Some of my clients (and maybe you too?) have relied on me to support them in establishing and maintaining regular writing routines. Sometimes regular emails, sometimes phone calls, sometimes just eliciting a promise to complete a section by a certain date. The important element is that we stay in touch, and they are reminded that their writing is important – and to finish.
Others have asked for coaching that looks like something between Line Editing and Copy Editing: For them I have gone through their MSs and have dived deep into their sentences, paragraphs, even grammar and syntax.
And here’s the surprise: what is true is that even great authors need that kind of work. Editing helps them pick out the greatness and re-mold it. In some cases, the writer’s thinking, plotting, character arcs are masterful, but the writer is focusing so hard on the story that he or she can’t spare any attention to the individual sentences. Sometimes you just need someone to ask you whether that sentence means one thing or another – and when you answer, to affirm it and tell you to write it that way. Did I make that clear enough?
You may also just want me to doctor your writing as we go along. I’m fine with that.