What happens on a discovery call?

A discovery call is a thirty minute chat about what you need help with. It’s very informal, and is like having coffee with a friend.

What will we discuss on a coaching call?

We will talk about anything you like to do with your writing. I use my experience as a creative writing tutor to both offer possible solutions to issues, as well as coaching you to understand why you are experiencing the issue and how we can move forward. I also set tasks outside of our time together so that you can work toward your goals. All our conversations are confidential.

Can we meet in person?

During Covid I am happy to work with your time zone and meet you on Zoom.

Month: June 2022

Coaching

Self-Care for Writers

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed or not, self-care is essential. As writers, we can feel the drive to continue writing even when tired because our work is not necessarily labelled as a job, it’s something we enjoy, and the completion of our goals usually begins with finishing the first draft. So, even if we work in another profession during the day or feel overwhelmed by world news, we continue to write.

To continue to get the most out of our writing lives, we must show up to the blank page feeling well. Being burned out, experiencing overwhelm, or anything in between can seriously impact our creativity and ability to write words. So, how can we practice self-care as a writer?

First of all, what is self-care? Well, it’s taking care of your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs. This can look like taking a walk daily, asking a friend for support, giving yourself time to meditate, or engaging the services of a coach.

Now that we know that, how can we apply this to our writing lives?

Journaling.
Keeping a writing journal is a fantastic way to apply self-care to our writing lives. This means taking some time for you and your thoughts and writing your writing process and journey. It’s an act of creative writing in itself and can be inspiring, fulfilling, and can even show you how much progress you have made in your writing life.

Stepping away from the desk.
Writing is sedentary, and we often sit in front of a blank page for hours. Remember to take a step away from your desk. Taking a deep breath, stretching your limbs, walking around the neighbourhood – all these things will help you feel more relaxing, more inspired, and more open to writing.

Reading.
Reading helps us become better writers in so many ways, but the very act of reading is also incredibly relaxing, as we allow ourselves to slip into other worlds and explore new realms. Remember to read often, even if it’s only five minutes a day. Your writing life will improve because of it.

Engaging in community.
Socialising with other writers is such a fantastic experience. I just ran The Writing Week Retreat, and every single person on it said that the community was one of their favourite things. It gives you the chance to talk through your feelings on your writing, gain feedback on your work, and understand what you excel at. Don’t discount the power of chatting to other writers – it can change your output, keep you accountable, and give you the gift of strengthing your prose.

Speaking to a writing coach.
It’s rare in life that we have the opportunity to sit and talk to an active listener about what we want to work on and how to move forward. Coaching is powerful because of exactly this – you are given the opportunity to talk, be listened to, and find solutions to your concerns. Coachingcan make you a happier writer and give you the tools you need to take the next step.

Actively working on your mindset.
Mindset often holds writers back from sharing, creating, and generally being their best creative selves. Working with a coach will help you understand that your thoughts are not fact, banish imposter syndrome, and stop that tricky comparison game. Want to begin? Check out these coaching questions here.

Viewing yourself with generosity.
How would you speak to another writer? With enthusiasm, joy, excitement about their work, and care. You should talk to yourself in the same way. You are doing an incredible job, writer, and a reader is waiting for you to share your story.

Anything you want to add? Let me know here.

Want to read something similar? Check out the following!

Mindfulness Techniques for Writers
10 Ways to Limit Writing Overwhelm

Coaching Craft

5 Things I Wish I Had Known before Writing My First Novel

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date June 16, 2022
No Comments on 5 Things I Wish I Had Known before Writing My First Novel

I am now on my fourth novel and recently was asked about my first. Ah, my first novel. Writing that was an adventure. Why? Let’s dig right in, shall we? Here are the things I know now that I wish I had known when I wrote my first novel.

1) Planning is my superpower.

I didn’t know this when I wrote my first novel. I had always been a pantser, and that was all I knew. Now I know differently – I am actually a plotter. Writing my first novel was a massive challenge for me because I had no idea what was coming next in my story. Now, I know much more about myself. I know that I excel when I have a plan. I know I get more written, my structure is tighter, and I can sit down at my computer after a break and know precisely where I left off. That, for me, is a game-changer. If you’re a pantser, I salute you! It’s a challenge and a half for me to create a plot as I write. We all write differently, and finding out how we write is a huge part of getting the best out of ourselves.

2) The dip is coming – stay on course.

The dreaded dip. What is it? It’s essentially the middle. We begin writing full of ideas and plans and excited for the written word, and then something usually happens after fifty thousand or so words. We hit the dip and lose motivation. How I dealt with this in my first novel was not ideal. I essentially added a new character and plotline, trying to regain some of that magic I felt in the original. Ultimately, I had to remove 50,000 words in the second edit, which took a huge re-write. Now I deal with the dip much better because I expect it – I prep to keep myself motivated and stay on course.

3) A writing routine is essential.

When I wrote the first draft of my first novel, I wrote in fits and starts, bursts and jumps. I responded to deadlines but didn’t feel like I had a writing routine – well, that’s because I didn’t. However, once I investigated my writing time and found a writing routine that worked for me, I wrote twice as much. Life suddenly became much more manageable. Want to create your own writing routine? Read this blog post here!

4) Write what you love – you’re going to read it thousands of times.

Seriously. I read my first novel so often that I was totally fed up with it by the time I finished it. And actually, this relates to point one, too – if I had taken the time to plan my novel, knowing that what worked for me was plotting, I would have had more passion and excitement for what was coming. Instead, I just felt confused. I workshopped it so many times that I fell out of love with it. None of my subsequent novels has been this way. I still love all of them. Why? First of all, because I spent time workshopping the plan and plot before I began writing, leaning into my desire to be a plotter. Secondly, because I chose to write about something that fascinated me, settling into a genre that spoke to my passions. That changed it all, friend. Writing Your Passion is a class I teach in my writing masterclass, It’s Time To Write Your Novel. Learn more here!

