I’m excited this week to introduce you to Cianne McKinnon. She does individual coaching and editorial support for her clients. Cianne is going to tell us the 10 Pieces of Advice she shares with every client.
As a book coach, I work with writers at all different stages of writing their book. Some writers come to me before they’ve written a single word while others are looking for support as they get ready to pitch their manuscript to agents.
Cianne’s 10 Pieces of Advice that she tells all her writers, no matter where they are in the process:
- Doubt is normal
Every single writer I’ve ever met suffers from doubts (including myself). Doubts about their plot, doubts about their writing skills, doubts about their ability to finish the manuscript. All writers will face doubt as they go through the creative process, and it’s a good thing: it means that you care about what you’re creating! While it is an unavoidable part of writing, the trick is to not let it derail you or trick you into quitting. You can move through it, I promise. - Books are complex, technically challenging pieces of art
Seriously, books are hard to write! You wouldn’t expect someone to frame a whole house the first time they pick up a hammer, so why do we expect someone who’s new to stories to write a book easily? Just because we all know how to put a sentence together doesn’t mean we have the skills or knowledge to write a book – and that’s totally okay! Writing a book is a skill you can learn, but don’t expect yourself to naturally know how to write a book without some help. So cut yourself some slack, especially if you’re a new writer. - Find your creative community
Writing may (usually) be a solo activity, but creating is not. Find a community of people, or even just a single other person, to connect with on your writing journey. You can find your people on Instagram or other social media, through attending a local writing group, joining a writer’s Discord, or through a program for writers (like my Writing Crew group coaching program!). The best communities lift you up when you’re having a hard day, help you quiet the doubt demons, and will always celebrate your successes. - Understand Your Why
The most powerful question you can ask yourself to fuel your writing is “Why do I need to tell this story, right now?” What is the burning question that you want to explore and answer? What in your soul is calling to you about this story, these characters?
Writing is deeply personal, and it’s freaking difficult sometimes to dig into our emotions and thoughts. Clarity about why you’re writing is a bulwark against the tough days. - What’s Your Point?
The most powerful question you can ask yourself to improve your manuscript is “What’s the point I’m trying to make?” What message do you want to leave your readers with? What do you want to say about the world? How do you want your readers to feel when they finish your book? Readers love stories that are intentional, and being clear about what you want your story to say lets you intentionally weave it into your whole manuscript. - Reading Improves Your Writing
Stephen King said it best – “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Read in your genre to learn the common tropes and themes. Read books outside your genre to discover new plot structures, themes, and storytelling techniques – sometimes the best ideas are inspired by reading something wildly different from your normal. Study your favorite books and deconstruct how your favorite authors weave the stories they tell – their use of POV, how they describe body language, the hints they add in about an upcoming twist. Taking the time to consciously examine how other authors write will give you a new understanding for your own writing. - Don’t Get Too Attached To One Writing Method
Craft books about writing can be amazingly helpful, but don’t follow any of them religiously. Your process will always be unique to you. You can learn a lot from craft books or from learning how others write, but nothing will replace figuring out how you work best and settling into your voice as an author. Some of my all-time favorite writing craft books: Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger (especially for romance writers), Artful Edit: On The Practice Of Editing Yourself by Susan Bell, and On Writing by Stephen King. - Leverage Professionals to Supercharge Your Writing
Working in isolation will only improve your skills so far. To get even better, get help: attend a writing workshop, have an editor review your manuscript, or work with a book coach (hi, hello) to learn how to level up your craft and hone your skills. You don’t always need to be working on improving your writing skills, but when you’re ready to tackle the challenge, nothing replaces personalized feedback to meet you exactly where you’re at and help you identify the next steps you need to take. - Feedback Doesn’t Need to Be Mean
Nobody needs to be cruel to give good feedback. If someone is tearing apart your work, giving you harsh criticism because they’re “just being honest,” or being rude in their comments to you, ditch them ASAP! There is absolutely no reason they need to deliver their feedback in that manner. You’ll learn and improve so much more from kind, constructive feedback in an environment in which you feel safe – it’s science. When we feel unsafe, our nervous system is activated and we go into a defense position. It’s nearly impossible to make meaningful changes when you’re in that state. Any editor or book coach worth their salt will work with you to make sure you feel supported – we know how difficult it is to receive feedback, even when it’s asked for and well-intentioned. It’s our job to help you, and we can’t do that if you don’t feel safe when we work together! - Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human
I deeply believe that every person is creative. To be human is to create endlessly. It’s not something we have to trick or force ourselves into doing, nobody lacks creativity, and it’s not something that you have to fear will ever leave you. If you’re feeling uninspired or un-creative, don’t worry. It’s simply your body telling you that you need to rest, you need to fill your creative well, or you have some other need that isn’t being met. Take care of yourself, and your creativity will be there waiting for you when you’re ready for it.
What Clients are Saying about Cianne McKinnon
“Cianne was a delight to work with.”
“I submitted my second draft manuscript to her for an evaluation. It takes a lot of fortitude to hand someone your finished work when it’s not complete or perfect, so I don’t say this lightly. I already had beta reader feedback before submitting the work for evaluation. Some of Cianne’s feedback was in line with others’ comments and some was fresh insight.
When we sat down for our hour-long review of her evaluation and notes, I felt entirely comfortable rejecting some feedback (which is a big deal for me personally) and discussing how to implement others. I came out of our meeting really excited to make changes and full of ideas for my next draft. Cianne is an amazing asset and cheerleader for writers in this way and I can’t recommend her highly enough.
A book coach really needs to want to be on your team and make your vision for your book come true, and I felt incredibly validated and heard by Cianne. Not only did I get some invaluable insight from her for my next draft, but I also have someone rallying for my success.”
— R.M. Derrick – Author of Breaker of Fate
Meet Book Coach and Editor Cianne McKinnon
Hi there – I’m Cianne! Welcome to my little corner of the internet, where writers who are neurodiverse, a little bit witchy and weird, and full of creative chaos always have a seat at the table. I love all things words, books, and creativity.
I’m a book coach, multi-passionate creative, eager adventurer, and, occasionally, an expat.
My passion is helping writers go from overwhelm to clarity at any stage of the writing process.
I believe that nobody should feel alone when they’re writing – every single person needs support and community to create their best work! In my community, writers who are neurodiverse, a little bit witchy and weird, and full of creative chaos always have a seat at the table.
Fantasy, romantasy, paranormal romance, and sci-fi are my bread and butter, but I also coach writers working in other genres.
Join my mailing list to receive my 6 Practices to Nourish your Creativity Guide.
Wondering if I’m the coach for you? Book a free, no pressure call with me to learn about working together!