As a writer, you may find along the way that you need some help. There are many people out there who can help you, but first you need to figure out what kind of help you need.

There are two types of people who can help you out with big picture questions:

1. A Writing Coach
2. A Developmental Editor

How can you tell which one you need to work with?

A writing coach can help you to determine what you want out of your writing career. Not just the current book you are working on, but what your goals are as you continue to create.

A developmental editor will help you as you shape your current book. They will help you answer big picture questions about where the narrative is going (both for fiction and non-fiction works).

So, which one do you need? And, sometimes one person can do both for you. It’s important to set clear expectations about what you need and what you want to get out of that working relationship as you go in.

Writing Coach	Developmental Editor
Helps guide your career as a writer.	Helps shape the narrative for one book.
Asks you questions to help you discover what you want.	Tells you best practices and advises on edits to make.
Provides accountability to keep you on track.	Will provide you feedback within the timeline that you agree upon.

So which one is right for you? First write down why you think you need help? Where are you blocked? Where are you unfocused or distracted?

Next, talk to someone. I spent too much time going it alone before I finally asked for help. If you want to chat, I’d be happy to help you figure out what you need. (No obligations, no cost, just honest advice)