Fiction & Nonfiction Book Coaching

I work with people in midlife who have dreamed of writing a book but never had the time or resources to do it, and who are now finally ready to put themselves first. You want to accomplish this goal that’s been marinating in the back of your mind and the bottom of your heart for years. If that’s you, you’re in the right place.

• Do you have a book idea inside you but fear you don’t have the skills to write it?
• Do you write with self-doubt (or not write at all) because you think you’re too old and it’s too late?
• Are you afraid your idea isn’t worthy of a book, or that it’s already been done?
• Is your idea clear in your head, but the second you try to get it on the page, it falls apart?

It’s usually not the demands of work and family that keep people from writing. It’s the four-letter F-word: fear. Fear of failing, of not having what it takes, of not having anything new to say, of what people will think. Here’s the good part about midlife: you get to choose you. Now is the time, and coaching is how you do it.

When you work with me, you will:

• Avoid a midlife crisis of regret and make peace with time — it’ll still fly by, but you’ll have done the thing you always wanted to do.
• Treat the changes of midlife (emptying nest, more time, restlessness with your career) as your opening to put yourself first.
• Gain confidence in your ability to do new, hard things.
• Find connection and belonging in the writing world, and make friends along the way.
• Feel proud that you created something lasting — words that echo into the future the way only the written word can.

What’s included

• A real relationship with your coach. I get to know your story and become invested in your book, so you write something that makes you proud and feel like you have someone in your corner.
• Accountability so you actually finish. Two deadlines a month (you pick them, I hold you to them), up to 25 pages each (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point). Plus two 30-minute one-on-one coaching calls a month and email/video support in between.
• Inline feedback on your pages with specific, actionable steps. For fiction we’ll tackle character, plot, tension, voice, POV, and theme, and head off the plot holes and structural problems that sink a book at 60,000 words.
• Project management and craft guidance, because a book is an enormous project, plus advice on the tools and tech that make the writing life easier.
• Book proposal coaching for nonfiction writers, covering every element so you can pitch with confidence.

My training and method

I’m an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach with certifications in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir. The training was designed and delivered by Author Accelerator founder Jennie Nash, whose coaching clients have landed top agents and major publishing deals, and I keep training with Jennie and other industry pros.

I also created a journaling method called Writing the W.A.V.E.S.© (Writing the Way to Acceptance, Validation, and Empowerment through our Stories) to help you build a consistent practice and mine your experiences for the good stuff. I use it alongside meditation, writing exercises, and other creativity tools to help you unlock your most creative self.

The investment

$700/month, with a three-month minimum.

Your next step is a conversation with a professional coach (and fellow midlifer) who can help. Email me and we’ll talk about your vision for this book.

Email michelle@bookcoachingworks.com