“Finish Your Novel” Coaching
Does writing your novel feel a lot harder than you thought it would?
Have you come a long way already, only to realise there’s still a lot further to go?
Is your first draft a big heap of words that doesn’t feel like a coherent book?
All of this is totally normal … and I’m here to help! Let’s chat it through (or keep reading if you want to know a bit more first).
Request your FREE 30-minute Novel Roadmap chat:
About Ali
Hi, I’m Ali, and I love helping writers get to “The End” of a draft they’re happy with.
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.
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)
One of the things I love most is seeing in-progress novels increasingly take shape and become powerful stories. As your coach, I’ll be cheering you along every step of the way.
How my Novel Coaching Works
There are a few different ways to work with me, depending on what suits you and your project first:
- “Deep Dive” sessions, where I give you detailed feedback up on up to 3,000 words per session
- My Novel Momentum Program, where I give you feedback as you complete a full novel draft
- My three-month Novel Intensive, where I get you through your novel fast, with twice-weekly calls
We can chat through all of these, and what’s included in each, during our call.
What Does it Cost?
Some clients come to me for a single Deep Dive session, and others work with me in-depth on multiple projects. So as you can imagine, the price of my coaching varies a lot!
To give you an idea of the range, the three-month Novel Intensive is typically $5,500 (depending on novel length) and Deep Dive sessions cost from $125/session.
I’ll be very happy to talk you through all the options when we chat: just book in your call below.
Interested? Book Your FREE 30-Minute Novel Roadmap Call
I run free 30-minute Novel Roadmap calls so we can get you on track with your next steps, whether or not you decide to book any coaching.
Just click to fill in the booking form, and I’ll email you to arrange a time for us to chat.
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.
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 30-Minute Roadmap Chat
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 booking form.
There, you can book for a free 30-minute chat. On the call, I’ll take you through some questions about where you’re at with your writing, so we can figure out anything that’s getting in the way, and help you come up with a plan for your next steps.
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.