Frequently Asked Questions 

about

Book Coaching/Consulting

Who are your clients and how do you help them? 

My clients come to me for support, guidance, and direction in three areas:

1. Some people simply want to get a book published. They have a message to share, they have always dreamed of getting published, but they don't know how to go about it. For most in this group, a book is a big project, but they can't or don't want/need to make this their livelihood.

If this describes you, I would help you to clarify what your book is about, who the audience is, and what the best publishing route would be in terms of your goals and resources. If your book is not yet written, I can coach you through all the things you won’t learn in school or through books—the secrets I’ve learned from myself and other successful writers over the years about everything from how to think and perceive like a writer, to fitting writing into your schedule, to getting your book/articles written and published. 

If your book is already written, I can critique it for salability and help you come up with a better approach, if necessary. I can help you determine which publishing option would work best for you.

If your book is right for a traditional publisher, I can coach you through how to write a book proposal that will sell a publisher on your idea (I’ve never NOT sold a book idea), and help you uncover the right contacts (agent, publishers). I can even point you to inexpensive legal services and help you negotiate a fair contract with a publisher. If you self-publish, I can point you to trusted resources and help you evaluate your options.

In short, I would help you clarify your goal and coach you through any aspect of writing, publishing, and promoting your book.

2. Other people want their book to be part of a larger goal, a means to an end. Examples would be to establish their expertise so that they get better speaking engagements or to attract more clients. A book is part of something they already have going on.

With these clients, I create strategies to maximize what they can get out of a book, and expand their thinking into possibly creating other information products. Inevitably, marketing strategies will also be included. I may also write copy for them, interview them for audio products, write press releases—wherever my strengths can shore up their weaknesses. NOTE: These strategies do not work for fiction authors.

3. The third type of client I work with is someone who wants to get into information products in a big way, and create multiple streams of income from their expertise.

They want more than a book; they want a whole business centered around their expertise. They have the resources to make this commitment—the time, energy and money to put into creating an information products business. With these clients, I first assess whether it's possible to build a business around their expertise. We look at their strengths, weaknesses, resources, topic, market, etc. We create a step-by-step plan that includes product creation, marketing and promotion. Everything is integrated with everything else; everything builds on everything else. I provide the guidance, resources, and often contacts they need to move ahead successfully.

How will your coaching benefit me?

If you feel you have a book in you but lack the knowledge and resources to know where to begin, I can show you the way. Often it's not the writing so much that people need help with, it's the whole publishing process and the business of writing and publishing.  Most authors and would-be authors start off exactly the wrong way, write their book, and only then think about who their audience might be or how to get it published.

I will help you start on the right foot immediately, or get on the right track if you've veered off. This will save you years of frustration, lots of money (depending on how prone you are to jump at any offer that looks helpful), and could spell the difference between success and failure. Thousands of people have manuscripts moldering in file cabinets only because they lack the knowledge of what to do next.

If you're an author with a book that's not selling, I can help you revive it through unique, tested strategies. There are many of them, and I tailor every strategy to your own particular strengths and resources.

In short, I can help you get from wherever you are right now, to wherever you want to be, no matter what your goal is.

What’s the difference among coaching, consulting, counseling?

I like to use the analogy of someone wanting professional help in buying their very first bicycle.

A consultant will research the different types of bicycles available and come up with a report and recommendation. A counselor will raise your awareness of all the issues involved and your past transportation experiences. A coach will help you determine the bike you REALLY want, help you choose one that allows you to touch your feet to the ground, in a color that you love. Then, the coach will give you a gentle push and run along beside you until you are safely riding on your own.

There is clearly value in all three approaches, it depends on what suits the client best. Coaching goes from the present to where you want to be. It is very complementary to counseling and usually includes quite a bit of consulting, since some clients want to lean on my publishing expertise and contacts in the industry. 

My goal is to get you from where you are now, to where you want to be, providing any and all resources you may need to help you on your way.

What qualifies you as a coach?

My background is all aspects of the publishing field—author (11 books, hundreds of articles, with byline and ghostwritten), editor (magazines, fiction and nonfiction), publicist, Internet marketer, and copywriter (offline and web, with a specialty in web copywriting). Both as an editor and coauthor, I did a lot of coaching as well as the more formal work of editing or writing. The authors and I found it mutually beneficial. 

In addition, I have built up a successful "information products" business based on my publishing expertise. I have invested thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in learning from the most successful experts in all areas pertaining to writing, marketing, online strategies, copywriting, and promotion. I know how to integrate various offline and online approaches, and continually keep up with the best practices (which are always changing, especially in the online arena). 

I have worked hard myself to achieve both success and a balanced, joyful life. I have excellent listening/communication skills and I love working with people, helping them achieve their goals and find true joy and fulfillment in their lives as they express their unique gifts and abilities. I tend to be very action/results oriented and hold my clients accountable to what they say they want to do.

How does your coaching work?

Because each person is different, with unique goals, resources, and timetables, I work out with my clients however many times per month they need my services. Most of my clients commit to 2-4 45-minute coaching sessions per month. However, the number of sessions per week or month is entirely up to you. In addition, my clients have one contact between sessions, via email or phone, as needed.

