Book coaching/writing coaching (for fiction writers)

This is a flexible service that’s designed to support your writing practice. Each coaching package is tailored to the needs of your story/writing.

Here are some ways that coaching might be used:

  • To help you figure out your story’s direction as you write/plan it.

    For example, through early feedback on ideas. These ideas might be in the form of a summary or synopsis, draft chapters, or maybe they’re just all dumped into a MS Word document and you need help untangling them.

    (Note: if they’re in the form of an outline, then you might be interested in my outline review service, which you can find here.)

    I can help you by reading through your ideas and providing you with written feedback on them.

    Alternatively, we can arrange to have a chat over the phone or on video call to talk through them and your writing process. The goal being to help you find a way to feel confident moving forward with your project.

  • To motivate you as you write/rewrite and help you stay accountable.

    This could be accomplished by providing deadlines for sections/chapters of your work-in-progress and feedback on those chapters. This feedback would be tailored to your writing goals and could be provided either in writing or over phone/video call.

    If, as you’re writing/rewriting, you encounter blocks or challenges, then we can talk through those to try and find solutions so that you can move forward with your project. My role would be to act as your partner during the writing and/or revision process.

    This service is helpful for new(er) writers. It can also be combined with a developmental edit, manuscript critique, or beta read. For example, by helping to support your rewrite after receiving feedback in any of these formats.

  • To provide you with an intensive lesson in a specific aspect of writing craft.

    For example, if you’re exploring different points of view in the writing of your novel, then you might want to better understand their impact on the story you’re writing.

    Alternatively, you might like a deep dive into characterisation and the impact character motivation is having on your plot.

    This could be accomplished through tailored feedback on specific sections of your novel. Or I could provide you with writing exercises to help you explore the subject and strengthen your understanding of it (almost like tailored writing classes). Advice for further study, for example in the form of reading recommendations, could also be provided.

    This service would primarily be in writing, but we could arrange for additional phone/video calls for further discussion.

The above are just a few ideas as to how book/writing coaching might be used.

As the purpose of this service is to support your writing practice, I offer a free 30-minute introductory session (via email, phone or video call) to discuss your needs and determine whether I can help you. Contact me on the button below for details.

My book coaching fee is £50 per hour.

Authors who undertake coaching with me are eligible for a 15% discount on any manuscript critique or developmental edit (this can be booked at any time).

“Working with Kendra on my first fiction project has been a stimulating experience. Her development edit of my thriller showed comprehensive attention to detail. She not only identified issues, she offered multiple ideas as to how to address the troubling problems. Throughout all of her comments on my manuscript, Kendra showed kindness in her honesty. She didn’t hold back but her style of critique was always positive. She was happy to discuss her comments, clarify things, and bounce further ideas back and forth. In all of our contact she has showed me how much she wants to bring the best out of me as a writer and to offer readers the best possible story. She is a constant source of encouragement. I feel thrilled to have found Kendra and have her as my editor. She is dedicated to her craft. We are continuing to work together.”

—Ruth Nina Welsh (writing as Alex Southfield), author of Hostage