Novel Coaching: Get Unstuck & Reach “The End”
Does writing your novel feel like climbing a mountain in the fog?
Are you struggling to see where to go, exhausted long before the end, or questioning whether the journey is even worth it?
Have you been slogging forward on your own for months … or even years?
Let’s change that, together.
We’ll work to get you unstuck, with a clear, step-by-step path to reach “The End” of your novel.
Why You’re Stuck on Your Novel
Novels are tough to write! There are so many different things to juggle, and so many places where writers are likely to get bogged down.
You might have been carrying the spark of a novel idea for years … but you don’t know how to take that idea forward, so you haven’t actually started writing.
You might have written the first few chapters … but you don’t know what happens next, so you keep rewriting them.
You might have even made it through a first draft … but you aren’t sure what’s working and what needs to change.
I’ve seen all these, over and over again. They’re so common and normal, though also really frustrating to live through!
About Ali
Hi, I’m Ali, and I love helping writers get their novel to “the end”.
I’m the author of Publishing E-Books for Dummies in Wiley’s iconic For Dummies series. I’ve also self-published three novels (the Lycopolis trilogy) and a novella, Not So Imaginary. Several of my short stories have won prizes.
I live in Leeds in England, with my husband and our two kids, ages 11 and almost 13.
While you absolutely don’t need a fancy degree to be a writer, I have:
- M.A. in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths College, University of London (2010)
- B.A. (Hons) in English from Cambridge University (2006)
I’ve been writing since my early teens (!) and I’ve been coaching writers since 2010. As well as working with writers one-to-one, I’ve run two different online writing communities: Writers’ Huddle, from 2012-2018, then Writers’ Cafe, which has been running since mid-2024.
One of the things I love most is seeing writers’ novels go from ideas or rough notes to finished projects. As your coach, I’ll be cheering you along every step of the way.
How the Novel Coaching Works
You can book a single coaching session (this might well be enough to get you unstuck and moving). But most people I coach work with me across several months, booking packages of four sessions at a time.
Every session includes:
#1: In-Depth Review of Your Work: You send up to 2,500 words of your novel in advance (it’s fine if you’re not at the writing stage yet: you can send any notes or rough material you’ve got). I go through this, making overall notes on what’s working well and any areas that might need some adjustments, as well as adding detailed comments alongside the text where appropriate.
#2: Constructive Feedback and Support: During our call, we talk about how your writing is going, what’s working for you, and where you might be getting stuck. I take you through my thoughts on the piece of writing you’ve sent, and I make sure to address any concerns or questions you might have about your work.
Calls are scheduled for 45 minutes, but I’m usually able to take a little extra time if we need it … I always want to make sure you’ve been able to discuss everything you want to.
#3: Clear Next Steps to Take: Towards the end of our call, we come up with your next steps, to keep up the momentum.
#4: Full Recording and Notes: After the call, I send you the full recording, the (AI-generated) transcript, and my detailed notes on your piece of writing, so you can review these at any time.
#5: Email Support Afterwards: You can email at any point after your call, e.g. if you have a question about my feedback, or if you get stuck on the next section of your novel … I’ll always be glad to help.
Pricing
You can book coaching either as individual sessions, or as a block of four sessions. I’m happy to take payment in either dollars or pounds, whichever suits you.
My current prices are:
- One-off coaching sessions: $150 (£110) each
- Block of four sessions: $500 (£370)
Many novelists like to have a session each week, to keep up the momentum, but you can spread the four sessions across a longer period (e.g. we could meet every two weeks, or every month).
Note: If you book a one-off session then want to continue on, I can offset the price against the “block of four” option.
Interested? Book Your FREE 20-Minute Novel Roadmap Call
I run free 20-minute Novel Roadmap calls so we can pinpoint what’s holding you back with your novel … and what your next steps are.
Just click to fill in the booking form, and I’ll get back to you to arrange a time for us to chat.
I have limited slots for these, so even if you’re not ready to go ahead for a few weeks, fill in the form anyway. That way, I can reserve a slot for you.
There’s no obligation to hire me for coaching afterwards: this is a chance for you to get some quick help, and to see whether coaching might be a good fit or not.
What to Expect (What Other Writers Have Said)
Here’s what a few writers have said about my coaching.
Emma (from Cosmos at Your Doorstep) says…
I had never completed a novel before. I’d written over 800,000 words of one over about a decade, starting from scratch 20 times over, but I had never crafted a satisfying plot arc and crossed the finish line.
Ali changed everything. She gave me feedback on each of my chapters as I wrote them, and she seemed truly engaged with my story and invested in my characters, always sharing her excitement to find out what happens next. She bolstered my confidence enough so that I could power through to the end, instead of doubting my writing so much that I would scrap my current draft and start from scratch. I once despaired that I would never complete that novel; thanks to her, I have.
For the first time in my life, I get to move on and enjoy the redrafting stage, polishing the story until it shines. And now, I’m not overwhelmed at the prospect of writing the next books in the series; I’m excited. I know that I can write a novel and my writing doesn’t suck. And I also know, thanks to Ali’s encouragement, that it’s okay for my first draft to be quite rough around the edges. Now I know how to accept that part of the process and finish future first drafts despite knowing they have flaws; I can wait until the end to redraft, because finishing the first draft is something that will actually happen.
When I publish my novel, Ali’s getting a prime spot in the acknowledgments—and I recommend her coaching 1000%!
Ann Godridge says…
I was a bit nervous about talking about my work in progress – as if it would disappear as soon as I tried to explain what I was trying to do. And there’s an underlying reluctance to admit just how seriously I am taking this – it is my life’s great ambition after all, and I am only happy admitting that when I look at it out of the corner of one eye and not head on. And I was quite intimidated by the prospect of talking to someone who knows what they are doing – someone professional.
I needn’t have worried. Ali was easy to talk to and the process of working with her was simple – and very rewarding. […]
Her detailed notes on my extracts will become a resource I can go back to again and again. She pointed out some areas where I’ve done a whole range of clumsy things with dialogue, and where I’ve again slipped into my usual habit of taking emotional scenes offstage. She’s given me a lot to think about – and was very encouraging too. […]
One thing is certain, if I get stuck again, I will have no hesitation in going back to Ali, and when I’ve finished the first draft and knocked it into a shape a little, I plan to send her the whole thing.
Ann Godridge in Should you work with a writing coach? on Birds on the Blog
Silver Huang says…
It has been amazing. With Ali’s support and patience, I’ve made more headway with [my writing] in three weeks than I had in the past three months.
She gives clear and actionable advice that can be applied immediately in my writing, is very professional and objective with her feedback and above all, is warm and shows genuine interest and concern.
I am very grateful to Ali and would be quick to recommend her to anyone who’s facing difficulties with their writing, technical, emotional or otherwise!
Karl Staib says…
I consider myself a good writer and never really thought about using a writing coach to help me get to the next level. I made the leap with Ali and I’m so glad I did. She gave me insight into how I could improve my writing that my professors and writing clubs were never able to do. If you are a solid writer, but need help to get to the next level – Ali is your best bet.
My favorite aspect of Ali’s coaching was her ability to help me find clarity in my writing voice. She helped me step back and look at my writing with fresh eyes.
Book Your Free 20-Minute Roadmap Call
I’d love to help you get to “the end” of your novel. Just click the button and you’ll be taken to my Roadmap call booking form.
There, you can book for a free 20-minute call. I’ll take you through some simple questions about where you’re at with your writing, so we can figure out together what’s holding you back … and what your next steps are with your novel.
I’ve got limited slots for these, so fill in the form as soon as you can … or drop me an email at ali@aliventures.com so I can save you a place.