Different authors need different coaching styles. Find yours.
If you’re like many aspiring authors, you have a book inside of you but need help to get it out. Maybe you can’t seem to stay motivated, can’t get your ideas in order, or just plain don’t know where to start.
At The Book Professor®, we realize different people prefer to work in different ways. That’s why we offer three coaching programs that deliver quality content in different formats. All three programs use the same online material including lesson plans, videos, and writing assignments, but the pace and interpersonal interactions within the programs differ.
- Self-Directed Course
You complete the self-directed writing course on your own. You gain access to one week’s worth of lessons at a time and retain access to all materials for life. If you stick to the schedule and finish each week’s work on deadline, you’ll have a completed manuscript in 12 months.
2. Executive Group Mastermind
In the Executive Group Mastermind program, you join a group of 5-7 writers plus an assigned Book Professor® coach for the group. Each week your cohort meets via video call to discuss the weekly lessons and the writing you completed since the last time. At the end of the Executive Group Mastermind course, you have the option to pay for professional editing through The Book Professor®.
3. 1-2-1 Personal Coaching
In 1-2-1 Personal Coaching, you work directly with The Book Professor® founder Nancy Erickson. Nancy guides you to write your high-impact nonfiction book, and you get her personalized advice and attention on your project. As you write the chapters of your book, Nancy personally edits them.
But which course is right for you? Check out our guide, below, to find out which of The Book Professor’s three coaching models fits your lifestyle and needs.
You might need the Self-Directed Course if…
You want to work at your own speed.
This program allows you to work completely at your own pace, although each week you will gain access to a new set of material. The gradual rollout of material keeps you from skipping ahead (something disastrous to the process) but allows you to work as fast as you want once the material is released. When a week of material is unlocked, you have lifetime access to it.
You are very self-motivated.
The self-paced program works best for those who excel at keeping themselves on task. If you bring determination to the table, can make yourself stick to deadlines, and have the will to see the process through to the end, then the perks of working at your own pace might be well worth it.
You are budget conscious.
You pay $125 per month for 12 months to take the self-paced course. This price includes permanent access to all material.
You might need the Executive Group Mastermind course if…
You need accountability.
On the weekly group video calls, you’ll be asked to share your writing assignment from the previous week. You and your fellow authors listen to each other as you read your work and offer encouragement and suggestions. Many writers find this accountability crucial to completing the assignments. It’s easy to tell yourself you’re “too tired” or “too busy” to finish this week’s wordcount. But when other writers expect you to show up with pages to read, you’re more likely to stay in your chair and complete the work.
At The Book Professor®, we find that most writers, even the highly motivated ones, need accountability to finish a project.
You want camaraderie and encouragement.
Nothing bonds a group like a common goal. Although you and your fellow authors will each write different books, you’ll all go through the same writing process together. You’ll face similar challenges and work through similar solutions. You’ll learn from each other’s experiences.
Collaborating with other writers also helps you gain confidence. Sharing your writing with others can be intimidating at first. You might feel vulnerable or worry that your story will bore your readers. Sharing in a small group first—before you release your book to the world—can help you come to terms with nerves. It will also reassure you that your story is valuable and impactful. Many authors are pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic feedback they get from their cohort members.
Keep in mind that you may deliver that same encouragement to another writer!
You want to shorten the path to publication.
When you complete your book through the Executive Group Mastermind course, it’s automatically eligible for publication through The Book Professor’s sister company, Stonebrook Publishing [link]. If you choose Stonebrook, you avoid the waiting and uncertainty of pitching to other publishers.
You want personal advice from a writing coach.
Each week on the group video call, your group’s assigned writing coach will help guide the conversation and offer advice. You’ll also get two one-on-one calls with your coach during each course module. That’s a total of six intensive sessions with a writing coach in addition to the weekly video calls.
You want to learn from other writers.
In the second and third modules of this course, you and your fellow group members will read your writing out loud to one another. This provides invaluable feedback on how your written “voice” sounds to readers.
You’ll also see the struggles other writers encounter and learn how to work through them. You may face the same writing roadblock today that a colleague faced last week, and they can help you. This mutual growth tends to build strong bonds among cohort members.
You might need the 1-2-1 program if…
You want intensive individualized coaching.
Nancy brings her whole focus to your subject, your style, and your goals for the book, delivering highly personalized guidance.
You get six 90-minute video sessions with Nancy to build your BookMAP, and editing for every chapter of your book.
You want to work at a brisker pace.
Because of this focused attention, you can move through the planning and writing process faster. Creating your BookMAP takes 14 weeks in the Self-Paced Course and the Executive Group Mastermind program, but only six weeks with 1-2-1 coaching.
The writing phase is also more intense. You not only write one chapter per week, you also get Nancy’s feedback on the previous chapter, in a constant stream of creation and feedback.
You want professional editing built into the process.
Professional editing from The Book Professor® is an optional, additional cost in The Group Mastermind program. In the 1-2-1 program, Nancy edits your chapters as you go. You end the process with a professionally edited book that is ready for publication. As with the Executive Group Mastermind, your book is automatically eligible for publication with Stonebrook Publishing.
Many Paths, One Destination
No matter what format you choose, you’ll get top-notch lessons in writing to make your book the very best it can be. And if you follow all program deadlines, you’ll end the program with a finished manuscript.
Do you need to buckle down and write the book you’ve been putting off? Maybe you’ve tried to write it but feel disorganized and stuck. The Book Professor® can get your book from idea to reality, whatever format works best for you. Contact us today and let’s talk.