WRITING COACHING
live & virtual support
I tailor my coaching and editing to your needs so that you feel supported on your writing journey.
A great chance to share a little more about your work, interests and goals and see if we are a good fit!
"I love working one on one with Kate. She has a supportive and insightful way of coaxing the better story from my words. She is like a trusted girlfriend that knows your true story more clearly than you do, at first, but within a short time, her advice allows you to gain that a-ha moment where you instantly understand how to translate her suggestions into motivated action. Her coaching feels a little bit like magic, suddenly, poof, I know how to tighten and amplify the power of piece. All this, and, she is a lovely person! Can't say enough..."
- Jennifer Cramer-Miller -
“I am so grateful to have met Kate. I went from wanting to be a writer to having several works published in less than a year, all with Kate's guidance. When I have questions, or simply have writer's block, she delicately focuses me. She's direct, kind, smart and has an amazing way of pushing me in new directions. If you’re serious about becoming a writer or wanting to step up your game, Kate is there to make it happen.”
- Lisa Witz -
“Kate told me what I needed to hear–that my manuscript, then a book of linked essays, was crying out to be a memoir. She didn’t tell me this lightly, knowing that wholesale changes would be necessary - but her words rang true. After pondering her advice for months, I eventually plunged into a revision. Now that I’m well into it, I realize how spot-on Kate was. I’ve gotten to that magical point where everything seems to be falling into place. I can’t thank her enough for helping me get there.”
- Pamela Schmid -
“When readers tell me how much they like the way my book weaves my own story with my great-grandfather’s, I think of Kate, and all the wise advice and encouragement she provided. She has given me, and so many other women, the confidence to believe that our words are important and will find an audience. It’s not hyperbole to say that working with Kate Hopper has changed my life.”
- Joy Riggs, author of Crackerjack Bands and Hometown Boosters: The Story of a Minnesota Music Man -
Writing Coaching
I provide one-on-one coaching and editing for writers who are interested in working with me for a longer period of time.
I work with my coaching clients to set up a tailored plan so you can meet your writing and publishing goals. I provide structure and deadlines in addition to big-picture feedback, language suggestions, tailored writing exercises, and advice on where to submit writing. I also help writers who are applying for grants and graduate programs ready their portfolios.
Accountability & Support
Are you someone who needs accountability and tailored feedback and exercises to keep you moving forward? Are you in the middle of a longer writing project, but feeling stuck? Do you have a number of half-begun pieces that you want to finish and submit, but you don’t know how to dive back into the work? I can help you!
My goal is to help you uncover the true heart of her story, gently guide you into deeper narrative territory, and to keep moving towards your writing goals, even when life gets in the way.
Book Proposals / Query Letters
Whether you have a complete manuscript or simply an idea for your next book, you’ll need a book proposal that’s both concise and catchy and highlights why your book is needed right now.
Have you written a few chapters of your memoir and think you might be able to sell it on a proposal? Have you completed a full draft of your memoir, but you’re not sure what to do next? I can help you with your book proposal! I provide guidance, examples, and feedback to writers who are ready to begin their agent/editor search and need a polished book proposal and query letter.
When I met Kate, I was a new writer with a fresh, vivid story. I handed her pages of writing on lined paper, she called it a beautiful mess and encouraged me to write myself into the book, and thus began our relationship through the revisions. Kate’s editing was as much education as a correction: Let’s see her. How did that feel? Slow this down. I learned to reflect in my writing, write my younger self with more empathy, and focus on narrative threads and echoes.
Kate is timely and clear with her edits, a consummate professional and a wise-hearted human being. Her quality work reflects her integrity. When she told me, ‘It’s a story that needs to be out there,’ it was a ringing endorsement and meant that I was putting my energy into a worthy book.