In Conversation with FriesenPress Book Coaches: Advice, Inspiration, and Writing Wisdom
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Every author’s journey is different. Some begin with a fully formed idea and need help shaping it into a compelling manuscript, while others have carried a story for years but aren't sure how to start. Wherever you are in the writing process, having an experienced guide by your side can make all the difference. That’s where book coaching comes in.
Book coaches are collaborators, mentors, and trusted sounding boards. They help authors navigate creative roadblocks, strengthen their storytelling, build confidence, and maintain momentum. They are not there to tell you what to change, they work to help you discover the solutions that best serve your literary vision.
To give you a better sense of what it’s like to work with a FriesenPress book coach, we sat down with three members of our coaching team: Kevin, Shari, and Laura. They shared what drew them to coaching, what they love most about helping authors, and their advice for anyone waiting for the "right time" to start writing.
We hope their insights offer just the encouragement you need to take your next step.
Kevin
I've been a teacher for nearly as long as I've been a writer and editor, so book coaching is a natural fit for me. Not only do I enjoy passing on what I've learned, but articulating various writing principles also clarifies them in my own mind, improving my craft alongside the writers with whom I work.
I like seeing the light go on in a writer’s eyes as our collaboration unlocks a new idea or direction that they hadn't considered before. Writing is all about problem solving, and I enjoy helping authors identify what isn’t working, discover a solution, and see the possibilities in their own material in a way that would have been impossible on their own. The most rewarding moment is when the book begins to feel not only stronger but more like the book they were trying to write all along.
I'm a hiker, so I like to compare writing a book to climbing a mountain. From the bottom, the summit can seem impossibly far away. But once you start moving and concentrate on the next step rather than the distance still ahead, you begin to cover more ground than you thought possible. You may stumble. You may need to stop and catch your breath. You may even have to backtrack and find a better route. But if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, the summit keeps drawing closer until, one day, you realize you’ve reached it.
Shari
There’s something exhilarating about coming up with story ideas, characters, and settings, then piecing them together into a cohesive whole. When I wrote my first novel—seven books ago now—I worked with a FriesenPress editor who was passionate about making my manuscript sparkle. To this day, I can still hear their guidance in my head when I write. That editor didn't just help me polish my manuscript; they helped me grow as an author.
It was an unforgettable experience, and one I knew I wanted to share. Combining my love of storytelling with my editorial background made book coaching the obvious next step. Working with authors takes the creative process to new heights because it's fueled by shared passion. Fantasy is my favorite genre to coach because it takes an already enchanting process and weaves in magic on every level. Pure magical energy.
It’s deeply rewarding to witness an author's idea evolve into a completed story that reflects their authentic voice. Writing a book can transform a person—bringing joy, knowledge, depth, and a newfound sense of self-worth. Being part of that process is an honor.
I hope authors leave our coaching sessions with a clearer understanding of their unique process, feeling the same magic and inspiration to keep writing that I felt with my editor. While writing can be challenging and emotional, it is well worth the blood, sweat, and tears—and there's nothing quite like the sense of ownership and pride in finishing a manuscript.
Laura
When a person has attained a certain amount of success and recognition with their professional pursuits, it behooves them to pass on the secrets, as it were. I am confident of the significant accomplishments of my career, from its beginnings in magazine journalism through its transition into book writing and editing and, most recently, into book coaching. Throughout, I have understood the assignment of making words do your bidding, and embraced an appreciation for the importance of sharing that truth with others.
I remember being where these fledgling authors are, swimming around in a sea of ideas and ambition, words and worries. I enjoy playing a part in helping these dreams reach fruition. When you see the light come on in their plans and the story taking shape on paper, it’s extremely gratifying.
I hope authors come to appreciate the value of paying it forward. If they enjoyed success and satisfaction from their encounter with a book coach, and go on to produce something that attracts admiration from others, I hope they subsequently share the wisdom and experience of their book-creating journey with someone at an earlier stage of the trip.
