Historical Fiction Book Coach

Check out my new book for writers!  If you're a writer who has ever struggled with doubt, envy, or discouragement, if you ever have days when you feel like you're not good enough and you think about giving up, I wrote this book for you. It's full of affirmations and motivational tips that will instantly boost your mood, shore up your confidence, and remind you that your voice matters. And all for less than the price of your favorite latte. The ebook edition is on sale now!  Amazon   |   Other Retailers An instant mood boost for writers! Every writer has moments of doubt—we see other writers making it look easy, and we get jealous. We see other writers hitting the big-time, and we think that will never happen for us. We see another writer working on a story very similar to ours, and we get discouraged. And, worst of all, we wonder if anyone will want to read what we’re writing or if we’re just wasting our time. If any of this sounds familiar, The Writer’s Little ...

"Every author needs a Jenny in their life..." ~Anna Belfrage, seven-time Historical Novel Society Editors' Choice recipient  When I first started offering my services as an editor, there were very few independent editors specializing in historical fiction. Fast-forward a dozen years and authors have more choices. Which is a good thing. The publishing industry can always use another good editor. But there are not as many book coaches dedicated to historical fiction, and if your coach is not an expert in your genre, you may not be getting appropriate guidance. In my opinion, historical fiction is the hardest genre to write. Not only do you have to craft a compelling story with engaging characters, but you have to do mountains of research to bring a time period to life, you have to constantly fact-check yourself, and you have to walk a fine line between having your characters stay true to their time period while also appealing to modern sensibilities. Historical fiction is m...

Being an effective coach is about what I can do for you, and that is different for each author. Maybe you'd like a coach in your corner as you write a novel from beginning to end. Or maybe you only need help with a portion of your manuscript, like a rough opening, a sagging middle, or a lackluster ending, or maybe you need help working out a subplot or a character arc. A Coaching Your Way package puts me at your disposal one month at a time. Over the course of that month, I’ll read up to 10,000 words and we’ll have two video chats or phone calls, plus I’m always available for email communications. We’ll work on whatever you want to work on. There’s no long-term commitment. Who could benefit from Coaching Your Way? Anyone who needs a little extra help! This is a great option for writers who don’t need the intensive coaching of a structured package or who can’t commit to a long-term package. This is also perfect for someone who would like professional guidance from the beginning of t...

Have a great idea for a novel but aren’t sure how to get started? Wondering if your story concept will interest readers and publishers? Or maybe you’ve already made headway, but you’re unsure if you’re headed in the right direction? You can go it alone and waste time on trial and error, or you can work smarter and faster by mapping out a path to success with me and my years of experience helping authors make their stories the best they can be. This workshop is open to writers of historical fiction, romance, mystery, and fantasy. In this one-on-one consultation, you’ll receive personalized guidance on: • Concept, audience, and market strategy • Paths to publication • Story structure and point of view • Genre trends and tropes • Characters and subplots • The inciting incident or story catalyst  • Introducing your story world • Establishing the tone of your novel • Creating a bond between the reader and your protagonist(s) • Your first pages: If you have your first...

Just need some advice? Let’s put our heads together during a Power Hour! Stuck on a scene? Written yourself into a corner? Characters aren’t speaking to you? Can’t quite put your finger on where you’ve gone wrong? I love to brainstorm story problems and help find solutions. I’m also happy to talk concept, market strategy, navigating paths to publication, and how to get started. Power Hours are 60-minute personalized discussions where we can talk about anything you’d like related to writing and publishing.  Power Hours: $150 Loading…

Myself and the Historical Editorial team offer stand-alone copyediting and developmental editing services for authors who don't need the comprehensive guidance of coaching. We have over 40 years of combined editing experience and have helped hundreds of authors achieve their publishing goals. Some of us are published authors ourselves. But at heart, we are first and foremost readers, and readers of historical fiction in particular. We keep up-to-date on new releases and trends in the genre, and chances are you've already run into us in online historical fiction groups and at industry events. All of this means that we have the genre insight to help guide your book to success. From concept, writing style, and story structure to comp titles and market positioning, we're always thinking about how to help you not only make your book the best it can be, but to help give it the best shot at success in the marketplace. So many thanks to Historical Editorial for the hard work helpin...