Coaching for Writers

 

I’m a certified AWSA writers and speakers coach.

Are you stuck in your writing?

Feeling discouraged by a blank page?

Need help jumpstarting your writing career?

Want to get back on track but don’t know how?

I’ve been where you are and can help get you reinvigorate your writing. As a traditional and indie published author, I know both industries well. I also have a keen eye for detail and a warm heart for writers. Writing can be hard, especially if life interrupts or it’s been a while between books. At times, you need someone in your corner who understands the creative writing process and who can cheer you on while providing guidance to help you achieve your writing goals.

I’m offering two small groups for writers this winter.

Fill out my Are We a Good Fit? form below for a no-obligation free call, and let me help you meet your writing goals.

I can help you…

  • Overcome your fears or uncertainties.
  • Rediscover your calling to write.
  • Develop a writing plan you can stick to.
  • Finish your current project.

Won’t you fill out my Are We a Good Fit? form to get started today?

Are we a good fit for writing coaching?
Coaching writers is my passion! Fill out this form as a prospective client, and I'll follow up within two business days after receiving your form with a link to schedule a free, 20-minute consultation phone call.

Coaching Packages

Single, one hour sessions available.

Supercharge Your Writing Package: You want to finish your manuscript but find yourself second-guessing the words you’ve already written or not able to make real progress. This package includes 12 sessions of coaching (over an 18-month period), plus email support throughout.

Get Back to Writing Package: Perhaps you’ve taken time off from writing but want to get back into it. This package includes 6 sessions of coaching (over a 9-month period), plus email support throughout.

Just the Plan Package: You know what you want to write but want help developing achievable goals and a schedule for your writing. This package includes 2 sessions of coaching (over a 7-month period), plus email support throughout.

Just the Plan Marketing Package: You know you need to market your book but want help developing a solid plan and achievable promotional goals. This package includes 2 sessions of coaching (over a 7-month period), plus email support throughout.

The I Have an Idea, Now What? Package: You have an idea for a story but aren’t sure how to flesh it out into a book. This package includes 4 sessions of coaching (over a 12-month period), plus email support throughout and feedback on your work as you go along (at the content editing rate).

Fix My Manuscript Package: You’d like help with either a content edit (Are there any holes in my story? Do my characters grow throughout the story?) or proofreading (Where do I use a semi-colon? Do my subjects and verbs agree?).

The I Want to Hold Your Hand Package: You’d like an accountability partner/cheerleader/drill sergeant to keep you working on your manuscript. This package is based on weekly check-ins (15 to 30 minutes each), plus email support throughout.

Group Accountability Package: Want outside help sticking to your goals? Then join one of my group accountability sessions over Zoom. I limit the participants of each group to six writers. We’ll meet once a month over Zoom during a six-month period, plus you’ll also get 1 one-on-one session with me to be used within a 12-month period.

Youth Mentor Packages

I love mentoring young writers, especially teenagers! If you have a teenager or college-age young adult who loves to write and needs some direction/guidance in their writing, check out one of my Youth Mentor Packages.

The Basics Package: Your youth would like one-on-one how-to lessons, such as how to craft a story, how to self-edit, how to develop characters, and how to write a series. I tailor this package to the young writer’s needs and provide feedback, suggestions, and encouragement along their writing journey.

  •             Three, 60-minute phone or Zoom calls
  •             Six, 60-minute phone or Zoom calls

The Pro Package: Your youth wants to self-publish his or her manuscript. I’ll provide both editing and project management assistance throughout the process, connecting the author with professional editors and graphic designers to help bring his or her book to life.

What Clients Say About Sarah

“I am so thankful Sarah Hamaker was willing to invest time into coaching me and helping me stay on track to get my latest manuscript finished. Her diligence and follow-through were so beneficial. She tailored our weekly sessions for the best outcome, shared knowledge and expertise, and provided encouragement along the way to see my project through to completion. I was floundering before she became my writing coach, and I learned a good deal from her while we worked together. Truly, I might not have reached my word goal under deadline without her.”
—T. Elizabeth Renich, author of The Shadowcreek Chronicles

“Sarah Hamaker was my writing coach during the publication process for my latest book. She was a huge helped, and I’m blessed to have worked with her. Four years had lapsed since I’d last published, and I was struggling to navigate the changes in the publishing industry, not to mention battling insecurity.

