The answer is in most of the manuscripts that cross my desk, the ones that were written without editorial input or guidance.

Many, if not most, have structural issues that will mean taking them apart and building them again from scratch, which is a huge energy drain and a considerable financial wallop for the writer. They’re simply not ready for a final edit or a proofread, nor are they in good enough shape to interest an agent or a publisher.

Writing your book, telling your story, is a big deal. It’s an act of creativity, yes, but also one of bravery and perseverance. It deserves your best effort – and that effort merits professional guidance. Not after the fact, when your book is largely written, but along the way, as you build the narrative arc and write with an eye toward your reader’s experience. If you want a book deal, that reader will be a “first reader,” someone hired by an agent or a publishing house to work through the slush pile of submissions and bring them anything that looks promising.

Do you really want to show that first reader anything less than a polished manuscript?

Writing coaching starts where you are. Maybe you’ve got an idea and you need help brainstorming and fleshing it out. Maybe you want to strengthen your narrative arc, get clear on your book’s structure, and develop a solid working outline. Maybe you want to improve your writing skills, get built-in support and accountability, or become part of a writing community.

Writing is a lonely business, and it’s all too easy to get lost in the echo chamber of your own imagination, inertia, and self-doubt.

Start out strong with the Un-Settling Books community and a deeply experienced writing coach in your corner.