Jeanne Martinson coaches Authors on How to Write a Nonfiction Book

Relationships are everything. People are trusting you with their inner lives and dreams. Be authentic, or you won’t last long.

Jeanne Martinson is a diversity strategist, professional speaker, trainer and best-selling author who has worked throughout Canada and internationally. She coaches authors on how to write a nonfiction book.

how to write a bookIn this interview, she talks us through her journey of being a coach and a trainer.

What’s your story?

25 years ago, I began a training company in the area of leading diverse workplaces, starting first with gender issues, followed by generational issues and more lately integrating immigrants into an effective workforce.

Along that road, I began writing non-fiction books to accompany my research, training and professional speaking.

Ten years ago, I began coaching other authors on how to write a nonfiction book. My motivation was to help them achieve their goals quickly and to save them the time, frustration and money that I spent on my own author journey.

What was your biggest challenge as a coach?

My biggest challenge is my client’s frustration with the length of the process of creating a decent book. They often think they can only need to create a transcript of one of their speeches or lectures and that it will make a good book.

How did you get your first client?

I gave a presentation at a professional association for academics who wish to convert their thesis or dissertation into a trade level book for managers. Several asked me to coach them and that was the beginning.

What’s your marketing strategy?

I wrote a book on book writing, called “Hemingway or Twain? Unleashing Your Author Personality”

  1. Launched a website for authors called Wooddragonbooks.com to direct leads. This site profiles my books and the books of authors I’ve coached.
  2. I pursue speaking engagements (often unpaid) where I describe my three writing models for authors.

What is your pricing methodology?

There are four phases:
The first phase where we set the frame for the book

The first editing phase

The second editing phase

The final stage that can also include book cover design, connection to Amazon and Kindle.

What are your revenue streams, as a coach?

Coaching fees, and book sales from the ‘Hemingway or Twain?’ book

What advice do you have for someone who wants to become a coach?

Relationships are everything. People are trusting you with their inner lives and dreams. Be authentic or you won’t last long.

Using a coach can be a fast track way to achieve a person’s goals.

However, if the coach and client’s values are misaligned, it can be a long and painful one.

So when you first connect with a potential client spend time ensuring you are on the same page as to the goal, roles for each of you, the rules of engagement, how conflict will be dealt with, and have a written contract for the above.

Jeanne Martinson is a diversity strategist, professional speaker, trainer and best-selling author who has worked throughout Canada and internationally. Jeanne has written nine books, and is a book coach for those who want to see their name on the cover of a bestseller. Find out more about Jeanne at her two sites www.martrain.org and www.wooddragonbooks.com.

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About the Author: Staff

This article is written by a staff writer at Trainer Hangout.

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