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Celebration time! Why I became an Author Accelerator certified book coach

Why I became an Author Accelerator certified book coach

Last week I celebrated an important milestone when I finally achieved my certification as a non-fiction book coach with Author Accelerator. Yippee!

Founded by author and book coach Jennie Nash, Author Accelerator is on a mission to support writers in creating books worth reading. They train and certify book coaches to support writers through the entire creative process, from idea to publication and then match would-be authors with suitable coaches.

It’s taken two years and a lot of hard work for me to earn that fancy piece of paper and there were several false starts along the way.

Why did I choose to pursue certification? After all, I was already working with and coaching aspiring non-fiction authors, as well as being an author myself, before I found Author Accelerator. 

Technically I didn’t need a piece of paper to carry on with my book coaching work, but I knew that it would add a richness and depth to my coaching practice. Here are a few of the reasons why I chose to seek certification:

  1. Lifting the veil – There is A LOT of mystique around the process of pitching and publishing a book, especially for first time authors. Some of the most common questions new clients ask include how do I get published, do I need an agent, how do I find an agent, what’s involved in a book proposal, where do I start …. Publishing can feel like a mysterious process, something available only to those who are well connected or  ‘in the know’, so I wanted to learn as much as I could from all sides. 
  2. Practical experience across the process – The Author Accelerator programme is rigorous and comprehensive. From developing an original book idea and planning the content, to finding the gap in the market, creating a compelling book proposal, conducting agent research and developing a pitch strategy, you have to guide your clients through each stage, submitting all your materials and recorded coaching sessions for review by the certification team. Some of those steps were things I had done before and some were new to me, but there was no sidestepping or shortcutting the hard stuff – it was learning by doing. 
  3. Understanding the US and UK markets – I wanted to understand the wider global industry and gain experience in other markets. My local market here in New Zealand is small and that has advantages and disadvantages. Not all of my clients live here or wish to publish here and some might want to seek US or UK-based agents – and now I can help them with that. 
  4. Becoming part of a network of coaches – Before discovering Author Accelerator, I didn’t know any other book coaches. Writing (and coaching) can be a solitary process, so having colleagues with whom to bounce ideas, share experiences and industry intel is so valuable.  The Author Accelerator community is a generous, kind hearted and supportive community of people who are invested in your success, and that is gold.
  5. Materials and resources – As a certified and licensed coach, I can now share materials and resources developed by Author Accelerator with my clients, adding another layer and dimension to my practice. 
  6. Feedback – Okay fine, if you insist, yes it was also partly about external validation. Look, I’m as vulnerable to the self-doubt gremlins as the next creative. As a coach, you know if you’re doing a good job, but at the same time, having your skills, knowledge and expertise assessed by experts in the field is great affirmation that you’re on the right track.

    Here’s what the assessors had to say about my work: “..an excellent, conscientious submission that shows your command of coaching skills, your ability to communicate well with your clients, and your deep understanding of nonfiction and the publishing world. We all feel you are a confident, equipped, compassionate coach, and your clients will be lucky to have you.

    (Excuse me while I go and pat my own back.) 

Was it a lot of work? Um, yes! 

It took way longer than the six months I had anticipated when I first signed up, and there were plenty of hiccoughs along the way. It was tricky finding clients with suitable book projects, at the exact right stage of the process for the practicum assessments. I also had to restart my practicums several times when clients turned out to be not quite as committed to their books as they thought, or were offered amazing opportunities (internet TV show anyone?)

Was it worth it? 100%. I have taken a LOT of online courses in the last seven years and none have come anywhere close to this. The lessons are generous, with multiple layers of learning, and the support and guidance required goes behind book creation and publishing knowledge, to coaching skills, project management and now business development. I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Finally a shout out to my lovely friend and client Leann Harris, host of the Shelf Aware podcast, who introduced me to this program and who was also a student with Author Accelerator. Just after I signed up, Leann passed away unexpectedly, so we never got to do this work together but I have thought of her and missed her often along the way. 

If you’re thinking of writing a non-fiction book this year, I’d love to talk to you about our project and how I can help you get there. Click here to make a time. 

Curious about book coaching certification? There’s a special invite-only event coming up, where you’ll get to hear from a range of book coaches discuss what they love about the practice.  If you’d like an invite,  drop me a note at christine@bookcoach.co.nz and I’ll make sure you’re added to the list. 

You can also check out the non-fiction program here and the fiction program here. Those are affiliate links by the way. I’m proud to share this with others, as if you’re serious about book coaching it’s totally worth the investment.

Author Accelerator

author accelerator certified book coach

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