Author coaching or go it alone, the value of a coach and why it applies to writing a book.

“Coaching works because people learn by doing what they would have done anyway – just smarter, faster, better, and with support and feedback.” 

Consulting Today

Do you really need to engage in an author coaching program or can you just as easily write your book without outside help?

Or, grabbing a question from my Your Daily Writing Habit listener mailbag – 

“Why would I need to hire a book coach rather than just writing a book myself? Is it really that hard to do?”

Well, that depends…

Free will says we can at least attempt to do most of the things we want to do. Sometimes it will work out and for a variety of reasons, sometimes it won’t. Every project and goal has its own set of internal (mindset, physical abilities) and external (outside resistance from others, money, resources) variables that determine its success.

But the thing is, we’re human, an internal and external variable unto itself. If we were able to do everything ourselves, without outside help, teachers, consultants, advisors, experts, and coaches would not have to exist. 

Without coaches, we would have to be self-cleaning ovens.

Coaches teach us fundamentals, hold us accountable to our deadlines and goals, help us overcome obstacles, and more. Without coaches, we could all be self taught, self fulfilling, self contained beings, and have no need to learn from the wisdom and experience of others. Athletes could figure out for themselves the specific methods needed to progressively improve their skills. We wouldn’t need schools because, again, what would there be to learn? But that’s not the case is it?

We’re human. We’re designed to learn from one other.

Here’s an example from my own life. I’ve recently started graduate school to earn a Master of Science Degree in Quantitative Psychology. I’m feeling fairly confident about the psychology part (gee – maybe from decades of memoir coaching?). The quantitative part, however, is a learning curve. It’s going well so far! But because I want to work from the most solid foundation possible, and because as a coach myself I fully understand the power of coaching, I’ve enlisted the help of a tutor. I’m committed to developing the best math habits possible moving forward!

Do you really need a book coach to help you write your book?

The answer to that question depends on your priorities and commitments:

How committed are you to finishing your book in a timely manner? 

How invested are you in the quality of the final product? 

How concerned are you about the things you don’t know about writing a book? 

Meeting your deadlines? 

Overcoming mindset obstacles? 

Learning the fundamentals of writing a book versus other written mediums you might be familiar with?

Writing a book begins with this type of self awareness and these honest self assessments. The best news is, with free will and an abundance of information at your fingertips – the decision is completely up to you.

Still stuck on the fence about whether author coaching is the right solution to help you finish writing your book? Book your free consultation with me so I can answer your questions!