Coaching for introverts (people who hate talking on the phone/Zoom/in person)
Coaching for introverts
Editors, like authors, are often introverts (me among them). This can make them/us/me resistant to offering coaching as an option for writers as it seems like a service that has to be delivered in person or over a phone/Zoom call in one-hour increments.
Many introverts have trouble even meeting friends in person, let alone clients, and don’t get me started about how much we hate talking on the phone. HATE HATE HATE it. With a fiery, all-consuming passion. (Or maybe that’s just me).
You don’t have to be an introvert to be filled with ennui at the thought of coaching this way. Some people dislike the feeling of being put on the spot to answer questions immediately or struggle to be at a specific time and place to attend a meeting or deliver a scheduled call.
Coaching for introverts can be an obstacle, but here are some tips on how to overcome it.
How to deliver coaching services
But coaching – what we might define as anything outside a specific editorial process (like developmental editing or copyediting) that helps a writer write or sell their books, such as brainstorming a plot or reviewing back cover copy – can be delivered in other ways.
For example, coaching can be delivered asynchronously by email. This is how most of my coaching is done. Or, it could be done by text, as a scheduled exchange, or via a private forum/chat/chat room, either at a scheduled time or asynchronously. I know one editor who receives coaching questions by email and delivers answers via recorded video.
Our writer clients are often just as happy not to have to get on the bus/on the phone/comb their hair for a Zoom call, so think of these alternative means of delivery as a potential benefit to the client, not as something you have to cross your fingers and hope they’ll agree to.
Other Helpful Content
7 Questions to Ask when Line Editing Dialogue
In fiction, dialogue is used to forward the plot and reveal character. But authors often get bogged down in writing boring, mundane conversations that may reflect how people actually talk, but aren’t very interesting for readers. Helping authors sharpen dialogue can make a good book great. Sharper dialogue engages readers and keeps them immersed in…
How Are Beta Reading, Manuscript Evaluation, and Developmental Editing Different?
Aspiring editors sometimes aren’t sure of the differences between different types of services they could offer. Three of the main big-picture services editors offer are beta reading, manuscript evaluation, and developmental editing. Here’s how they differ. Beta Reading Beta reading is a type of reader feedback on a manuscript. If you’re familiar with writers’ workshops,…
Letting go of mistakes
Once upon a time, I trained in the martial arts. When I was a brown belt, I hit someone pretty hard and broke his rib. We were supposed to demonstrate excellent physical control, and accidentally breaking someone’s rib does not equal excellent physical control. I felt terrible for causing him pain and for not having…
