 8 things to do before blogging
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