If you are looking for help with the writing process, you might benefit from working with me as your author coach. Together, we will create a custom package to match your needs and writing goals. Whether you’re trying to figure out how to start chapter one, or are getting ready to pitch to literary agents, I can help. Author coaching is appropriate for writers of all levels and at all stages of manuscript development.
What exactly is an author coach?
An author coach is part craft guide, part accountability partner, part sounding board. Some author coaches, like me, also provide editorial instruction. In general, author coaches guide writers of all levels through the twists and turns of the writing process, helping them take their books from idea to finished manuscript.
How does author coaching work?
Author Coaching is a collaborative, one-on-one partnership designed to help you navigate the craft of writing and the business of publishing. Unlike traditional editors who focus almost exclusively on your manuscript, an author coach focuses primarily on you, the writer. Here’s a breakdown of what I can offer you as your author coach:
Editorial and Craft Guidance
Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser (or somewhere in between), I can help you develop and refine your ideas before and during the writing process. I offer guidance with:
- Dreamstorming: During the prewriting phase, I’ll teach you a process to harness your creativity and imagination so that your story can reveal itself to you.
- Plotting and Structure: When you’re ready to plot your story, I’ll provide tools to help you map out the setting and themes, understand your characters, and construct your narrative arc.
- Getting “Unstuck”: When necessary, I’ll help you get past writer’s block and solve complex plot holes.
- Line-Level Feedback: I’ll review your pages in progress and help you strengthen your voice, style, and writing mechanics.
Strategy and Project Management
Writing a book is an enormous undertaking and it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed. I’ll provide you with the structure you need to reach the end. I can help with:
- Accountability: I’ll work with you to set realistic deadlines, submission schedules, and regular check-ins to keep you moving forward.
- Time Management: I’ll help you build a sustainable writing routine that fits into your busy life.
- Goal Setting: We’ll work together to break down your writing project into manageable milestones.
Industry and Publishing Navigation
The publishing world can be notoriously opaque and intimidating. I can demystify the process by:
- Evaluating Paths to publication: Helping you decide whether traditional publishing, self-publishing (indie), or a hybrid model fits your goals.
- Submission Prep: Guiding you through the querying process, which includes polishing your query letter, synopsis, and the crucial first chapters.
- Career Building: Advising on platform building, finding your target audience, and thinking long-term about your author brand.
Emotional and Mindset Support
Writing is a solitary endeavor and often deeply personal, and, unfortunately, it’s not always joyful. At its worst, it can bring up a lot of self-doubt, which can prevent writers from reaching their full potential. I can act as a sounding board, helping you push through imposter syndrome, fear of rejection, and the vulnerability of putting your work out into the world. As your author coach, I can provide you with the tools, skills, and confidence to become a better, more productive writer overall.
How do you know if you need an author coach?
You might benefit from working with an author coach if:
- you have a manuscript in progress but find yourself losing momentum or unable to complete your work.
- you are a first-time author who doesn’t yet have a process and are seeking expert guidance on how to build one.
- you are a writer revising after feedback (from an editor, agent, or beta readers) and need help prioritizing and executing changes.
- you are pursuing historical or research-heavy fiction and want a thought partner who takes accuracy and sourcing seriously.
- you are a writer who works best with structure—regular check-ins, deadlines, and someone in their corner who’s read the whole manuscript, not just the last chapter.
Why should you work with me?
I bring over twenty years of experience as both an editor and working author to every coaching relationship. I know what it’s like to be a beginning writer, grappling at the page, as well as what it’s like to be deep in a manuscript and lose sight of the shape of the whole thing. As your author coach, I can help you find your way back.
My interest in the creative process has led me to study how other artists get work done. I share my deep understanding of the writing process in every coaching session, and can provide a step-by-step guide for novel writers and memoirists. My own writing lives in richly researched historical fiction, so I have a particular love for helping writers get the details right without losing the story underneath.
Working with me means having someone who reads closely, asks good questions, and tells you the truth about your manuscript—kindly, but honestly. Working with me will enable you to finish your manuscript and get it ready for publication.
“…Danielle…has helped me progress from having an unwieldy first draft to polished manuscript. From the moment we started our coaching sessions, I knew I was in good hands. She tailored her services to meet my specific needs and took the time to understand my goals, challenges, and aspirations, so that we could create a personalized coaching plan that fit me. Danielle’s kindness and patience were evident from the start, and…her belief in my abilities and consistent motivation pushed me to keep going. She also provided me with the tools, strategies, and insights I needed to overcome obstacles and achieve my goals…working with Danielle has been a transformative experience. Her dedication, industry knowledge, and genuine care for my success have made all the difference. I highly recommend her coaching services to anyone in need of a supportive and empowering writing coach.”
—Genise Amber Edwards, coaching client and author of Dani Grace Dances: First Position, Second Thoughts
“Danielle Sunshine is the best editor I have ever worked with, and her advice, understanding and sharp intellect make her perfect for any author who wants to improve his work and move towards publication. Danielle is dynamic in her approach to plot, character development, story imagining and timeline sequences, all the major ingredients of any great work. I depend on her for critical discussions (and wit!) about how a story might develop, the roadblocks that could be encountered, and what kind of audiences will appreciate particular themes. I can say without the least hesitation that Danielle will be a great asset to any author, and I commend her for very creative work.”
—John W. Hazard, Jr., JD, coaching client and writer
“Danielle has helped me improve and expand my manuscript so much. She is supportive, offers guidance, and is professional. It also feels like we are working together, and that has helped me become a stronger writer. Danielle communicates clearly in our monthly meetups and frequent check-ins. When she sets deadlines, they are incredibly motivating. I highly recommend Danielle to help any author work through their manuscript.”
—Paola Jofre, coaching client, memoirist, and poet
“Working with Danielle has been an incredible experience. As someone who has done most of her writing alone, I have often run into what once were unconquerable roadblocks: losing momentum, not being able to fully plot out my stories beyond an idea and the first three chapters, and struggling to develop past my character’s surface-level motivations to uncover their deeper desires. Starting a project and ultimately shelving it usually leaves me embarrassed or disappointed, but under Danielle’s tutelage, I see it as a pause: an opportunity to step back until I gain more clarity and direction as opposed to a closed door. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge working with Danielle that I wouldn’t have gotten on my own. I appreciate how she pushes me to uncover the true meaning of my stories. She engages with me when I need reassurance, constructive criticism, and helpful reminders. I am glad to have found Danielle and I am excited to complete my project with her.”
—Anai Brew, writer