In a collaborative spirit, as a book coach I guide you through problem solving and brainstorming to lay the foundation for your book using a methodology developed by publishing industry veterans. There is a lot of thinking through the idea before the writing of the book begins. By being intentional, you can do your best work and—in less time. I’m part accountability partner, part creative-process-of-book-writing expert. I guide you to hone your marketplace intelligence and your narrative voice.

A book coach is part mentor, part project manager, part accountability partner. I guide you on a weekly basis through your transformation into an author. While some editors may be more hands on than others, that’s not what an editor does. You may not yet know that the editor is the one at the top of the mountain waiting for you. An editor steps in after you’ve written what you think could be your final draft.

The best time to work with a coach is as early in the book development process as possible. That said, a book coach can help you at any point in the book problem-solving process by helping you look at your story holistically, tracing the idea forward and backward to analyze and manipulate it. We'll focus on the biggest issues first.

You’re an expert in your topic, I’m an expert in the the creative process, in story craft, and in book development.

Some of them do. Here’s how I work. As a coach, I reflect back to you what I see so you can gain greater perspective. That often involves big picture, structural guidance. As a book coach, I remind you that your job is to connect with your readers through your writing. That can look like guidance with language and style to develop and hone your narrative voice. I can help you polish-edit book proposal sample chapters. But the line-by-line editing done before a manuscript is presented to an agent or publisher is best done by a seasoned line-editor. I can recommend some fantastic ones.

Yes! It’s called auto-fiction. Happy to hop on free call to discuss

You’ll want to book Author Ally’s service Design Your Book.

All of our coaching sessions are either via phone or video call.