What Do Writing Coaches Do?

Fair question. 

On a good day, I reply: Pure magic.

Of course, that isn’t exactly true. My students are the magicians. For my part, I serve as catalyst, cheerleader, and occasional way marker to help them lift off, accelerate and stay the course. 

Writers and writers-to-be find me when they are blocked, confused or discouraged and need a nudge, redirection, or a fresh take on the unique possibilities of their project. They may be at any stage in the process, from a raw impulse to write, to several drafts in. They may be fresh beginners or may have published a body of work and their chosen forms include poetry, picture books, novels, plays, nonfiction or even websites and blogs. We start where they are and work together as briefly or as long as they wish. 

Generally, our work cycles through four phases, as I guide writers to articulate a vision, develop a structure, draft, revise, and then map out a fresh vision for their next opus. 

Phase one begins with a series of questions. For example: 

• What core idea fuels this project? 
• Why does this work need to be written? 
• Why must you be the one to write it? 
• How will it contribute to your broader mission for your writing and your life? 

As the answers crystallize, writers gain clarity – as well as confidence, courage and motivation. 

In the structuring phase, I challenge fiction writers to explore the mechanisms whereby the protagonist’s inner and external journeys propel one another. With nonfiction, I prompt writers to think of themselves as travel guides, constructing an itinerary to lead the reader through increasingly intriguing terrain. 

A sound structure scaffolds the first draft – though I encourage writers to open themselves to discoveries that may prompt them to review the initial premise and outline. A scaffold should never be a corset. 

During the revision process, I feel like a prospector, panning drafts for gleaming ideas, devices, and perspectives. The gold I seek isn’t inert matter, but rather, living seeds waiting for sunlight.

As the work grows, so, too, do the writers. They become capable of telling the stories that previously eluded them – and from there, of doing so much more. So when they return to the vision stage, they are ready to map out projects that are bigger and bolder than anything they would have previously dared to consider. They also report being happier, more energetic and more engaged in other aspects of their lives. 

Which is why, for me, the student’s transformation from a would-be scribe into a productive, purposeful writer is the most magical story of all.  

Joanna Norland is a playwright, journalist, and founder of Mumswrite.com. You can book an initial complimentary coaching session with Joanna as part of a writing retreat at Starcroft Farm Cabins or contact her at joanna.norland@gmail.com for a 30 minute introductory chat.

Click here to read about my work with first time picture book author, Nicki Fisher.

Click here for testimonials.