Playing the Long Game
Author Accelerator certified book coaches come from a wide variety of backgrounds and careers. We hope you enjoy this recent interview with certified book coach Erin Gibes.
How did you first hear of book coaching?
I believe it was a blog post on one of the writing blogs I follow — possibly Writers in the Storm or Writer Unboxed. I also found out early on after registering for the certification that my dear writer friend of many years, Terri Thayer, had also signed up to become a book coach, and that really cemented it for me. I have a ton of respect for Terri — she's a brilliant writer and an amazing coach.
How long did it take for you to decide book coaching was the right career for you?
Not long at all. At the time, I was making ends meet (as the sole provider and full-time single parent of my then-4-year-old) by working a wide variety of freelance editing, writing, and social media marketing jobs. I had long neglected my own fiction work because there just wasn't enough time to commit to it in the midst of all the hustling I needed to do to stay afloat. I needed to find a job working from home that would give me the flexibility I needed but also more financial stability. I have loved books my whole life, had experience as an editor, as a teacher, and as an academic and career advisor at a community college. It seemed like a perfect fit for my skill set.
Tell us more about the writing clients you work with.
Most of my clients are writing character-driven speculative fiction, but a few are writing memoir or creative non-fiction. Many of them are also neurodiverse. My clients are people who are committed to finding fresh, unique ways to portray complex emotional trauma authentically, who are doing the deep work necessary to stay true to their stories, and who sometimes struggle with consistency, stamina, and confidence in their writing practices.
What does a typical “day in the life” look like for you?
Well, today is a late start at my son's elementary school (he's in kindergarten now), so I'm working while he watches TV. In a bit, I'll take him to school, and then I'm having lunch with a former colleague at the community college where I used to work as a career counselor. Since I work from home, I try to have some kind of in-person meeting once a week — sometimes it's only loosely work-related, but can still result in clients or other opportunities (my last client came unexpectedly from my old community college network) plus it keeps me sane. This week is my "creative week" — I break my months up into weeks and concentrate on a different aspect of my business each week. Yesterday I finalized my newsletter and my social media posts for March, so today I'll spend some time working on my new email welcome sequence for people that sign up for my newsletter, plus I'll also spend a little time working on my novel — probably after picking up my son and making dinner. My client's pages are due Monday morning, so for the next two weeks, I'll focus on line edits and feedback for my clients. I might do that work from home, but since (here in Colorado) it's been so nice outside, I might work outside at a coffee shop for a bit. The final week of March will be all client meetings on Zoom — we'll discuss my feedback for March and what they'll be working on in April. I also have a manuscript review to do this month, plus another one coming up in April, so I'll work on those throughout the month as well. I also try to weave in a few teaching and learning opportunities throughout the month — so this month I took a course from Jane Friedman on writing trauma, and I'm also teaching the Mini Blueprint for Author Accelerator on March 17, 2022.
What advice do you have for book clubbers who are considering a career shift into book coaching?
First, plan to keep your day job (at least in the beginning!). I managed to make coaching my primary source of income relatively quickly, but it's still a work in progress, it's been a couple of very lean years, and I still have lean months. Building a business is a long game, so if at all possible, make sure you have another source of income, either through another job or maybe a spouse's salary, pension, etc. if at all possible in the first few years. You'll have more long-term success if you're not constantly worrying about making a profit when you first start out. That's a huge drain on your energy and creates stress that can make things take even longer.
Second, keep your eyes on your own paper. By that I mean there is room for every kind of coach at the table, and your business is not going to look like anyone else's. That's not only okay, it's also the best way to serve our clients. It may take time to figure out your niche, and that's okay too. The more you coach, the more you'll learn. I feel like I learn just as much from my clients as they do from me.
Erin Michelle Gibes is a writer, certified book coach, and project manager for writers who need practical, realistic strategies for translating their otherworldly dreams into a polished manuscript. She holds a master’s degree in education; her fiction has been published (as Erin Jendras) in Cicada magazine, the Not Your Average Monster Anthology Vol. II, Devilfish Review, and others.
