Oohs and Aahs for 10.25.24

"Could I get the definition please?"

When I started freelancing full time ten years ago, I had never heard the word “coaching” outside of sports. I couldn’t quite imagine how it would apply to anything else. If I had to guess, I would have thought it had something to do with dieting—although now I’m not sure why! 😂

What I’m trying to say is if you hear the words “creative coaching” and your mind goes a little blank, you’re not alone. It’s still a new thing!

Even once I knew that coaching existed, it took me a while to feel like it was something I could offer the writers I was working with. But I started getting more and more questions that a manuscript critique could never answer. Some were relatively simple like “How do I find an agent?” Others were more complex like, “How do I write another book when my editor says my last book didn’t sell well?” or “How do I keep going when my kids are always sick?” Creative coaching gave me a way to share my experiences and help people find their own ease and joy in the writing process, even when life was scary and hard.

Creative coaching is helpful because you can book a session at ANY point in the writing process. Have an idea but haven’t written a word? Hit me up! Already published several books but feel burnt out and discouraged? I feel you. Not sure how to experiment with a new genre? I’m here to help.

I work with writers who…

• Secretly hate writing

• Want real-time feedback

• Don’t know how to get started

• Can’t seem to finish

• Are stuck in the middle

• Don’t know what to work on next

• Have too many ideas

• Need someone to cheer them on

• Have a scary deadline

• Hate how slow publishing is

• Keep getting the same feedback and have no idea what to do with it

• Are balancing a lot of Life Stuff while trying to actually write something

• Wonder if they should quit

Some of the writers I work with are totally new to writing. Others are seasoned professionals. I also tend to work with a lot of people who are successful in other creative fields but don’t know anything about publishing. Sound like you?

---

This Week I’m…

• Encouraging you to gaze at clouds when the election panic starts creeping in☁️

• Thinking about stimulation differentials 🤪

• Cheering

  Caroline Donahue
  as her TEDX on why writing is worth it goes live (We’ve been cheering each other on for years, and it’s so exciting to see more people find her!)✏️

• Wondering if I should try to make this with my son 🎹

• Loving the idea that “Dressing up is a way of celebrating the life I’ve built.” 👘

• Dreaming of my own little picture-book pied-à-terre🏡

---

Nebula Notebook is a place to meet kindred spirits, get inspired, and learn how to find ease and joy in the creative process—even when life is bananas. 🍌🍌🍌

---

✏️ PS—The fastest way to grow as a writer is to book a manuscript critique or a creative coaching session with an expert. My clients get agents, sell books, and win awards. They also learn how to enjoy the creative process, so they can keep going when life gets hard. 👏