BOOK COACHING FOR YOUR MIDDLE GRADE OR YOUNG ADULT NOVEL
Set Course to Finish Your Novel, and Actually Get to “The End”
Go from muddled mess to a story that will light up your child or teen reader
There’s nothing more beautiful than a child reading a book. YOUR book. But when the novel is only in your head, or it’s half-written with no discernible plot, or it’s even drafted yet still not what you want it to be, that dream can feel so far away.
But “the end” is closer than you think.
You’ve got an idea for a novel for children.
Or part of a draft.
Or a whole draft.
But you’re stuck: You know it’s not working, and you don’t know what to do next.
Maybe you’ve been chugging along on a first draft of your novel. Characters, setting, plot–they’re all falling into place. The blank page never looked so inviting.
And then, one day, you realize you don’t know the next scene. The story could go ten different ways, and you don’t know which direction is the right one.
OR maybe you wake up in the morning with the most magical idea for a scene. When you finally sit down to write, you follow the spark. It feels amazing.
But when you read back what you’ve written, it falls flat. You’re not sure it would even work in the story. You feel like you’re back at square one.
OR maybe you’ve set a time in your calendar to write, but when you open your laptop, you remember you have to get cookies made for the school bake sale, and the soccer uniforms need to go in the wash before school pickup, and what was the plan for dinner?
“Cinderella tasks” steal your writing time. You convince yourself your ideas probably weren’t that great anyway. You’ll think while you bake. And before you know it another day slips by with no words on the page.
No matter how far you’ve gotten with your novel or what’s holding you up from finishing it, there is nothing wrong with you.
Writing a novel is hard.
But it’s absolutely in your power.
What if writing your kid lit novel could be joyful instead of overwhelming
Your writing time can be full of energy and joy.
Instead of being overwhelmed by choices, you can balance your options and make informed decisions–not from panic but from calm. You can create the space to breathe.
The truth is the writing process almost always has peaks and dips. But by having a guide through the process, you’ll learn to weather the dips and celebrate the peaks. You’ll make forward progress with confidence, regardless of the feelings that may come with short-term challenges.
You can finish your novel.
And once that finished novel is in your hands, it opens the door to seeing your book on a bookstore shelf, or having a teacher read it aloud to a roomful of rapt students, or even winning an award.
YOUR book can become a child or teenager’s favorite book.
Your story can make the world a better place.
Whole Novel Coaching with Anne-Marie Strohman
Get support to explore your story and finish your novel
With Whole Novel Coaching you can finish your middle grade or young adult novel, no matter where you are in the process.
You are here to tell YOUR story, one authentic to you, one that you can be proud of.
I can’t write that story for you. I also can’t tell you what you should do. But I can help you know the options available at choice points and the consequences of those options so you can make informed choices that feel good to you.
In Whole Novel Coaching, we'll move through two phases. First we create a map for your novel. Then we make the novel a reality.
PHASE 1: MAPPING
You’ll discover the story you need to tell before you begin drafting or revising so that you can move forward with ease.
PHASE 2: MAKING
You’ll draft or revise each week, following your map. I’ll provide regular check-ins on progress, and you’ll get in-the-moment guidance on how to address challenges, reducing the time you spend stuck or overwhelmed.
In me, you’ll have a reader who is rooting for you and your story. You won’t be writing into the void or getting feedback from someone who doesn’t know your work.
As I read your writing and find out more and more about the story you want to tell, I become invested in your story. Unlike when you have a one-off critique, I’ll know you and your story, so we can have deep conversations about your writing and craft.
Whole Novel Coaching provides a container that’s designed to support you as you move from the ideas sparking to clarity to writing THE END.
Hi, I’m Anne-Marie. I believe everyone has a story worth telling.
So much writing advice is full of “should”s. The truth is, there’s no one way to write a novel. There are thousands of choices to make in writing a novel. As a new writer, you might find it’s hard to know what the options are and where they will lead. (As an experienced writer, it’s sometimes hard to know, too.)
It’s easy to get locked into one track and not see other possibilities, or to see so many possibilities that it’s hard to decide. That’s why so many writers end up in freeze mode.
I’m a writer who has experienced my own fair share of freeze mode. I’m also an editor and teacher with years of experience working one-on-one with writers to help them find their stories and make forward progress.
I’ve studied writing for children, from picture books through YA at Vermont College of Fine Arts, where I earned my MFA student Writing for Children and Young Adults. This deep craft study is built on a foundation of academic work in English literature, through my BA, MA, and PhD. (Yes, I collect degrees.) I continue my study of creative writing and share what I’m learning at KidLit Craft, a resource for writers of children’s literature, through webinars, speaking engagements, craft articles, and classes.
