The uptake in self-publishing has unquestionably been a positive for writers. The benefits are well established now, with a retainment of autonomy, the ability to work to one’s own schedule and increased percentages of royalties being some of the key upsides.
Like anything in life, however, there are some challenges that come with going it alone in this manner. Although self-publishing removes the wait time between submission and response, if a submission is accepted writers gain access to a myriad of experts to assist them with their work. From marketing experts and cover design to editors and distribution channels, there’s no doubt once a writer reaches the promised land of an accepted submission the rewards are endless.
To fill this gap for those writers looking to self-publish are an increasing number of literary coaches who act on a freelance or contract basis to help writers polish their work before publication.
One such company is Purpose Driven Authors. In this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at what it is that they do and whether or not they are worth consideration for writers seeking some extra help with their writing projects.
Who are Purpose Driven Authors?
Purpose Driven Authors is run by Kathy Williamson. She self-described the company as a way to coach Personal Development and Christian growth authors to write a purpose-driven book which will impact thousands of lives.
Her expertise comes from her life experiences – 10-year addiction, 14 years as a lay counsellor on crisis hotlines, studying the Bible since 1980 when she became a Christian, being in a marriage where her life was sucked out of her, her medical conditions, all the marketing courses and books she has read, etc.
These experiences, and the Godly wisdom given to her, allow her to get inside the mind of the reader and connect with their emotions as they struggle to resolve their problem.
While writing her books, there was missing a major element – having someone critique her writing as she wrote the book. This is an area she includes in all her coaching packages so the writer can get encouraged and know whether they are on the right path in the direction of their writing.
She has in fact written three self-help books (one was written from a purely biblical perspective), and also ghostwritten two books in the personal growth field.
What does Purpose Driven Authors Do?
The nature of self-publishing means that it’s easier than ever for writers to get their work out to audiences. But the key question is “how to create work that stands the test of time?”.
A lot of books are flashes in the pan and too trend-driven resulting in the shelf life being far too short. A writer would likely consider using the services of Purpose Driven Authors if they feel they have a message to help solve a personal development, self-growth or Christian problem.
There are two main packages available;
Book Coach – For writers confident in their writing ability but just feel they need some added help to guide and critique the work.
Gold Package
• One-on-One Coaching
• Four 50-minute training/coaching sessions each month.
• Up to four hours of manuscript reading, critique, developmental editing and email exchanges
• A 10% discount if 3 months are paid for in full in advance
Silver Package
• One-on-One Coaching
• Two 50-minute training/coaching sessions each month
• Up to two hours of manuscript reading, critique, developmental editing and email exchanges
• A 10% discount if 3 months are paid for in full in advance
Bronze Package
• One-on-One Coaching
• Two 30-minute training/coaching sessions each month
• Up to one hour of manuscript reading, critique, developmental editing and email exchanges
• A 10% discount if 3 months are paid for in full in advance
Book Editing – For writers whose book is completed but needs an editor to help with content, flow and any suggestions to overall enhance the work.
Book Editing – Basic:
• Nonfiction books (either intended for paper or e-book distribution) edited for spelling, grammar, punctuation and syntax. Also, make suggestions for sentence structure and word choice.
• The fee begins at $3.00 per 300 words (approximately one double-spaced page), depending upon how much editing is needed. Example: a 60,000-word document (around 100 typed double-spaced pages) would run $600.00.
Developmental Editing:
• Content editing services are done on a project-by-project basis. After an initial review of the state of the manuscript, a quote will be given for the project.
• The minimum fee is $1,000 for a 100-page book (60,000 words). A 200-page book would run around $2,000 minimum.
What are some alternatives to Purpose Driven Authors?
The primary alternatives would be to either to make a submission to a conventional publisher or to continue the self-publishing route but not utilise any outside help.
As mentioned earlier the benefits of having a submission accepted are numerous and would alleviate any need for this type of service due to the expertise on hand. But the time it takes to make a submission, await a response and the competitive nature of doing so make this route incredibly uncertain.
Self-publishing is step one in the process of using a service like Purpose Driven Authors, but a writer will likely reach a crossroads where they have to determine if they need any outside help or not. There are a plethora of resources available online for free that may be sufficient for a writer in need of help but ultimately every set of circumstances will be different.
Purpose Driven Authors Review – Final Thoughts
It’s clear then that Purpose Driven Authors have correctly identified a gap in the market for services such as theirs to be not just beneficial but necessary to writers who have pursued the self-publishing route. Kathy Williamson clearly has lots of passion to create such a company and may well provide an excellent service. But there are more questions than answers when evaluating their offering overall.
Firstly, the constraints regarding genre, topic and theme will almost certainly eliminate many authors from the outset as their book will fall outside these boundaries.
Secondly, there is little evidence or proof to be found on the website of the impact their services have. A writer pursuing self-publishing has likely done so at least in part as a cost-saving exercise and to then have to invest money with no certainty of its impact is likely a risk most will be unwilling to take.
Finally, some of the language on the website is suspect and speaks to a salesperson like mindset as opposed to that of a consultant or expert. This may be a coincidence but it’s not unreasonable to feel cautious or put off by such rhetoric.
Ultimately then, perhaps the best way, to sum up, is that the services on offer are the right ones and would likely benefit many authors’ self-publishing, but this particular company may be the wrong one and to look elsewhere would be the appropriate course of action.