Writing a novel is one thing. Seeing the story clearly is another.
I work with beginning novelists who want thoughtful, structure-based guidance as they start, shape, draft, or revise their stories.
You may come with a completed draft. You may come with a few chapters, an outline, a character, a setting, a memory, a mystery, or only the long-standing desire to write a novel someday.
All of those are legitimate places to begin.
Story coaching is not proofreading, copyediting, or a line-by-line grammar review. It is story-level guidance. The question is not merely, “Are the sentences clean?” The deeper question is:
Is the story working?
You Do Not Need a Finished Manuscript
Many novels begin as something vague: a character who will not leave you alone, a place you remember, a family secret, a moral question, a crime, an image, a voice, or a feeling that some story is waiting underneath ordinary life.
At this stage, story coaching can help you turn that material into something more concrete.
We may talk through:
- what kind of novel you may be trying to write,
- who the main character might be,
- what pressure could drive the story forward,
- what conflict or question sits at the center,
- where the story might begin,
- and what first steps would help you start drafting.
The goal is not to overwhelm you with rules. The goal is to help you find a doorway into the story.
If You Already Have a Draft
You may have chapters, an outline, or a complete manuscript and still sense that something is not working.
The idea may be strong. The characters may matter. Some scenes may feel alive. But the story as a whole may still feel loose, uneven, too slow, too crowded, or not yet emotionally satisfying.
At that stage, we can look beneath the sentences and ask:
- Does the story hold together?
- Is the main character’s journey clear?
- Are the stakes strong enough?
- Does each scene create movement?
- Does the middle lose pressure?
- Is the ending earned?
- What needs to change in the next draft?
The goal is not to take over your novel or force it into a formula. The goal is to help you see what is working, what may be missing, and what practical revision path might make the story stronger.
What I Look For
As a novelist and Fictionary Certified StoryCoach Editor, I focus on how a story works beneath the surface.
That includes:
- central story idea,
- protagonist,
- conflict,
- stakes,
- scene purpose,
- turning points,
- pacing,
- tension,
- emotional movement,
- and the relationship between individual scenes and the larger manuscript.
A good story is not just a series of events. It creates pressure, movement, consequence, and change.
Who This Is For
Story coaching may be a good fit if:
- you have always wanted to write a novel but do not know where to begin;
- you have a vague idea and want help shaping it into a story;
- you have started several times but keep losing momentum;
- you have written chapters and now wonder whether the story holds together;
- your middle feels slow, scattered, or uncertain;
- your scenes contain good writing but may not create enough story movement;
- you have a draft and need help understanding what to revise next.
This work is designed for beginning novelists who want serious, practical guidance without being overwhelmed.
How the Process Works
The first step is a brief conversation by email.
You tell me where you are with the project, what kind of novel you think you are writing, how much of it exists, and what concerns you most.
From there, we decide what level of help makes sense.
For one writer, the best starting point may be a conversation about the central idea, main character, story world, and possible direction.
For another, it may be a review of opening chapters.
For another, it may be a scene list, outline, synopsis, or full manuscript assessment.
My approach is honest but respectful. A novel is personal work. It deserves careful attention, not casual criticism.
A Note About My Own Fiction
My own novels are rooted in Boaz, Alabama, where mystery, memory, belief, family pressure, and long-buried truths shape ordinary lives.
I am drawn to stories where characters are forced to face what they have inherited, what they have believed, what they have hidden, and what they are finally ready to see.
That same concern shapes my work with other writers.
I am interested in stories that matter to the person writing them.
Interested in Story Coaching?
If you are working on a novel — or have long wanted to write one — you are welcome to contact me and tell me a little about your project.
You do not need to send a manuscript with your first message.
A simple note is enough.
It helps if you include:
- what kind of novel you think you may be writing,
- where you are in the process,
- what idea, character, setting, or problem brought you here,
- what you are struggling with,
- and what kind of help you think you need.
If the project seems like a good fit, we can discuss the next step.
Richard L. Fricks 