What is a Story Coach?

Here’s something a little embarrassing: for the longest time, I thought being a story coach wasn’t a real thing. This was back in the days when I was helping local writers I knew get their stories in shape over coffee at Panera. I didn’t know the name for what I did, but I knew what I could do was immensely helpful. As one of my most frequent clients put it:

With Megan’s leading questions and coaching strategies, I was able to weed through a deep pile of four years’ worth of plans, ideas, and snippets to craft my best book yet!
Kerry Evelyn, Author of the Crane’s Cove Series and the Palmer City Voltage Series

You may never have heard of a story coach before, but hiring one may be the best investment you ever make in your writing life. If you’ve found yourself stuck in your novel-writing process with the nervous dread that your plot or characters aren’t working, read on, because this blog post will give you the clarity you seek.

Different story coaches—sometimes called story consultants—may have their own definition, but here’s mine:

A story coach works with writers to clarify their story ideas, including plot, subplots, character arcs, and themes.

My focus is on problem solving, real-time collaboration, and getting writers like you to that “aha!” moment. A story coaching session isn’t just about making sure you understand plot points—it’s about helping you make your characters cooperate and your plot make sense.

In essence, sory coaches are concerned with the story as a concept, not the words written on the page.

What’s the difference between a writing coach, a book coach, and a story coach?

Again, different coaches will have their own ideas and processes. Some coaches shrink and expand their definitions over time and as they build new skills. I often see book coach as a synonym for writing coach, but I believe their roles are distinct, and that you will find coaches willing to take on some aspects and not others. Here is how I’d differentiate between the three types of writing coaches, so you can better communicate your needs whether you decide to hire me or another coach:

A writing coach is someone who is primarily interested in getting you to be a consistent writer who achieves your goals. They can be hired regardless of the stage your project is in or whether you have a WIP at all, and they work with you an ongoing basis by providing motivation, pointing you towards resources, and advising you on industry best practices. Most coaches have one-on-one coaching and group coaching programs available and varying schedules depending on your budget.

A book coach is focused on coaching you all the way through the process of getting a book written, usually your first book or a book that is particularly challenging to write. Their advice will be more tailored to your chosen genre and the project you’re working on. In addition to the motivation and resources you’d expect from a writing coach, book coaches usually read your writing as you go, offering feedback and giving you the opportunity to fix your draft as you go.

In contrast, a story coach zooms out of the day-by-day book-writing process to zero in on the heart of your story. Instead of long-term support or reading pages as you write, a story coach works with you to solve the problems keeping you stuck, so you can move forward with a clear, cohesive plan and the confidence to execute it on your own. (Of course, if you find your plans need tweaking after your story coaching, you can get a follow-up session!)

What’s the difference between a story coach and a developmental editor?

A developmental editor does focus on the structure of the story much like a story coach would, but they do this by reading your draft and repairing what’s not working. A story coach remains impartial and avoids falling into the trap of the sunk-cost fallacy (i.e., keeping a well-written but unnecessary scene just because it’s a “darling”) by refraining from reading your WIP.

Another key difference is the timing. A developmental editor requires a completed draft to repair, while a story coach can step in at any point to prevent as well as repair big-picture issues in a story.

Debating who to hire? Not sure what kind of support your story needs?

TAKE THE STORY SUPPORT QUIZ

How do you know if you need a story coach?

There are many signs you may need a story coach, but the biggest and most obvious will be the gut feeling that something isn’t working in the story. You might not be able to put your finger on what—and you don’t have to, because part of a story coach’s job is figuring that out with you!

Here are a few other signs a story coaching session is your next step:

You’re writing your first book and feel buried under everything you want to include.
Your characters aren’t “talking to you”—their inner worlds are a mystery or inaccessible.
Something about your story’s message feels off, like it’s not matching the values you want to express.
You’re stuck in the messy middle, unsure how to connect your character’s arc to the plot events.
You’ve outlined the whole book, but it still feels flat, and you can’t figure out why.
You’ve written yourself into a corner and can’t see a way out without tearing the whole thing down.
Your story has shifted so much since you started that you’re not sure what it’s about anymore.
You keep getting stuck on the same plot points or character decisions, and you need an outside perspective to untangle them.
You’re confident in your writing skills but not sure if the story itself actually works.

What happens during a story coaching session?

After booking me, filling out my intake form, and securing a spot on my calendar that works for you, we’ll hop on a call together. I’ll start by asking you to tell me your story. (I do ask for a summary of your story in advance, but I’ve found that being able to talk through it allows different aspects of the story to shine through.)

Once I have a thorough understanding of your unique situation, we walk through your main character(s)’s arc(s) step by step using plain English. We’re not necessarily focusing on your plot or individual chapters or your outline—we’re focusing on the arc(s). When the characters are happy (or appropriately unhappy) with their lot on the page, they become so much easier to write.

Along the way, we won’t be able to help but have epiphanies about your plot, your setting, your magic system, or whatever other aspects of the story aren’t working the way you want. That’s the nature of my collaborative brainstorming techniques—they painlessly bring out your best ideas. It’s incredible to watch writers’ faces light up when everything just clicks.

At the end of the session—which can be anywhere from one to two and a half hours long, depending on how many main characters you have—I’ll email you a PDF of the notes I took and the roadmap for the emotional journey of your book. You’ll walk away feeling inspired, empowered, and best of all, eager to write!

When should I hire a story coach?

This is the great thing about story coaching—you don’t have to wait until the draft is done, and you don’t have to shrug your shoulders if you’ve already started writing. The minute you realize a story coach can help you is the minute you can take control of your story again.

The best advice I can give you is to book me when your mind is open to exploring new possibilities for your story. Sometimes the story needs something you might not expect.

And the stories that surprise you are the best kind, aren’t they?