Coaching phone calls are initiated and paid for by the client. If we decide to continue to work together after the initial follow-up consultation from either ""Write Your Book Right: 12 Questions Successful Authors Always Answer" or included "Jump Start Your Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book that Sells," you will be given a specific assignment at each session. 

Usually I coach over the phone, for 45 minutes a session. In between, I usually need time to read the materials you submit, make contacts on your behalf, research something for you. As needed, I follow up with resources, motivational thoughts and information. The ideal commitment is 3-4 times per month, with a month-to-month commitment paid in advance. I will coach you on a time frame compatible with your goals, but I will make recommendations based on keeping momentum going.

Usually there is something for you to do, and something for me to do (if only to review what you've done and propose the next step). You control the amount of work you take on, and hand in assignments at least 48 hours before our next scheduled session so I have time to review, edit, and develop thoughts and direction to share. 

Coaching is about YOU. It is done with the belief that you are creative, resourceful and whole and have many of the answers for your life. It is about asking important questions to help you get on and follow the path to realizing your goals and dreams. It is about support, accountability, and honesty. It is a partnership.

Sometimes a client will also hire me to do something myself for them, such as write a press release or newsletter, write web copy etc.  Such projects are negotiated on a separate basis.

How long would be work together?

That depends on you and where you are in the whole process. Please note, however, that no matter which group you are in, writing, publishing and promoting a book is a big project and nothing happens overnight. Working with me will greatly accelerate your progress, and my aim is that you will see steady progress. 

If you can think of yourself as an information provider and are open to creating information products beyond a book, I can help you get to the point where you can create income that will allow you to cover the costs not only of the coaching, but also of producing and publicizing your book—and produce a good income besides. 

So even though it may seem like it will take months or even years to fully realize your dream of a published and best-selling book, your investment into coaching is truly an investment that will literally pay you back many times over. It can take up to 6 months to get a lucrative information system going, depending on how much time you can put into it. However, you should be able to start making money well before that.

The only exceptions to this model would be if your idea is not salable enough. Children's books and much fiction realistically do not lend themselves to this model. For these projects, you will have to look at them as your ministry, your gift to the world, and be satisfied with knowing that even if your book does not become a "best seller," you will nevertheless be changing the lives of thousands of people—which is more than most people can claim.

How else can you help me as my book publishing coach?

Besides shepherding your book through the complicated publishing process, I have honed the complementary skills of copywriting, Internet marketing, publicity and promotion that will help you to actually sell your book. I stay up on the latest, cutting-edge marketing techniques that work for authors. When you get to any of these phases, you have the option of using my services in these areas—according to my availability. 

You will also have access to my proprietary materials, such as my Winning Book Proposal Outline, plus the courses I am continually developing. I can also help you find an agent, find a good intellectual property lawyer at an amazingly low cost, help you evaluate other people's programs that you may be considering, understand what a good publishing contract looks like,  and do many other things involved with writing and publishing.

What are your book coaching fees?

I work out my fees based on the nature of your project. Some projects call for an hourly fee, others fall under certain packages I offer. 

Consulting fees generally cover a 30-minute phone consultation in addition to any work I must do directly after our session or before our next session on your behalf, up to an additional 30 minutes. For most consultations I must retrieve and send information, makes notes or calls, problem solve, determine strategies, fulfill requests, look over copy, and any work that does not include any major editing or manuscript reviews.

As mentioned above, any additional work, such as copywriting, creating press releases, editing, manuscript review, will be negotiated separately. 

Coaching/consulting fees are due monthly in advance, at the first of the month. You are responsible for telling me how much coaching time you want in a given month, and sending that to me. I will always tell you what I am doing and when time is running out. You may always schedule additional time as needed (according to my availability). You may pay me via check, or through my PayPal account.  When we set up your coaching sessions, I'll give you details about payment.

Important: Time for missed sessions or sessions that cancel in less than 48 hours cannot be reclaimed. Also unused time does not carry over to the following month. A commitment to coaching and reaching your goals cannot be accomplished with lax scheduling.

I will call you. Please provide a phone number and your time zone. If you're international, we can talk for free via Skype. You need a computer with an Internet connection, a headset that will allow you to both listen and speak, speakers for your computer, and the Skype software installed (it's free). If you need help setting this up, let me know. It's easy and free, but you can only speak to others who have Skype set up.

When you compare the investment against the personal rewards, the value of Book Coaching is obvious: 

• You side step the costly mistakes of publishing in the wrong way.
• You learn the right steps at the right time in the right order.
• You get your book published as quickly, economically, and efficiently as possible.
• You have the potential of adding multiple streams of income from an information business that will amaze you.
• You can claim the moniker "author" to your name and gain the prestige, respect, and credibility that others will ascribe to that title.

 Diane Eble 

"Your Book Publishing Coach" 

CEO, Words to Profit 

0S430 Jefferson ST. 

Winfield , IL 60190

Phone: 630-665-0843 

Fax: 630-665-1338 

www.wordstoprofit.com 

www.yourbookpublishingcoach.com