Most people don’t even know that a cookbook or food memoir coach is a thing. So, they normally have questions, like I’m sure you do.
So, let’s look at the most common questions I get about what I even do, if I’d be a good fit for you, how the process would work and lots of things in-between. Keep scrolling for the A’s to your Q’s.
And if I don’t cover something, shoot me a message!
FAQs
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In short, I’m your guide through the book writing process. Need more clarification? You can find the full breakdown here.
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I’m honored you asked, but that’s not my jam. Ghostwriting or co-authoring is a specific talent — someone who can take your words and craft a narrative as if it’s your own. But I'm happy to refer you to someone!
And while I have done that previously, my love is drawing out the stories people didn’t know they had inside of themselves, rather than telling the story for them.
Something to know: It takes time — lots of time. So, even if you believe you have a book all mapped out, there will be things that pop up, lots of conversations and revisions.
If you have an idea of your book, but want to take through some of the logistics and see what’s your best next step, schedule a free 30 minute call with me here.
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You don’t have to take a writing class to be a writer, however, there are some basic skills needed to tackle writing a book first.
In your intake form, you’ll submit pages of your work, so I can gauge whether or not we’d be a good fit.
Unfortunately, I’m not able to coach writers on the fundamentals. There are a number of online writing classes though, and most cities have writing workshops offered through community centers or local colleges.
Writing is a skill that can be learned, and one that should be practiced consistently. Some of my favorite books on the topic are:
Will Write for Food by Dianne Jacob
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by Jack Hart
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Food is my specialty, and my clients come from that world. Some have culinary degrees. Some don’t. Some have been cooking all their lives. Others? Not so much.
However, they’re all obsessed with food and how it affects the people around them. They also show up to work every day and don’t wait for inspiration to hit them — and know enough to know, they’re better off with a partner in the book writing process.
Primarily, I work with cookbook and food memoir writers.
Examples of the types of work this includes:
Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl
One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane
Black, White, and The Grey: The Story of an Unexpected Friendship and a Beloved Restaurantby Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat
Not sure if your project fits within this? Reach out anyway, and let’s see.
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You shouldn’t. It sounds like we have different expectations about the book-writing process, and that’s okay. Having a New York Times bestseller is a beautiful accomplishment, but it doesn’t mean someone is or is not an effective book coach.
My goal is to guide you to a completed manuscript people would want to read. Part of my process is to champion your story the best I can and share advice from my past experiences.
If you want to know what other people have to say about working with me, you can find that here.
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Great question! I can’t guarantee any specific outcome from us working together. Yes, there are insights and connections I have from doing this work, but every project is unique.
Plus, the industry is constantly changing, and that includes when agents and editors are looking for.
We’ll work together to craft a story only you can tell, target your ideal agent or publisher, and what happens from there is up to you and little bit of fate.
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That’s really up to you. Some writers can buckle down and complete a manuscript in 6 months, while others take up to 7 years — even after signing a publishing deal.
The main questions to ask yourself are:
How much time do I realistically have to commit to writing and revisions?
Will I be able to keep my deadlines and coaching calls to stay on track?
Am I open to the possibility that the book in my head isn’t the one I may end up with?
One of the biggest misconceptions writers have about finally working on their book is that they just need a coach to get them to the finish line. But if you don’t show up and do your part, I can’t do mine.
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I’m a writer too, so I understand that the creative process is a personal one. However, my job as a book coach is to guide you to the finish line of a completed manuscript someone wants to read.
And I’m happy to hear your thoughts through the process, but if you have a specific way you want to work, I may not be the right fit for you.
The clients who I’m able to serve the best are:
Ready to serve the story they’re writing — even if it means throwing out pages or reworking their initial idea
Open to receiving feedback and guidance throughout the process
Committed to carving out time for coaching calls and assignment deadlines
Respectful of my time, energy and expectations as I am of theirs
Can laugh through the frustration
Know that at the end of the day, this is their story, and I’m here to champion that the best I can
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Currently, I’m not doing full manuscript evaluations, but I’m happy to suggest someone who is.
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Writing and promoting a book is a long process, so I work based on deadlines rather than a project basis.
Why?
It creates clear expectations between the two of us about what we are and are not working on.
Allows me to properly manage writing schedules for you and other clients.
If you need to take a break or decide you don’t want to move forward with our working relationship, you’re free to do so after your last deadline.
Coaching packages are monthly with each month defined as:
2 bi-weekly deadlines of up to 25 pages
2 bi-weekly 30 minute coaching calls (with the additional 1 hour coaching call for book proposals)
You can apply to work with me here.
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That’s a great question! I don’t do custom packages because to be honest, they don’t serve clients very well, even if it’s exactly what they’ve asked for.
As a coach, it’s important for me to make the most out of our time together, and I can’t do that with a hodgepodge of requests because a client wants to create their own adventure. Part of hiring a book coach means to release some control and allow someone else to guide you through the process.
Structure creates a space for more creativity and flexibility, and it allows me to fully dive into your project without missing anything.
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Great question! Honestly, it’s a gamble when choosing to work with someone creatively.
We’ve all been in situations where they started wonderfully and ended terribly, or began just “okay” and then exceeded expectations.