5) Self-doubt is normal, but it doesn’t mean your feelings are facts.

I am yet to meet a writer who hadn’t suffered from imposter syndrome at some point in their lives, me included. But, since writing my first novel, I have spent thousands of hours (and pounds) investing in working on my mindset, and it has been enlightening in so many ways. Self-doubt is normal, but it doesn’t mean your feelings are fact. Ready to work on your mindset too? Click here.

So, what do you wish you had known before beginning your first novel? I would love to know, so contact me and tell me!

Craft

3 Ways to Test a Novel Idea Before Writing

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date June 9, 2022
No Comments on 3 Ways to Test a Novel Idea Before Writing

Whether you are a plotter (someone who preps their story ahead of time), a pantser (someone who writes as they create), or a plantser (a mix of the two!), there comes a time when the idea for a novel might pop into your head, and you wonder whether it has the legs to be something you want to write. Well, what do you do in that situation? I’ll tell you – you test your novel idea.

Your first question might not be ‘how’, but rather ‘who with?’ – that’s a great question, by the way. Who do you test your novel idea with? You could do this with yourself (Is this something you would read, is it something you really want to write, is it a novel that interests you further than the initial thought?), or with your ideal reader. If you need a hand working out who your ideal reader is, check out this blog post all about it: Your Ideal Reader

Once you have decided that you would like to test the idea with yourself or your friend who happens to love the genre of novel you’re thinking about, it’s time to think about three ways to test your idea:

1: Write your synopsis ahead of writing the novel.

Writing a synopsis before writing a novel is a great way to test an idea. It means that you can share what looks like a finished product and really think about how you want it to be once completed. Not sure how to write a synopsis? Read on.

Writing a synopsis is a class that I teach in my Novel Writing Masterclass – It’s Time to Write Your Novel, but I wanted to give you a little freebie here because I know that other people struggle with this area too.

So – let’s break it down together. Here are the steps I recommend for writing a synopsis:

1) Write down plot points in the order of events.

2) Write the first paragraph – set up the premise and write a clear description of the world and scenario you have created.

3) Connect your plot points by describing your character’s growth.

4) Tell us the ending.

5) Re-read for editing.

Ideally, this should be no more than 1000 words.

Follow those steps, and you should find it much easier to write your synopsis!

2: Ask yourself some probing questions.

Try asking yourself the following four questions if you’re looking for something less in-depth than writing a synopsis. These will help you visualise your plot, deliver it as a complete idea, and communicate what you want your novel to be.

What is your main character’s problem, the conflict they are dealing with?

What is their drive to overcome this?

Who or what is standing in their way?

Why does it matter?

3: Write an elevator pitch.

So, how can you whittle down your novel idea to an elevator pitch? Keep it short, sweet, and understandable. For example:

I have written TITLE, a GENRE novel of WORD COUNT. PROTAGONIST lives in SETTING and faces CONFLICT. How the protagonist overcomes conflict, including the antagonist, but not usually tertiary characters.

Another fun way to challenge yourself is to develop a 140 character pitch as they did for Pitch Wars!

Here’s my 140 character pitch for The Birth of Ida:

?????? ???? ? ???????? ???? ???? ? ????????? ?????????, ??? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ??????’? ?????.

So, there are three ways to test your novel idea before writing a word of it! Do you have any to add? Let me know how you get on and don’t forget to get in touch if you need a hand.

Are you looking for a similar read? Check out the following:

3 Things Needed for a Fantastic Book Proposal

5 Things to Avoid When Writing Dialogue

Productivity

3 Steps to Your Writing Management Plan

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date June 2, 2022
No Comments on 3 Steps to Your Writing Management Plan

What is a writing management plan? I hear you ask. Well, it’s a way to ensure you have set yourself up in the best possible way, creating an environment that lends itself to writing.

A question I often ask my coaching clients when we have come up with a plan together is:

What could derail this plan?

It’s an interesting question, and it makes my client stop for a moment and consider all of the things that could come along and get in the way of their action plan. So, what then?

Creating a writing management plan is not about writing routines, finding the time to write, and all that good stuff – it’s about ensuring that you have thought ahead to potential distractions and taken action before they derail your writing.

Here are three steps to create your own writing management plan:

1) Ask yourself, what could derail my writing plans this week? What could stop me from getting these words on the page? Write down the answers.

2) Consider what you could put in place to limit these distractions. Perhaps it’s asking for help, prepping a meal, or turning off your phone at a specific time.

3) Your final step is to take action. Put these things into place to ensure that your writing time is managed correctly. What does that mean to you? You might be setting up a writing habit, so you want to ensure that you have your cues and rewards correctly set up. As a reminder – creating a habit is a four-step process that looks like this:

1 – Cue: Giving yourself a cue to begin – this means planning, setting an alert or alarm, and essentially reminding yourself of the habit.
2 – Craving: Imagining the satisfaction of having completed the act. What will you feel like once it’s complete? How awesome will it be to have written 1000 more words of your WIP?
3 – Response: The actual act of writing! Sitting down and cracking on with it.
4 – Reward: Pre-plan some reward or incentive for when you’ve completed the word count. It could be anything – from a cup of tea to a chocolate bar to an hour of your favourite show.

Once you have put your actions in place, you have set yourself up for the best possible start in managing your writing that week. Every time you plan to write ahead of time, consider the three steps above, and you’ll find yourself less distracted, more prepped, and with more words on the page.

Want to know more about creating a management plan that works for you? Coaching could be the answer. Click here to read more about what I offer.