The question I’m always asking is: where, who, and how can I build community with awesome gay professionals?

Here are my four takeaways, including reasons why I loved joining like-minded queer coaches for personal and professional development, and how it relates to the author coaching and creative writing developmental editing services I offer to awesome authors.


1. Everyone needs a confidence boost (sometimes)!
   
   Hearing coaches and other helping professionals talk about their own doubts, imposter syndrome, and experiences in overcoming their own inner demons reminded me a lot of my own writing experiences, and those of the author-coaching clients I’ve been lucky to work with thus far. 
   Often, we get stuck, feel lost, or aren’t sure where to go with a draft, but all writing can be edited and revised. Sometimes a coach’s job is to offer support, ask the right questions, and remind authors that they can move through this tricky plotting patch or particular issue. It might be debut doubts, second novel concerns, or simply looking to try out a new genre, story idea, or world building, but regardless of the reason, feeling prepared and confident about where to take a draft is always a great outcome!
   
   
2. Support is everything.
   
   Helping professionals, including coaches, need support, and often that first step of reaching out is the hardest, and this was echoed by a number of members at the GCA conference.
   
   I’ve had some great experiences of being on the receiving end of coaching, and I hope to undertake more coaching this year. I try to mirror the support I’ve received from editing colleagues and professional bodies with the authors I work with by showing empathy, grace, and patience during the writing process.
   
   What can I do for fiction authors? Unlock, unblock, and provide support when you need it most. Primarily revision coaching on early drafts, but I also work from incomplete drafts where we’d use a manuscript evaluation to review what is currently working and work together to complete a plan/outline that will get you up and writing again.
   
   So, whether you are a pantser looking to dabble in plotting or a plotter who wants to try freewheeling, let me support you on that journey.
   
   
3. Process matters.
   
   GROW is a common framework for coaches where Goals, Reality, Options, and Will frame 1:1 sessions and put theory into practice for the coachee.
   
   The writing process for me, as a creative writing and author coach, is everything. If we reframe and make the process the whole point of what we are doing, then the product (the book!) is not the sole goal, but the creative act itself is where the treasure lies, and working through our issues is the main benefit.
   
   This means we always have options, and that is a big part of my role as coach, to ask the right questions of the current mystery outline, or to quiz the author on actions that their queer romance characters have taken; and these elements of the process work together to deepen the character, plot, and other story elements.
   
   Spending time on that craft process means the reading experience is improved and learning is never wasted and builds up the author’s flexibility, confidence (see above!), and adds richness and depth to their completed novel.
   
   
4. Healing is possible.
   
   Hearing from so many varied backgrounds and experiences from all sorts of gay men really made me reflect on my own experiences and reasons for getting into editing, writing, and author coaching. It was initially to understand myself and to help myself find a place within the LGBTQ+ community, but now it means I can be of help and service to others.
   
   There is so much division in the world, I don’t even want to say right now, because when is there not, but there is hope.
   
   Always hope!
   
   Community, working together, finding friends, and getting some sunlight are all ways that we can improve our own lives and situations, and I hope we all find our people (or person! or pet!) and are able to continue doing the awesome work we do and putting all the queer books out there. 
   
   

So that’s a little about the recent GCA con I attended.

You might benefit from author coaching with me if:

You have 50,000+ words written… let’s go! I am a revision coach…

You want to write 50,000+ words but don’t know where to start! I am also a generative coach…

You have written a number of novels and want to try something new or a new genre. I can coach your new outline and genre plan. 

You want to dig deeper into romance, crime, historical, or memoir.

You care about craft, the writing process, and quality rather than quantity in what you are putting out there.

Always happy to chat about your upcoming project, so don’t hesitate to reach out or book your Ideal Story Session! 

Image shows the Gay Coach Alliance’s logo