Do I Need a Writing Coach, a Developmental Editor, or a Ghostwriter?

If you are struggling to complete or sell your book, you may need professional help. The editorial kind. Every author does at some point in their writing journey. It can be difficult to figure out what type of help you need, though. Even for those of us in the biz, the nuances between different editorial and writing roles are subtle.

Before I answer the question, “How will you help me?” with a potential client, I have to consider what role I think I should play with that particular author—editor, writing coach, or ghostwriter. The boundaries can get blurry. If you are working on a book and are looking for professional help, here are some tips on choosing the right kind:

Writing Coach

Do you have writing experience but lack book writing experience? If you enjoy writing and believe you have strong skills, you might consider hiring a writing coach. If you are writing nonfiction, your coach should help you brainstorm and test your message and promise and potential reader interest, advise you on creating a strong outline, and offer feedback on content development and coverage, voice, style, balance of story-telling with expository content, and so on. A writing coach can also help you break down the daunting task of writing 70,000 words into manageable assignments. Note that some people call this role developmental editor or author’s editor.

Developmental Editor

Have you already written a draft of the manuscript and now you need help refining it? Have you been told by an agent that you need help with focus, structure, or connecting with your core audience? A developmental editor can help. He or she will coach you on fixing the biggest issues (like holes in your content) and will often dive in and help you fix issues of structure, flow, and focus. Some developmental editors will work through the manuscript and fix the problems for you, while others will work through the manuscript and offer advice for how you can fix the problems. Consider how you would like to work with an editor, and then talk to different editors about their approach. Note that some people call this role a book doctor, especially if the editor is fixing the problems for you.

Ghostwriter

Do you like to write? Are you a good writer? You may be a content expert, but you may not be the best person to write your book. You’ll need to put your ego aside and consider the type of writing experience you have and the feedback you’ve received. If you write often or have been published and have the time in your schedule to write an entire book, it’s unlikely that you’ll need a ghostwriter. If you don’t enjoy writing, don’t do it often, and have never been praised for your glorious prose, you might consider finding somebody who can help you get your ideas onto the page. There’s no shame in admitting that you have information that people want but not the writing skill to share it. Here’s a more detailed way to determine if a ghostwriter is right for you.

If you need proof that great authors get the right support, just read the acknowledgements of a handful of books you admire. You’ll see how much a good editor, coach, or collaborator can mean to you.

Featured image: © Nataša Ivančev