Hiring a writing coach is for those who want/need more hands-on guidance than a freelance editor provides. Where an editor will simply read and work on your completed manuscript draft, and offer typed-up comments, critiques, and suggestions, a writing coach will offer continual guidance throughout the process of drafting and revising a manuscript.

Many writers, even very experienced writers, often find an outside voice and guide to be useful in the writing process. This can be especially true for less-experienced writers, writers who are embarking on an unfamiliar genre, or those who have difficulties with organization or time-management on their own.

Writing coaching will be more flexible depending on the individual needs of each writer and project. Roughly speaking, coaching can include such things as:

• Planning and timelines
• helping to craft outlines
• Accountability and check-ins (usually a weekly zoom meeting or similar)
• helping to develop projects, arguments, etc.
• Some concurrent developmental editing in stages (rather than upon completion of the full manuscript)

Writing coaching can be used for fiction and nonfiction writing, including novels, memoirs, essay collections, master’s theses, etc. Writing coaching can be especially useful for younger academics tackling their first academic article or book chapter, as well as for self-publishing authors of all kinds.

Fees for writing coaching start at $50/hr, with a 1-hour minimum. For shorter projects, a package of a set number of hours can be worked out (for instance, 5 hours of total work, used and scheduled as needed, totaling $250 and paid in one or two installments). For extended projects, payments can be made on a biweekly basis.