“Sarah helped with solid, well-researched, actionable advice, but she also helped simply by listening and allowing me to work a few things out for myself. She faithfully reminded me of the things I already knew (but definitely needed to hear again) while also helping me to wrap my head around some of the changes that had occurred in recent years that would impact the way in which I published.

“Because Sarah is a published author with experience both in trad and indie publishing, she was able to bring the best of both worlds into our conversations. When I was frozen in panic over coming up with content for my newsletters, she talked me down off the ledge and helped me brainstorm ideas that were original and interesting but that also fit my personality and writing style. When I didn’t quite know what to do with some of the feedback I’d gotten from beta readers, she helped me untangle the threads and identify the underlying issue, which helped me to see that the problem was really much smaller than it had felt. When I learned that one of my previous publishers had closed its door and that seven of my titles had consequently been unpublishes, Sarah helped bring clarity to the chaos by clearly talking through the options before me so that I could better see the path forward.

“In addition, each time we met, Sarah gave me a simple and straightforward task to complete before our next meeting. My “homework” ranged from writing and sending out a newsletter to my readers to making a list of places I was considering advertising/marketing my book once it released. In every case, the “homework” reflected Sarah’s careful attention to my concerns and needs while keeping me moving forward toward publication.

“While I had initially given Sarah a list of the things I most needed assistance with, other things came up throughout the process. Sarah seamlessly wove in the new topics (like a publishing closing its doors) while also making sure to address each of the initial topics I listed.

“I can’t recommend Sarah enough as a writing coach. She helped me in tangible ways, like helping me brainstorm the backstory for a character in an upcoming book. She also helped in the intangible ways, though, like with the encouragement and support I needed as I struggled with fears of letting my readers down after so many years without a new book. Sarah is the complete package as writing coach, and anybody who has the privilege to work with her will be personally and professionally blessed by the experience.”
—Heather, multi-published inspirational romance author

“It was a pleasure to have Sarah edit [my nonfiction books] for me. She is quick, reliable, helpful, and knowledgeable.”
—Kathy Kuhl, Learndifferently.com

“Sarah was a real pro and extremely helpful to the development of my book. Her experience allowed me to elevate the narrative as well as the structure (not to mention literally watching my p’s and q’s, and crossing those t’s and dotting i’s). I could not have progressed as well without her.”
—MHR, Fortune 500 CMO

“I loved working with Sarah Hamaker! I didn’t know anything about writing a book but had a good story and subject. Her expertise as a writer, patience and focus led us through writing my first book. Sarah is a professional and has the all the resources to edit, conduct and transcribe interviews, find graphic designers and researchers to dig deeper and make the content of the book richer and more thorough. Finally, she helped me get my ISBN and put my book on Amazon.com and Amazon.comeurope in both paperback and ebook editions. She also helped me figure out what the price point should be in the market. If I do another follow-up to my first book, Sarah and I will be team members again. Professional, focused, knowledgeable and timely would describe Sarah. She is also a very nice down to earth person and a very good listener.”
—Mark Litzsinger, former chairman of Follett Corporation and author of Climbing Toward the Light

“It is always a pleasure to work with Sarah. I never worry about whether her work will be done to my satisfaction or by deadline—it is always spot-on and on time. She is able to juggle many different tasks without dropping the ball on any of them. I would recommend her to anyone looking for a strong, reliable writer, editor or project manager. You won’t be disappointed.”
—Jennifer Batty, freelance writer/editor

“Sarah has helped me grow exponentially as a writer. Her wisdom when it comes to editing is unmatched. Overall, the experience with Sarah has been amazing both with her as my editor and as my project manager.” David Massie and the Quantum Flux by [Andrew M Nehring]
—Andrew Nehring, author of The Corrupted Light Chronicles and David Massie series