Coaching for Writers
“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to mazimise their own performance. It is more often helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”
John Whitmore
As a writing coach I create the space for you to learn and develop, both personally and as a writer. A good coaching conversation can be transformational as, rather than being told what you should do, I support you to have a better understanding of yourself and your motivations. This means that you can come up with your own solutions – ones that will actually work!
- I have a great idea for a book but I just can’t seem to motivate myself to sit down and write it!
- I love writing but I hate the promotion side of things. I post on social media but it doesn’t seem to get any traction. I’m sure I could be doing things differently but I’m just not sure what to do.
- I’m a published author but I’m terrified of being interviewed and talking about my work and yet it’s an important part of promoting my book. I wish I could be more confident.
- I’ve written a book and want to submit to agents but don’t know where to start. Everything seems so overwhemling.
- I want to write but I just don’t have the time.
- Every time I sit down to write, I feel like there’s no creativity there.
- I’ve written one book and am now writing the second one but there’s so much pressure on me now. It’s stifling my creativity and I don’t know what to do.
- I’ve had a bad review of my book and now I’m questioning whether I should keep going.
Do any of these sound familiar? If the answer is yes then don’t worry, you’re not alone! Every writer has experienced the feelings of fear, frustration, overwhelm, disappointment and self-doubt. It’s part of the journey of being a writer but allowing these feelings to take over and stop us from writing doesn’t have to be.
As a coach, I believe that the best person to solve your problem is… YOU. However, coming up with our own solutions can be hard, especially when we’re so close to the issue or if we’ve been grappling with it for a long time. What we really need is for someone to help us to see things from a different perspective, gain insights into what’s holding us back and provide the space for us to come up with our own solutions to move things forwards.
Coaching isn’t being told what to do or someone giving you information. It’s all about creating a space for you to figure things out for yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost?
I am currently working towards my coaching accreditation with the ICF (International Coaching Federation) and am therefore offering coaching at a lower rate of £40 per hour. Payment will be taken in advance of each session.
How do I know if coaching is right for me?
If you’re interested in receiving coaching but aren’t sure whether it’s right for you, then a good place to start would be to book in a free, zero obligation call with me. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions you have and for us to explore whether coaching is right for you.
Is there evidence behind coaching?
There have been research studies carried out into coaching and the impact it has on individuals. If you’re interested in learning more, this article summarises what one study found which is that coaching helps to develop ‘psychological capital’ which is four main areas in terms of how we think:
- Self efficacy
- Hope
- Optimism
- Resilience
There are already so many other costly courses out there for writers, why should I pay for coaching?
This is a great question and, on the face of it, you may be wondering the same thing. Why pay more money for something where you’re not actually learning something about writing and the writing process. The answer to this is that it’s precisely because there are so many courses and offerings out there that coaching can be beneficial. How often have you spent money on something only to find that it wasn’t helpful or that it didn’t meet your needs? Coaching can help you to know yourself and your needs better which means that you’re more able to critically evaluate the learning options available to you and choose only the ones that will be the most beneficial to you. You might find that one hour of coaching ends up saving you hundreds of pounds in the future!
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Coaching Client Reviews
“Helen has created a safe and structured space for me to reflect during a busy and transitional time in my career. Her coaching style is both supportive and thought-provoking, and I’ve found myself becoming more self-aware and purposeful in how I approach my work. I’m really valuing this journey and look forward to what’s still to come.”
— Coaching client
“Coaching with Helen is helping me be curious about my work and life style choices and is providing me with some much needed reflection time, thank you.”
— Coaching client
hjworthingtonsmith.com 