To get a better idea of my work style, you can find that here along with testimonials of past collaborations found here.
You can also subscribe to my monthly email newsletter (with a free gift just for signing up!) or read my blog to understand my background and philosophy.
The Basics
Coaching Process
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Monday mornings at 8am CST.
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Unfortunately, no.
After our initial 30 minute call, I’ll send a proposal with the first Monday deadline slot I have available. (You’ll either have the 1st and 3rd Monday or the 2nd and 4th Monday.) From there, I’ll set a bi-weekly deadline schedule, and upon approval, that will be set in our contract.
You have the ability to approve the proposal before the contract is drawn up.
Once the contract is signed, our deadline schedule is locked in, and any missed deadlines aka not submitting your assigned work to me by 8am CST will mean forfeited feedback for that deadline.
Real quick: If your deadline falls on a holiday or around the holidays, we’ll have a chat about it before hand.
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Item description
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Nice try! But no — I have a schedule for review and editing, and if you send pieces of work after the initial deadline, it delays my overall editing schedule.
I need time to process what you’ve written and to come up with a clear plan moving forward. Plus, it’s not fair to my other clients who do submit on time.
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Yes, please! Communication is essential for us to make the most out of our relationship.
Chances are you’ll know way ahead of time if you’re not going to make a deadline. Drop me a note by Thursday of the week before, so we can work through any blocks together.
Submitting ANYTHING is better than nothing. Don’t overthink things or feel like your work has to be perfect before submission.
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Nope. A missed deadline is still a missed deadline.
Letting me know ahead of time is just courteous.
If someone lets me know in advance about their missed deadline, I can redirect a client to sending a submission in anyway—even if it’s not the “ideal” they imagined.
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Coaching calls for monthly clients are on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
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Bi-weekly, we’ll get on a 30 minute Zoom call to discuss my latest feedback, upcoming deadlines and where you are in the process.
Our initial call will be a video call (but no pressure if that’s not your bag), so we can make a proper introduction. It’s always nice to put a face with a name!
After that, we’ll default to audio calls to save on bandwidth and Zoom fatigue. Plus, this helps us to concentrate on our conversation rather than how we look or what’s happening in the background.
That being said, if you know you’d have a more productive call with video, you can select your preference on the coaching agenda form used to book your session.
This is our time to hash out what’s working, what’s making sense and where things are hazy. It’s also where the biggest breakthroughs are for my clients.
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Absolutely. I used to love long meetings and believed that the longer you sat with folks, the more ideas would come up. That can be true in some situations.
However when my clients had to cut our original one hour long sessions in half, we actually accomplished more in those 30 minutes than we did in our longer sessions.
We both left with more energy, clarity and enthusiasm, which is how it should be!
Now, 30 minute meetings are my standard.
There’s an agenda form attached to every appointment, so you can fill me in on any questions or concerns beforehand. That way, I'm prepared to serve you as best I can!
Also, for each coaching package, you have the option to add additional 30 minute calls whenever you see fit.
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Any way you want. Book proposals are business plans, while food memoir is like writing a novel, so there will be lots of questions that come up between our bi-weekly calls.
Since our regular coaching calls are deadline and assignment focused, the extra calls are for you to chat through agent research, marketing questions for your book proposal, or brainstorm story ideas for your memoir.
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No. I’ve tried both of these approaches, and they’ve failed terribly. Not getting on regular calls creates a lack of communication about how you’re feeling and what’s showing up on the page.
It makes it harder for me to know what’s happening in your head — email can only say so much! And it gives us space to work through things that might be misconstrued through a message.
Payment
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All payments are non-refundable and paid through ACH or credit card. A 50% deposit is due to secure your coaching spot with the remaining balance to be paid over 30-day installments, depending on your contract.
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I hear you. Investing in any service at all requires a commitment from both parties, that’s why for book coaching and book proposal coaching, we first get on a free 30 minute call.
Using your intake form and up to 10 submitted pages, I’m able to determine whether or not we’d be a good fit — gotta see what that vibe is like!
For individual coaching calls, you’re free to reschedule at least 24 hours in advance without losing your payment.
My goal as a coach is to connect people to their best stories, and if I feel like I’m not the person to do that, I’ll suggest someone who is.
When I commit to a client, I’m all in and can only do my best work if I know you’re all in too. What if I want to start coaching in a few months? How does that work?
Great question! To secure any coaching spot, a 50% non-refundable deposit is required with the remaining amount due two weeks before your first coaching deadline.
Once your first invoice is paid in full (and your contract is signed), you’ll receive access to your initial coaching materials.
Teaching + Appearances
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Sometimes! The best way to stay updated is to sign up for my monthly email list, so you can be the first to know when those pop up.
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I am! I’ve had the opportunity to teach for writing communities like HappyWriter and DIYMFA.
And I've been a guest speaker for members-only meetings for groups like Cherry Bombe, International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the EatBlogTalk mastermind.
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Absolutely. I’ve been a guest on podcasts like DIYMFA Radio, EatBlogTalk, and the Career Journey podcast sharing career advice, book writing tips and the power of pivoting with your passion.
Interested in interviewing me? Send me the details here!