Story and Book Coaching and Consulting

Raise your hands if you’ve been thinking to yourself about these puzzles with your marketing content or stories:

Which print-on-demand and distributor company should I go with? Should I go wide and reach retailers directly or utilize companies that will distribute to numerous retailers, bookstores, and the like for me? Some say go with IngramSpark. Others say that’s perfectly fine but to go with Amazon KDP first. Then a few say don’t go exclusive with Amazon. Which is right?

Do e-books need ISBNs?

Why are readers bouncing off this same page on my site or book product page and not buying or staying?

Do I really need a sensitivity reader? Beta reader? Aren’t they the same?

Should I get a line editor or copy editor? What’s the difference between them?

I’m still trying to figure out my reader persona, target audience/reader, or who my ideal reader is of my stories.

I’m still trying to figure out what I even want to write and what story will give me the most interest from potential readers.

Luckily for you, I’ve been on both sides of this confusing fence as a copywriter AND indie publisher/writer.

What is a story coach?

As a content marketing professional for almost 10 years in firms and in-house environments, my experience has been with Capital One and Dotdash Meredith verticals through staffing agencies, fact-checking and editing across finance, lifestyle, wellness, family, and DIY content. I have been a freelance editor for Curated, a sports gear review company. And I have been a book author and screenwriter with quarterfinalist and semi-finalist nods from WeScreenplay and Outfest, to name a few; one script of which became a published graphic novel (Pride, and Joy).

In so many words, I like to develop stories in all forms. YOUR stories and words also matter to me, and that’s why I like to help improve them in order to maximize your target audience reach: your potential readers!

What all does story coaching and consulting for creative non-fiction and fiction entail, you may ask? We’ll describe it…yes, in words.

Raise your hands if you've been thinking to yourself about these puzzles with your marketing content or stories: 1

What my story coaching and consulting services consist of

Based on your specific genre, plot, concept, story aims, and reader or buyer personas (those would be the important people known as customers, readers, followers, and overall target audiences who buy into and follow you and your stories) you will receive any of the most appropriate guidance. Some such examples are:

Pre-consulting session preliminary reader persona-backed research using market data and cultural reporting tools like sparks & honey and Pew Research Center, social media spaces, and discussion forums to prep for your questions regarding who your target reader is, the general types of topics, story themes, and/or queries your target audience wants to read about and how they want to be given it.
Pre-consulting session preliminary review of story concept or sample size content (first chapters, blurbs, synopses, 1 book product page, 1 viral/social piece of book promo content, etc.) to prep for your questions regarding story concept or book marketing suggestions or improvements
Pre-consulting session self-publishing quiz assessment to kickstart conversation about POD (print-on-demand) and aggregator (a service that lets you upload your manuscript in one place, and then distributes your work to multiple channels) company options. Being an initial glimpse as to which possible route might be better for your specific publishing needs/preferences (Either selected route to be discussed in greater detail during session)
General story concept brainstorming with resource and tool suggestions
Book marketing resource and tool suggestions

content persona decks and reports — Reader Persona Decks and Story Idea/Audience-Targeting Idea Lists

Raise your hands if you've been thinking to yourself about these puzzles with your marketing content or stories: 2 — Reference sheets for authors and story creators: Self-publishing process step-by-step and book marketing tool & educational links

Written reader persona/target audience research slides/decks (with story/audience-reaching ideas) are additional services upon request and will be sent through Google Sheets and/or Google Slides.

Each session is unique and tailored to one’s specific needs and story sector.

Therefore: PLEASE message me with your book/story concept info, reader persona/desired target audience material you might have, and your genre (to ensure it’s in my expertise!). This will help me better help you with very relevant content and suggestions.

Which leads us to…

THINK YOU’RE FINALLY READY TO BETTER REACH AND CONNECT WITH YOUR READER WITH BETTER STORIES?

Talk about it.