Sometimes the HOW is a WHO.
Twenty-five years ago, Anne-Marie and I were in the final few weeks leading up to the opening of the Columba 1400 Leadership Centre on the Isle of Skye. The contractor was keen to finish the Centre and have us sign off that it was complete. With zero understanding of the construction industry (particularly the Scottish construction industry), I was in a risky place.
How could I approve a standard I had no understanding of?
Which is why we hired a Clerk of Works.
A Clerk of Works is often a retired construction superintendent, who knows the industry, the game, and every shortcut, hoodwink and loophole there is. Walking beside me on his site visits, our Clerk of Works pointed out everything I needed to be aware of and subsequently make part of the conditions for completion.
That 25-year-old memory surfaced again this week during my conversation with Alex Van Tol.
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Five years ago, I knew that I wanted to write a book. I had an appetite for a creative project. I also wanted to push myself. I wanted to extract from my head the large body of work I had been storing for 30 years and commit it to paper.
I thought I was all in and ready to go. I thought all I had to do was write it.
The truth is – I didn’t have a clue what this decision would mean.
But, I’m happy to say that I knew enough to know that I didn’t know enough. And that I would need to reach out, once again, and engage someone who did know the world of writing, books, editing and the publishing business.
What I wasn’t expecting is one of the best coaching experiences I’ve ever had.
Alex Van Tol is an author, editor, and book coach with 30 years of experience in writing and publishing. Trained by the world’s foremost book coach, Jennie Nash, Alex helps writers plan and draft books that have more than just a shot at commercial success. She coaches writers of fiction, nonfiction, and memoir, with an emphasis on improving a writer’s craft and developing their market strategy. Alex has published 15 books with several different publishing houses and has assisted numerous writers in securing deals.
Alex offers high-touch, customized guidance with best-in-class advice on how to write and sell a complex, multilayered, personal work of art into a competitive marketplace. Her expertise is combined with some great coaching, which enabled me to process and sort out what was coming up for me as a writer. Alex reminded me often that “a book forms a permanent cornerstone of one’s reputation.” The book was going to be about the work – but it was also going to be about me. She helped me approach the engagement accordingly.
Every two weeks, Alex provided me with her deep feedback and guidance via notes on the page, audio recordings and/or editorial letters. Each round of feedback included a coaching call to talk through questions and dig into tricky fixes.
Five years later, I can report that the publishing industry is still confusing and changeable, full of arcane rules, gatekeepers, and contradictory advice. Conditions change on a dime and there is no straight line to success. The marketplace can be discouraging to navigate, especially for someone who doesn’t know how publishing works.
Writing is a trade, and as such there’s a degree of mastery involved. Putting a book together by myself would have been like building a house using YouTube DIY videos plus tips from the guys at the hardware store: not impossible, but slow, experimental, and possibly bad. Instead, working with a book coach was like hiring a Clerk of Works to stand right beside me (again), guiding my creative project as I drew the plans and measured the wood. I know my book is written well because I worked with a pro – one who helped to steward me and my book towards my best publishing option.
If you are thinking about writing a book, I strongly suggest having a conversation with Alex. Alex will help you find the right path for you.
Ian Chisholm
Partner and Co-Founder