Happy Writers Wednesday! Today’s topic came to me after I spoke to several people that are part of writer support groups, or they have gotten writing coaches to assist with creating their books. Further, I’ve seen numerous advertisements for writing coaches that are appearing on the scene, all claiming that they will help the aspiring authors to finally release their works into the world.
The question on my mind (and possibly your mind) is this: is a writing coach necessary?
Personally, I’ve never used a writing coach, but given how many delays I’ve encountered on my writing journey, perhaps a coach would be a good investment! That being said, I will admit that I don’t think a writing coach is necessary for *most* people. I think that there is only a tiny subset of people that actually need a writing coach. However, I believe there are enough people in the subset to provide an abundance of potential clients for writing coaches.
My recommendation for anyone considering hiring a writing coach is to go through this list of questions and see where you fall on the writer spectrum.
- Are you having difficulties with determining which direction your writing needs to take?
- Do you need regular external motivation in order to work on your writing project?
- Do you struggle with structuring your writing?
- Do you have questions about writing that can’t be answered through other means?
- Do you generally respond better to verbal instruction, as opposed to written directions?
Answering “yes” to any of these questions may make you a prime candidate for a writing coach. I’m still of the mindset that the best way to write is to problem solve for yourself, then, after you’ve hit a wall, consider reaching out for help. However, everyone is different, and what works for me may not work for you. I do think there’s some value in the practice of solving your own problems through your own efforts, but I’ll be the first to admit that time is precious and if a coach can save you time and energy, then it may be a worthwhile investment.
I’m curious: have any of you ever hired a writing coach? What was that experience like? Also, if you’re a writing coach, please comment on what that experience is like for you, and how you can help aspiring authors. You can leave your comments below.
That’s it for today! I look forward to talking to you all tomorrow. Take care!
Bronze Butterfly 