I spend half of my work time writing my own books. Reviewing and editing the same chapters over and over again. Minding my author business and social media
accounts. Working with editors and cover illustrators. Devising strategies for my newest
book launch.
The other half of my time, I do all that…but for other writers.
I’m a book coach, one that specializes in speculative fiction—fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and any book that has something not of our world.
It all started when my sister, Nicole, and I started a book blog called Nicole and
Rebecca Conquer Books on January 1, 2018. Over the following years, we narrowed in on sci-fi/fantasy as our specialty and began taking on editing projects from individual and corporate clients who followed our blog.
Then, in 2020, we started book coaching and relaunched our website as Conquer Books, a book coaching firm for SFF authors.
Since then, Nicole and I have edited over 7 million words and helped over 2 dozen authors get published with dozens more in progress.
I love being a book coach. I just love it. I love meeting new authors and talking about writing. I love seeing dreams come. I love honing stories through editing. I love how working with other writers makes me a better writer. I love how I can be empathetic to the writers I’m coaching because I know how hard writing a book is.
When we talk about someone’s zone of genius I know book coaching is mine.
What is Book Coaching?
The core of our book coaching firm is working with a small number of writers at a time, one-on-one.
When a writer comes to us with a new book, we evaluate where they are in the process, what they’re struggling with, and what their goals are. Then we coach them through to a finished, publishable manuscript.
Some months we’re helping writers set word count goals and reviewing new pages of their manuscript. Others it’s our turn and we do a full edit of their project and write an edit letter evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and how to move forward. At the end of our time together, we help writers take the first steps toward publication.
We also coach writers in workshop settings, speak at book festivals, and, because we know we can’t get to everyone one-on-one, we provide a lot of support through our resources and workbooks.
If you’re a writer, or have always wished you wrote, here’s some helpful resources:
