How a Writing Coach Can Help You and Your Book

Navigating loneliness when you first start writing

Writing a book can be a lonely journey. When I first began, all I wanted was to be able to talk about the worlds I was creating in my head with someone. But who? My family politely nodded and suggested I get a real job; my friends smiled and told me my book sounded good. They were kind, but no one knew the answers to the many, many, many questions I had about how to tell a good story.

Also, I was lacking in confidence: who was I to write a book? So, I wrote 10,000 words, gave up, and began again. While I read other books all the time, I couldn’t find the secret sauce to help me navigate the pages I had in front of me. Back then, I didn’t know that what — or who — I was looking for was someone called a “writing coach.”

Now, as well as being a published author, I work as one of a team of writing coaches at The Novelry, helping writers with exactly the same struggles I used to have. We work with writers all over the world, helping them fulfill their writing dreams. But what is a writing coach, and how can one help you reach the end of your book?

Think of your writing coach as a co-pilot. You fly the plane, but they’re there to support you, to direct you, to chat together and journey together, shining light where the work is strong and helping you see where you can make it even better.
— Alice Kuipers

What is a writing coach?

A writing coach is someone, preferably a published author themselves, who helps a writer shape their ideas and turn them into a book. Usually, this is done in a one-on-one conversation, either online or in person.

Since storytelling began, we’ve always needed someone to share our stories with — sitting around the fire together, trying to understand the complexities of the world and what lurked in the shadows... Even as long ago as Ancient Greece, students have sought ways to be better and stronger with their words.

Formalized teaching of writing skills and coaching didn’t begin until the mid-twentieth century, with universities and creative writing schools offering clues to aspiring writers about how to get their ideas onto the page. The explosion of online learning means that writers can chat with an author coach in the comfort of their own home, refining and honing elements of their manuscript at all levels — from structural editing to fine-tuning. Effectively, coaches help writers find the creative blocks for building a full novel.

At The Novelry, we have a diverse group of 30 writing coaches who are all acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning authors themselves, and who help writers dial up the stakes, dig into character motivations, and craft their story so it is the best it can be.

Together with our editorial team, our aim is to help writers meet their goals: perhaps you want to publish, or perhaps you desperately want to spend more time writing in your life. Together, we figure out your ambition, and then we work hard to help you meet it, using our experience and our team to best support you.

Writing coaches can also help with the struggles of getting to the page, building a plan with you to create forward momentum and focus. Perhaps you’ve been writing for years but you’ve lost confidence and a sense of direction. At The Novelry, I focus on the psychology of Flow and creativity, and our One Hour a Day Method, to help you create a tailored writing plan for your life.

Think of your writing coach as a co-pilot. You fly the plane, but they’re there to support you, to direct you, to chat together and journey together, shining light where the work is strong and helping you see where you can make it even better.

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How does a coach help someone with their creative process?

I learned a long time ago that having someone to talk to about my writing helped me stay the course and go on to publish, but even now, as I start with a new idea, my favorite thing to do is to talk it through with another writer to see what works and what could work, well, differently!

I reached out to our writers and aspiring authors at The Novelry to see what they found helpful about coaching. This is what they shared:

The most valuable aspects I get from my coach are grounding and hearing the truth. Writing is difficult for everyone. But for new writers, it is like looking out into the abyss. The coach says, “It’s OK. You’re OK.” I find this very powerful.
— Chris Thompson, The Novelry member

There are so many ways that coaches have helped me, especially because I didn’t know the basics of writing a novel. But the biggest thing is, they see your blind spots and ask questions from an experienced perspective along the way so that you can save yourself some rewriting. You can improve your writing as you draft rather than depend on having to apply the same lessons to the whole manuscript on a later revision.
— Andrew C. Goldman, The Novelry member

I’m only three sessions in, so for my beginning stages they have been a crucial Don’t Give Up + Recharge button. I go into the session wondering how I convinced myself I could write a novel and leave the session inspired about the next parts of the story that I’m going to tackle.
— Amanda Freidman, The Novelry member

