What Revision Coaching Actually Does That Editing Doesn’t
Determining the support that works best for you
*From mid-March to mid-April, I spoke to 35 writers in Revision Strategy Sessions. This is one of several newsletters sharing what I learned.*
After talking to a lot of writers in a contained amount of time, one question came up repeatedly: What is coaching and how is different from editing?
Breaking down the various opportunities writers have to obtain support is the first step to understanding what you and your manuscript needs.
What is editing?
There are a variety of types of editing, including:
Developmental editing: A high level review of your manuscript focused on structure, character development, pacing, etc…
Line editing: Improving your manuscript on the sentence level, focusing on style, tone, clarity, and word choice.
Copy editing: Fact-checking, grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc…
Each is necessary to the writing process and all come at a specific point in the revision process.
But what if you need a helping hand? What if finding out something isn’t working isn’t enough to illuminate how to fix it? What if you’re overwhelmed and can’t find your way out of the craft book/workshop/webinar maze of advice you’ve amassed in your internet bookmark cache, the sticky notes all over your manuscript, and bookshelves groaning under the weight of all that knowledge?
This is where Coaching enters the revision chat.
What is Revision Coaching?
Coaching is working with a writer to dive deep into your story to gain a clearer understanding of your story foundations, to create a process that you can come back to time and again for future projects, and a partner that helps you sift through the massive amount of writing advice to find the gems that work for you.
Coaching is personal and personalized. It’s a one-on-one relationship that goes beyond track changes.
It’s planning.
It’s learning.
It’s support.
It’s collaboration.
It’s next steps.
And yes, it’s also editing.
Coaching comes with built-in, big picture editing. You don’t have to sacrifice editing for supportive coaching. A coach will identify what’s not working, help you figure out how you want to fix it, and then arm you with the tools to do it.
An Example
I recently worked with a writer who has an MFA. This writer has published a book already with great reviews. She knows how to write. But, her first book was the product of her MFA program where she was constantly getting feedback, being challenged to elevate her craft by mentors, collaborating with other writers, and never felt alone in the process.
This second book?
She’d written in a comparative vacuum. No one had seen a word of it. And suddenly, that felt uncomfortable to her. She missed the magic of that MFA program.
When we chatted, she wanted a collaborative atmosphere, the confidence that comes with workshopping a piece, the reassurance that she was on the right track, and the space to brainstorm solutions when she found herself astray.
We spent two months creating her revision plan and are now working to keep that revision on pace.
The bottom line?
Editing is a key part of any revision process, but sometimes, a writer needs more.
Just like our characters, editing can often give us what we want (knowledge about what’s not working in our stories), but it can’t always give you everything you need (education, support, and a personalized plan forward).
Understanding what you need is the first step.
Ask yourself:
How many revision passes have I done on my own already?
What questions do I still have about my manuscript?
What is missing from my writing and revision process?
Am I sticking to my self-imposed deadlines?
Where do I go when I feel stuck?
What parts of the process am I avoiding?
What do I do when it feels hard/overwhelming?
Understanding those answers might help direct you to the right path.
And if you’re not sure?
I’m happy to hop on a discovery call with you to discuss these things and point you in the right direction.
Yes, even if that direction is not me.
My coaching philosophy is to provide writers the support you need. If that support is someone or something else, I’m gonna tell you that! I promise.
So schedule a quick call and let’s see what support you need.
Want does Revision Coaching with me look like?
I offer Revision Planning where you complete exercises to clarify your story foundations, create an As Is Inside Outline we analyze together to find your story’s soft spots, then we create a Revision Road Map to execute your ideal story.
Revision Planning Coaching can take place over an 8-week period with deadlines every two weeks OR as a 6-hour VIP Day if you’re ready to kick start your revision into high gear!