What are your credentials?

I am the author or ghostwriter of numerous successful books from major publishers, including four book club selections, a finalist for 2008 Business Book of the Year, a #1 customer service bestseller, and a top 100 business management book (which if I reveal more about, they would have to shoot me!).

More important, I have over a decade of experience of coaching people and editing other people’s writing, in fields that include science, psychology, and business. I love helping people from all walks of life learn to write better, get published, and even win awards for their writing. Click here to learn more about my background.

What kinds of writing can you help me with?

I work with writers from nearly any field of interest. My goal is to get into the heads of you and your audience, and helping you create book proposals and queries that attract interest from publishers. I can also help you view your article queries and draft content through the eyes of a skilled editor.

Now, the fine print: I reserve the right to decline any project that, in my sole opinion, crosses the boundaries of good taste, libel laws, or my personal ethics – or represent a conflict of interest with my own publications or clients. But most people will find me to be an engaged and knowledgeable coach for publications on nearly any subject.

What kinds of services do you provide?

My flagship service is to review your book proposal and sample chapter(s), and prepare a detailed report on how to make it ready for an agent or publisher. I also provide individual one-on-one coaching sessions, and stay tuned for some high-content online events for writers in the future!

Can you edit my work for me?

Yes, I can. However, my goal as a writing coach is to help *you* become a better writer and a publishable author. Therefore I try to maintain a clear split between my editing and coaching services.

That said, I am a professional editor and ghostwriter, and if you want someone like me to do some of the work for you, I will be happy to provide a quote. Just remember that this is a different objective from learning to become a better writer yourself, and so you would have to specifically ask me about these services. Nicely.

You focus on serious writers. What if I am not that experienced?

I don’t bite - really! I love working with people who are starting to find their writing voice. As someone who has trained to be a therapist, and has trained and coached thousands of people, you will find our working relationship to be positive, supportive, and knowledgeable.

Just one thing, however: if you are still learning the basic mechanics of writing, like grammar, punctuation, and spelling, there are much cheaper alternatives than working with me.

What are my chances of publishing my book?

Probably better than you think - if you are a good writer and know the market.

If you check out resources like Writer’s Market, you will find some truly daunting statistics – for example, many agents and publishers accept less than 5% of the authors who approach them.

Now, here is the good news. Probably half of the queries and proposals that get sent to publishers are truly awful. They are poorly written, do not fit the publisher’s list, or cannot thoughtfully explain why a few thousand people or more would actually buy this book. Still more are good proposals in areas where there is simply no market.

So if you have a good idea, aimed at the right publishing houses, that is well-written and fits the style and genre of other books in the field, double this 5% and then multiply this by how many agents and publishers might want to see it. Suddenly your chances start to look a lot better, and my goal as a coach is to help you get your book proposal or manuscript into this range.

 

Don’t see your question answered here? Contact me for a quick and courteous response!

 

Frequently asked questions