Write your own book, with a coach who has finished the trip
You have the expertise and the drive. I steer you around the problems you can’t see yet, so you finish the book instead of stalling in the middle.
54+ books ghostwritten, 113+ authored under my own name, dozens of novels. I know where manuscripts break because I have fixed those breaks.
Who is book coaching for?
You have the expertise and the motivation to write your own book. What you need is someone who has been through the process enough times to steer you around the problems you can’t see yet: structure that falls apart in the middle, chapters that repeat each other, an opening that buries the best material, a manuscript that drifts from the audience it’s supposed to serve.
I’ve ghostwritten 54+ books and published 113+ under my own name, most of my novels drafted in concentrated sessions of 2,000 to 12,000 words a day. I know where manuscripts break because I have fixed those breaks in my own work and in client projects across every genre. That experience is what you get in coaching.
Coaching pricing
Book coaching is sold in ten-hour blocks. You bring your book and your goals; I bring the structure, the craft, and the feedback that gets it finished.
Engagements start at one 10-hour block ($2,500) and extend across multiple blocks as needed. We start with your book, your goals, and where you’re right now.
What is the difference between book coaching and ghostwriting?
Coaching: you write it
I guide the process, solve structural problems, give feedback on drafts, and keep the project moving. Your voice, your effort, your manuscript. Coaching serves the author who wants the point to be that they wrote it.
Ghostwriting: I write it
I write the book from interviews with you. You provide the thinking; I provide the writing. The manuscript is yours. The drafting is mine. Ghostwriting serves the author who needs the book to exist.
Some clients start with coaching and move to ghostwriting. Some go the other way. Either direction works, and the first conversation figures out which fits your situation. I offer both, so I have no reason to steer you wrong.
What does book coaching cover?
Every engagement is different because every book is different. But the problems writers run into are predictable. Here is what we typically work on.
Concept and audience
Before you write a word, we define who the book is for and what it needs to accomplish. A book that tries to reach everyone reaches no one. We get specific about your audience, your positioning, and how the book serves your larger goals.
Structure and outline
Most manuscripts that stall have a structure problem, not a motivation problem. We build an outline that gives you a clear path from chapter one to the end, with your strongest material placed where it has the most impact.
Drafting and feedback
You write. I review chapters as you produce them and give specific, practical feedback on what’s working, what isn’t, and how to fix it. No vague encouragement. Concrete direction on structure, pacing, voice, and clarity.
Revision strategy
First drafts are supposed to be rough. I help you see the difference between problems that need rewriting and problems that need cutting. Revision is where a manuscript becomes a book, and knowing what to do with a messy first draft is half the skill.
Publishing path
When the manuscript is ready, we discuss your options: traditional, self-publishing, hybrid. Each has trade-offs. I help you evaluate which path serves your goals and avoid the mistakes that cost authors time and money.
Not sure your book is ready to start?
The Book Discovery Intensive covers the strategy, the plan, and a sample chapter, and the fee is credited toward a larger engagement within sixty days. It’s a low-commitment way to find out what you’re really writing before you commit to coaching.
Your coach
Richard Lowe has ghostwritten 54+ books for executives, entrepreneurs, and public figures and authored 113+ under his own name, including dozens of novels and a 40+ handbook reference library on writing craft covering character, dialogue, world building, point of view, pacing, and revision. His clients’ books have helped raise over $30 million in venture capital and generated a TEDx invitation and $5,000 keynote engagements. His own book, How to Manage a Consulting Project, was adopted at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management.
He spent 20 years as Director of Computer Operations and Technical Services at Trader Joe’s, managing technology for one of the largest privately held national grocery chains. That background in systematic problem-solving shapes how he coaches: structured, specific, and focused on getting the work done instead of talking about getting the work done.
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About Richard Lowe
Richard Lowe is a professional ghostwriter and bestselling author. He has authored 113+ books and ghostwritten 54+ more for executives, founders, coaches, and public figures. His clients have used their books to raise over $30 million in venture capital, land a TEDx invitation, and secure deals with traditional publishers. His own book How to Manage a Consulting Project was used as required reading in a course at Purdue University's Krannert School of Management.
His current lead book, The Ghostwriting Advantage, is the comprehensive guide to hiring a ghostwriter. He also authored the bestselling Focus on LinkedIn and the publishing-journey trilogy: Make a Living as a Self-Published Author, Publish Your Book, and Sell Your Books. He served as Technical Editor and Contributing Author on Cyberheist, the cybersecurity book by KnowBe4 founder Stu Sjouwerman. His ongoing series include Enemies of You (nonfiction cultural commentary) and the Victorian fiction series, contemporary reimaginings of classic Victorian science fiction by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
Before becoming a full-time ghostwriter, Richard spent 33 years in enterprise technology, including 20 years as Director of Computer Operations at Trader Joe's, where he managed infrastructure across 400+ stores. He hosts three interview podcasts: Leaders and Their Stories, Author Talks, and Conversations With Influencers, and has appeared as a guest on 100+ podcasts including The Chris Voss Show.
Want to explore all my ghostwriting insights? Visit the Ultimate Ghostwriting hub.
Based in Clearwater, Florida, serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, Palm Harbor, Largo, Safety Harbor, Pinellas and Polk counties, all of Florida, and authors everywhere remotely.
Is book coaching worth it?
The doubts coaching prospects bring.
The practical questions
Cost, format, and who it is for.
Go deeper
Start with a conversation
Tell me about your book and where you’re stuck. I’ll tell you whether coaching is the right fit, whether ghostwriting would serve you better, and what to expect. No pitch.
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