Every Story Is Trying to Become Something
Writing a novel is one challenge.
Seeing the story clearly is another.
Most beginning novelists don’t struggle because they lack imagination.
They struggle because stories are complex.
Characters begin changing.
Scenes drift away from their purpose.
The middle loses momentum.
The ending no longer feels connected to the beginning.
The writer knows something isn’t working but cannot yet see what it is.
That is where story coaching can help.
Why I Coach Writers
Before becoming a Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, I had already written twelve novels.
Like every novelist, I learned that finishing a manuscript is only the beginning.
Revision is where a story discovers what it was trying to become all along.
Story coaching grew naturally out of my own writing journey.
I don’t coach because I’ve mastered fiction.
I coach because I understand how difficult it is to see your own story objectively while you’re still inside it.
Sometimes another thoughtful reader can help you recognize what has been on the page all along.
What We Work On
Every novel is different.
Every writer is different.
Rather than forcing your manuscript into a formula, we’ll work together to understand the story you are actually trying to tell.
Our conversations may include:
- Story structure
- Character development
- Scene purpose
- Conflict and stakes
- Theme
- Point of view
- Pacing
- Revision strategy
- Story coherence
- Strengthening emotional truth
Most importantly, we’ll ask a simple question throughout the process:
What is this story really about?
What Story Coaching Is Not
Story coaching is not proofreading.
It is not copyediting.
It is not ghostwriting.
It is not someone rewriting your novel for you.
Your story remains your story.
My role is to help you see it more clearly.
Beginning Novelists Welcome
Many writers wait too long before asking questions.
You don’t need a finished manuscript before we talk.
Whether you have:
- a notebook full of ideas,
- a rough outline,
- a few completed chapters,
- a completed first draft,
- or a manuscript deep in revision,
story coaching can help you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
My Approach
The same philosophy that shapes my novels also shapes my coaching.
I believe stories become stronger when they become more honest.
Readers respond to emotional truth.
They recognize believable characters.
They remember meaningful change.
Rather than trying to impress readers with clever twists or complicated plots, I encourage writers to build stories that remain true to the people living inside them.
Strong fiction grows from careful attention—not shortcuts or gimmicks. Craft principles can guide us, but they must serve the story rather than replace it.
Why Story Matters
Long before we write stories, we live inside them.
We inherit stories about success.
Family.
Faith.
Work.
Love.
Failure.
Identity.
Writing fiction allows us to examine those stories from a safe distance.
Sometimes a novel reveals something about ourselves that no essay ever could.
That is one reason I continue writing novels.
And it is one reason I enjoy helping others write theirs.
Let’s Begin with a Conversation
Every novel—and every novelist—is different.
Whether you’re still exploring an idea, developing an outline, struggling through a first draft, or revising a completed manuscript, we’ll begin by talking about your story, where you are in the process, and what you’re hoping to accomplish.
Depending on your needs, our work may involve discussing an idea, reviewing an outline, examining selected scenes, identifying story problems, or developing a revision strategy for your manuscript.
Most sessions are held by Zoom and can be either a single focused conversation or part of an ongoing coaching relationship. Before any paid work begins, we’ll discuss your project, determine what would be most helpful, and agree on the scope, cost, and next step.
If you’re thinking about writing a novel—or you’re already writing one—I would be glad to talk with you.
No pressure.
No obligation.
Just a thoughtful conversation about your story.
The Pencil-Driven Life 