I’m a teacher at heart. Not only do I come from a family of teachers, I’ve studied writing pedagogy, taught writing and literature at the college level, and teach classes and workshops through KidLit Craft, SCBWI, and other organizations. Through all of my teaching, working one-on-one with students directly focused on their writing and finding the story they want to tell brings me the greatest joy.
I see my role as a guide who can tell you what’s at the end of the trail you’re choosing and what other trails you might choose. Ultimately the choice is yours. I can’t write your story for you, but I can help you map out the routes you might take and guide you through the path you choose, so that you end up with a novel you’re proud of.
How we work together
Our work together is designed in two phases: mapping and making.
Phase 1: MAPPING (5 sessions)
Guided by custom writing prompts, we’ll explore all aspects of your novel, including character, plot, setting, and theme. Then you’ll create a map to guide your drafting or revising.
Phase 2: MAKING (8 sessions)
Each week, you’ll draft/revise your novel in stages, following your map, making progress toward THE END.
In our sessions, we'll discuss what you’ve written, where you’re headed next, and any barriers to moving forward so you are never stuck for very long. In the process, you’ll develop a whole toolkit of strategies to get yourself unstuck whenever it happens.
We’ll also address any issues or story problems that arise while you’re writing. (Even with a solid map, there will still be more questions and decisions at every stage.)
We’ll celebrate your writing wins so you can have momentum through the dips of the writing process.
Based on the sections of your novel I read and our conversations, I’ll provide mini-lessons on writing craft customized to your specific needs to improve your storytelling chops so you can create an even more polished final draft.
Between sessions, we’ll have weekly email check-ins. You can also reach me by email with additional questions or if you get stuck.
I know that Different writers have different needs (and work at different speeds!)
If you’re eager to dedicate time and energy to your writing, focusing on your novel as your sole creative project, you may be a Hare.
If you need more time to process and to write, whether because of your writing style or outside constraints, the Tortoise track is for you.
Unlike the fable, both Tortoises and Hares are winners. Speed doesn’t matter so much as commitment to the goal.
Hare
6-month coaching plan
Phase 1: 5 weekly meetings
Phase 2: 8 bi-weekly meetings
Tortoise
12-month coaching plan
Phase 1: 5 bi-weekly meetings
Phase 2: 8 monthly meetings
A Whole Novel Coaching package is a $4900 investment.
There are two payment options:
Lowest cost: Pay in full and receive a 10% discount.
Cash-flow friendly payment plan: Pay a deposit of $1200 and then pay $740 a month for five months.
Schedule a free 30-minute Exploration Call to share with me about your project and explore how we might work together.
What past clients are saying:
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“Anne-Marie is a gifted teacher who presents complex concepts in an accessible way. I've taken other writing classes and learned bits and pieces of craft content, but this course puts those concepts together in a way that really makes sense. For the first time I feel like writing a novel is within reach.”
Ann Bonwill, picture book author
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“I’m an experienced picture book writer who has been trying to dive into the genre of middle grade novel writing for several years, but always found myself hitting roadblocks with authentic MG character voice, novel scene creation & structure, and how to organize my writing & research. Anne-Marie was pivotal in helping me put all these pieces together in a structure that made so much sense and was do-able. I highly recommend it to any experienced writer of picture books who wants to move into writing middle grade. Anne-Marie is a phenomenal teacher and guide!”
Laura Murray, author of The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School series
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“Anne-Marie helped me define and refine my story and characters, and helped me create a structure for my story. I no longer felt intimidated or overwhelmed with the idea of writing my novel. The lessons, tips, and strategies I learned were practical useful guides in turning my lofty ideas into a cohesive and tangible idea.
Laura Obuobi, author of Black Gold and Becoming a Ballerina: The Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrince
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“A class that introduces and delves into the key concepts and components of writing a middle grade novel for those who have a basic understanding of storytelling.
By the end, you will have the knowledge and understanding to tackle writing your first draft.”
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“Anne-Marie is a fantastic teacher. She is organized, thorough, and handled our myriad of questions and writerly woes with skill and grace.
I'm so excited to have the tools I need to write my first MG novel.”
Darshana Khiani, picture book author
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“Anne-Marie is a very generous and articulate teacher. Even though I've taken other MG courses and workshops before, I feel that I've learned so much more from Anne-Marie's specific and detailed lessons. I felt a sense of confidence and ease that I didn't have before.”
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“Anne-Marie is both a master at craft and an excellent teacher. She explained concepts in a way that was easy to understand and put so much time into finding examples to demonstrate the concepts.
She broke the complex process of writing a middle grade novel into digestible pieces. She also continuously amazed me by the breadth of her knowledge and recall of so many different concepts and stories in which they could be found to help clarify and deepen our understanding of the concepts I learned.”
Margaret Chiu Greanias, picture book author