From the get go, the coaches treated me as a serious writer and engaged in conversation from that as a starting point. That was so helpful and affirming. Each coaching call was an opportunity to ask questions of the coaches, but also allowing space for their questions based on The Plan. This was the game changer. Those questions asked by the coaches have always led to a stronger idea for a character, a plot point, increasing tension, and considering endings for the stories I have brought to them. It’s not an answer they give as such, more of an idea to ponder over after the call and for a few hours or days, and then it comes to me. Lastly, the excitement each of them has for a story is so wonderful and genuine, and they cheer it on right to the end.
— Donal Reilly, The Novelry member

How can you find a writing coach?

A good mentor is also someone who loves learning.
— Alice Kuipers

There are many writing coaches and many ways to connect to talk about writing. But here are a couple of tips to bear in mind before you start your writing–coaching journey:

Make sure your coach is supportive, positive, and asks reflective questions that really get you thinking

It’s important when you have a creative idea that you work with someone who not only understands the path you’re on, but who treats your idea with tender care. Ideally, you’re not only working with an experienced writer who has navigated the publishing world successfully and built a solid track record along the way, but someone who has been published more than once and is still actively publishing. Someone who understands the industry as it is now, not just as it once was. You’re also working with someone who understands that ideas take time and trust to build because of that experience.

They know how it feels when someone shines light on your work and when someone tries to crush it. If you think of your author coach as your co-pilot, then remember: you want someone to fly the plane with you who won’t bring your story crashing to the ground! They are here to provide guidance and be honest with you.

Check your coach’s credentials and experience both as a writer and as a teacher

One way to do this is to read testimonials from writers they’ve worked with. A good mentor is also someone who loves learning. The best writers know that writing is a lifelong process and that we’re always learning and always discovering new approaches to the craft. A good mentor stays open to new ideas and welcomes the kind of thoughtful feedback that flows both ways when a coaching conversation is working well.

When choosing a mentor, it’s worth taking a little time to explore their work. Look at the books they’ve written and read a few sample chapters online if you can.

• Have they been published recently?
• Do they have experience coaching other writers?
• Are they members of any professional bodies or writing organizations?

The reputation of their network (or the company they represent) can also give you reassurance. Ideally, they belong to a respected writing community where they are known not only for their work, but also for their generosity and willingness to support other writers.

See where writers who’ve worked with your coach have got to on their writing journey

Have they found publishing success? Are they writing regularly? Our coaches have hit the bestseller lists and been nominated for and won famous awards, and they’ve gone on to help many of our writers become success stories in their own right. Each and every coach reports to our Founder, and the focus on teamwork at The Novelry means that we meet regularly to review our writers’ storylines and progress so they have the best chance of success in the industry.

Our coaching team works in close collaboration with the editorial team, to give you our best advice. Our writers receive the latest publishing industry guidance every step of the way, which means that your success is at the heart of our program.

Over 75% of our published success stories have secured publishing contracts with imprints of the Big Five major publishers: Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Hachette, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster.

Take a look at our Success Stories page to discover some of our flourishing writers.

Ask what their plan for your coaching will be and what they hope you get out of the coaching journey

Coaching should follow a structured model that is tailored to your individual writing needs: it should be flexible but rigorous, built with a clear plan for your success.

At The Novelry, your coach will work with you in 45-minute sessions, live and online, to help develop your story and keep you on track with your writing. The coaching program is structured around your unique ambitions and writing goals. Our focus is on you and your book, with expert coaches in all genres — from science fiction and fantasy, to memoir, to historical fiction, to crime and suspense, to YA. Our writing coaching happens virtually, at a schedule and time that suits you.

We have a friendly guide to book genres right here, to help you decide which is right for you.

How does a creative writing coaching session work?

Coaching should always start with clarity around what you want from it and so, in your first session with your writing coach, make sure that they hear what you need from your writing life.

At The Novelry, we start by asking what your ambition is for your book and then we use our Positive Coaching Method™ to walk through your storyline step by step, to help you find your way to the ending.

Your coaching journey begins with one simple but important question from your coach: What do you want to achieve? This helps us understand: Do you want to publish your first novel? Do you want to be coming to the page consistently? What is your day-to-day like and how much time do you want to spend writing?

We also love to establish who you are as a writer already — maybe you’ve been writing for years, maybe you’ve published books already — and then, once we know that, we want to know where you want your writing journey to take you.

Perhaps you’re just starting out with a brand new idea so we can help you transform that idea into a story that keeps you excited and motivated all the way to the end. Or perhaps you’ve published a book or two already and you really want the next one to reach more readers, so you need to learn how to dial up the stakes or increase tension. Often our writers need help identifying which genre they’re writing in and so we guide them with our Hero Book Method and lots of fun conversation about what you love to read.

You can learn more about our Hero Books here.

We have six coaching sessions in our flagship course The Big Write, and we help you see your book in new and more expansive ways with careful and thoughtful tailored discussion. Questions we ask might be:

• Does the main character want something, or have a problem, delusion, or predicament?
• Can you raise the stakes?
• How is the daily writing going? How many words have you written since we last spoke?

Together we think about how to make the story better, and as the coaching journey and the writing progresses, we deepen the conversation so that you can strengthen your hook and clarify the arc of your character, making your premise stronger. We also help you get ready to meet our editorial team.

Who are the book coaches at The Novelry? 

Our coaches have been hand-picked for The Novelry because they are exceptionally gifted mentors: warm and encouraging. They are trained in our Positive Coaching Method™ and our own structured coaching pathway toward the completion of an exceptional first draft. Our one-on-one writer coaching program is a big part of the reason we’re the world’s best-loved creative writing school.

These are just some of the coaches on our team, all ready to help you with your book!

Their books have hit the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller lists and have been adapted for screen and optioned for major motion pictures:

• Kate Riordan: Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary thrillers published by Penguin, including The Heatwave, an Apple Fiction Chart No.1 fiction bestseller and Richard and Judy Book Club pick.
• Andrea Stewart: Sunday Times bestselling author of multiple fantasy series novels, including The Bone Shard Daughter, a finalist for the British Fantasy Awards, praised by Sarah J. Maas.
• Dhonielle Clayton: A publishing industry tastemaker with years of experience. Dhonielle Clayton is a New York Times bestselling author, story proliferator, and the board chair of We Need Diverse Books.‍
• Heather Webb: USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction and Goldsboro RNA Award finalist whose books have been translated into 17 languages, notably Meet Me in Monaco and Rodin’s Lover, a Goodreads Top Pick.
• Tasha Suri: Winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel, author of The Jasmine Throne and Empire of Sand, one of TIME magazine’s best fantasy novels of all time.‍
• Piers Torday: Bestselling author of multiple middle-grade books for children, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize winner The Dark Wild.‍
• Colleen Oakley: USA Today bestselling author of five novels, including The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise, translated into 21 languages, and Georgia Author of the Year.

When you join The Novelry, you can access our entire team of writing coaches, allowing you to switch and swap according to your needs as your story evolves, or to benefit from the special expertise of a particular coach.

How much does a writing coach cost?

A quick look online shows a range of prices for a writing coach, depending on their experience, their skills, their expertise, their availability, and the type of writing package they offer. For a newer coach, expect to pay between $50–100 for a session. For bestselling authors, industry leaders, and coaches with specialized expertise, the price can be $200–300 a session. At The Novelry, coaching is included on our courses, and the pricing is laid out for you on our website.

What is unique about having the support of a writing coach?

My favorite part of writing coaching is the quiet moments of insight that happen as the writer and I really get to the heart of their story, coaxing their story into shape, and then supporting them as the book develops and grows.
— Alice Kuipers

When I’ve worked with a writing coach, the most unique part of the experience is having someone to talk about my story with in a way that helps me see how to make it stronger. For my latest novel, which has taken several drafts and a lot of rethinking, talking about it with Amanda Reynolds, Kate Riordan, and Katie Khan has given me insights I couldn’t have found on my own. They’ve shown me new ways to look at the work, and they’ve asked me the hard questions so I can refine my hook and synopsis and finally get the book finished and to my agent.

Other writers at The Novelry share here about what was unique for them about the support of a writing coach:

I only had two coaching sessions, both of which taught me a lot when I opened my mind! I was so wrapped up in my draft that I could not see the “wood for the trees.” I wrote down everything the coach suggested to me no matter if I found it a little weird! Later I reviewed it and thought: “yep, she is right.” I need to work on my characters, my plot, my scenes, and my locations! More so to get out of my head! Initially, some of the suggestions gave me pause for thought but then I went with the suggestions and I know my draft is stronger thanks to the honesty, empathy, guidance, and years of experience that was freely given to me. Without the coaches in The Novelry I would be blowing in the wind. I also understand now how important The Plan is for our discussions. Thank you.
— Caroline Amberger, The Novelry member 

I don’t know if this matters, but I think the ongoing presence of the coaches on The Novelry’s online members community is just as powerful as the coaching sessions, and the small things they say at the end of a Golden Hour. Sometimes you need that steady trickle of wisdom to be able to digest everything and to stay on the path.
— Laura Callis, The Novelry member

I found The Novelry at a time when I was ready to give up. I was feeling very low on confidence and knew I’d be my own worst enemy if left to my own devices. The sessions with Emylia, my writing coach, were a real highlight — she always made me feel like she genuinely cared about my novel, and I was constantly amazed at the way she engaged with the story and the creative suggestions she brought forward. The sessions kept me on track and helped me work through plot kinks along the way and I felt like I had a real champion through the whole process.
— Becky Hunter, author and The Novelry graduate

Becky now has a major two-book publishing contract in the U.S. and the U.K., and you can read about her journey here.

I was lucky enough to use The Novelry course to finish the first draft of my novel, which I’d been writing for several years. Louise and Mahsuda were particularly encouraging and, with Mahsuda’s coaching, helped me believe that I could get there in the end.
— Janice Okoh, author and The Novelry graduate

Since joining The Novelry in early 2022 with nothing but a spark of an idea and the determination to (somehow!) turn it into a novel, I have been blown away by Louise Dean’s course materials, the author coaching, the community of writers and the incredible support from editors to boot. I am beyond thrilled with how far I’ve come, both with my writing and signing with such a top-notch agent, and am so excited for my future writing career. Thank you, The Novelry!
— Nikki Allen, author and The Novelry graduate

Our team of bestselling author coaches shine a light on what’s working and also help you fix any problems as you progress along the pathway of story development, staying on track to get that novel done!

My favorite part of writing coaching is the quiet moments of insight that happen as the writer and I really get to the heart of their story, coaxing their story into shape, and then supporting them as the book develops and grows. I love witnessing and cheering on great leaps of progress until writers type “The End,” and then I love the thrill of seeing their books out in the world, ready for me to read!

Ready to find a new approach for your own writing? Join The Big Write Challenge 2026

Speaking of coaches! Our team are currently readying themselves for The Big Write Challenge 2026: a 90-day writing sprint with bestselling authors, writing retreats, live classes, and expert support to finish your draft by Christmas. If you’re enrolled in The Big Write Course or The Finished Novel Course, you’re invited to join this special run of events alongside your regular lessons. With our editors, coaches, and a community of fellow writers behind you, a finished draft by Christmas is closer than you think.

Special guests will be joining us for insightful sessions, from Andrea Mara to Joe Abercrombie, alongside group study sessions, craft conversations, story clinics, and much, much more. You can learn all about the challenge here and read about other people’s experiences writing a novel draft in 90 days. You really don’t have to do this alone.

The Novelry is the fiction writing school for serious writers. We offer expert guidance on creative writing, one-to-one support from bestselling authors and Big Five editors, and a vibrant community — taking writers from first idea to a finished, submission-ready novel. Connect with leading literary agencies, get to know The Novelry team, and let us help you get your first draft done this year.