How much does it cost to hire a writing coach?

How much does it cost to hire a writing coach?

I'm sorry to report this, but 'How much does it cost to hire a writing coach?' is the same as 'How long is a piece of string?' 

Or, more aptly, 'How long is a book?'

Writing coach costs vary depending on many factors: their experience, the type of clients they work with, the number of hours they offer, and whether the work is 1:1 or group. 

I've seen retainer prices for other nonfiction coaches for £2,000 a month for 12 months, coaches at my price point, and prices lower than mine, too.

The main factors are time and experience. 

At any level, the more hours a writing coach spends on your work, the more it will cost. The most expensive coaching package I've ever secured was a high-four-figure one-off payment, and I had to work for it. I read every version of each chapter, revised it, and visited the author's house to help organise their research. There were midnight WhatsApp messages and voicenotes galore. 

In the end, I realised that I hadn't actually secured the best deal for the number of hours I was putting in, but that was due to my inexperience in negotiating these matters. But it didn't matter as I was pleased to have the work, and the author was lovely. We spent several months working together.

Now, I use retainers to set expectations for how much work I can do each month on a project, around seven hours of coaching and revising work. This works nicely for the client as it has some flexibility, and if we go over by an hour, I just absorb it, but it also means I can plan my month. The cost of this starts at £895 a month for a minimum of three months. 

Group work for writing coaching is naturally cheaper, as you can work with multiple authors on the same call. However, I also like having 1:1 time with each client I work with to really dig into their book and tailor my advice to them. Therefore, my group coaching programme includes some 1:1 time with me. 

Experience also matters, and the more books a writing coach has worked on, and their calibre is often reflected in the fees. My prices have gradually increased over the years to reflect the books I have worked on, and I believe this is the case with most other coaches. This isn't necessarily the case with the number of books the coach has authored, but I would expect a writing coach to have written multiple books. 

The writing coach might also have other skills or qualifications that need to be considered. I have a background as a solicitor, so I find it easy to work on projects with lots of ideas that need ordering and I am good at fact-checking. I also have a diploma in Life Coaching from The Coaching Academy, which means I can also help clients set goals around their writing and help with their mindset. 

If you are thinking of hiring a writing coach and know the fees involved, consider the following:

1.  How many hours of their time will I get?
2.  Is this in a group setting or 1:1?
3.  Will they review my work, or is it pure coaching?
4.  What experience and skills do they bring with them?
5.  How fancy is their logo?* 

*I've added this so you know it's not an AI list, and I genuinely believe in the above...although there's nothing wrong with a nice logo.

My prices are all in the 'How I Can Help' section of my website, so have a hunt around to find a ballpark figure for writing coach services. We can also have a free chat to see which one would work best for your circumstances.

Whatever you decide to do regarding whether you hire a writing coach, I wish you all the best in your writing endeavours. We always need more books that reflect our unique ideas and approaches, and I hope you write yours.