Do you want to be a more successful writer?
Then you need to address your weak points and make the most of your strengths.
But how exactly do you do that?
You Need a Mentor/Coach, Someone You Trust
Someone who can guide you on your path to a solid writing income that will help you achieve your financial, professional, and personal goals.
I can help you…
John Soares: Freelance Writer, Nonfiction Book Author, Mentor, Coach
I’ve been freelance writing since 1990, primarily for higher education companies. I’ve also written five trade paperback books, with combined sales over 80,000 copies, along with three work-for-hire books for college textbook publishers and three ebooks on freelance writing.
I’ve also been a serious student of time management, productivity, and work-life balance since the mid-1990s. You have likely read many of my posts here on Productive Writers, so you know who I am and what I do. You know that I share real-world techniques that help people like you get more writing done in less time – and for more money.
I also taught college for several years. I know how to explain important concepts clearly, and I know how to listen to you and understand exactly what you are facing in your career — and that’s what you need in a mentor/coach.
How I Will Help You Be a More Successful Freelance Writer
My strengths lie in improving your time management and increasing your productivity, and in helping you determine your most profitable writing niches. I’ll also teach you how to maximize the benefits from your marketing and your online presence.
Specifically, I will help you:
- Conquer your fears and minimize your uncertainty
- Improve your time management
- Overcome writer’s block and procrastination
- Determine your top priorities and develop plans to achieve them
- Set and meet realistic goals for your freelancing and other areas of your life
- Identify your key strengths and determine the best ways to take advantage of them
- Identify your crucial weaknesses and determine the best ways to address them
- Find the best niches for you to specialize in
- Market your writing services and win high-paying clients
- Deal professionally with your clients
- Maximize the impact of your website
- Understand the best ways to use social media
- Handle projects large and small, including writing books
- Find the courage to achieve your full potential as a freelance writer
There are so many markets to consider in freelance writing; I was feeling overwhelmed on where to even start. John answered my questions and guided me through my own thoughts, exploring my strengths and interests. We looked at writing markets from a number of criteria, both practical and personal. He helped me narrow my options down to a few markets that are in line with my interests and also have potential for a good income. I ended our meeting feeling much more confident. I knew that I had the direction I needed to make a career of this, writing about things I enjoy while also making an income. John is professional, fun, very kind, and exceptionally knowledgeable about freelance writing. He has a knack for helping you figure out what you need to do to take your writing career to the next level. I highly recommend John to anyone who really has a desire to make a living as a freelance writer.
— Michael Carlson, freelance writer
And I Coach Nonfiction Book Authors
I know what it’s like to outline, write, and revise a book. I’ve done it several times. I’ve also dealt successfully with all the stages involved with landing a traditional publisher and going through the entire process from book proposal to manuscript to galleys to page proofs to finally having that book in my hands.
My book-writing experience is primarily in the outdoor/travel field. I’ve authored five hiking guidebooks on Northern California; the most successful is 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California, first published in 1994 with the fourth edition out in 2018. I’ve also written work-for-hire books in the college education field covering topics in history, American government, and environmental science. Finally, I’ve created three of my own ebooks: one on my main freelance writing niche, another on how to find freelance writing niches, and another on overcoming writer’s block and procrastination.
Being a first-time book author, I’ve been gathering as much professional advice and insight as I can get my hands on. Reaching out to John was one of the best things I did – he used his experience as a published guidebook author to provide me with valuable information about the publishing process, from both a traditional publishing and self-publishing perspective. I really appreciated the fact that he took the time to get information from me before our session, so that he could use our time efficiently and address my specific needs and questions. He is a good listener, and an added bonus is that he is an all-around friendly person!
— Laurie J. Schmidt, Science/Travel Writer
Mentoring Sounds Great! What Does It Cost?
I charge $100 for a 30-minute session and $150 for a 60-minute session. Most clients start with a 30-minute session, but if we need to cover a lot of ground you should sign up for a 60-minute session.
I’m In! How Do We Set It Up?
1. Send me an e-mail (johnsoares88 – at – gmail.com) indicating you want to schedule a coaching session. Tell me what days and times are best for you. My schedule varies a lot: sometimes I’m readily available; other times I’m very busy working or off hiking in the mountains.
2. I’ll write back and indicate which of your times works best for me, and I’ll also send you a brief questionnaire that guides you through identifying the most important topics we need to address.
3. You send me the payment via PayPal. (I’ll send instructions.)
4. You send me your completed questionnaire prior to our phone call. I’ll look through your answers before I call, including a visit to your website and LinkedIn profile.
So What Happens During a Mentoring/Coaching Session?
First, we connect via telephone.
Second, based on your answers to the questionnaire, we quickly determine the most important issues we need to address.
Third, we quickly get down to business and get busy addressing those issues.
You are welcome to record the call, but it is for your private use only.
Contact Me Now…
It’s quick and easy: just send me an e-mail (johnsoares88 – at – gmail.com) and tell me whether you want a 30-minute or a 60-minute session, along with the days and times that work best for you.
