Have you ever wondered what it’s like working with a book coach? Here’s what some of my clients have to say about my track record as a book coach and editor:
“Julie is one of Author Accelerator’s most accomplished book coaches. She is diligent, dedicated, market-focused, compassionate, well-read and beloved by all her clients. She will make your book better.”
Jennie Nash, Private Book Coach, Chief Ceative Officer, Author Accelerator, and Author of Blueprint for a Book, Blueprint for a Nonfiction Book and Read Books All Day and Get Paid for It
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“I owe Julie an enormous thanks. She was my coach at the very onset of a bouncing baby idea, and she held my hand for almost two years as I brought it into the world. She set me on a straighter path for this nebulous middle-grade novel idea I had and steered me away from blind alleys. Not all of them of course – because, well, I’m blinkered and stubborn – but without her I would have needed dozens more rewrites. She pushed me, gently, to look for and eventually find the truth of the story I wanted to tell but couldn’t yet articulate.
She asked me all the hard questions. When my answers were trite or knee-jerk or just not deep or meaty enough to merit a novel, she called me on it. In a nice way, of course (wink). Once we were finished, I had a toolbox that was filled with strategies and ways forward. Having her as a coach from the start was invaluable.”
Jane Baird Warren, author of How to Be a Goldfish (Scholastic Canada, 2022).
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“I absolutely loved working with Julie! She is a fantastic editor with a great eye. Her feedback is organized, thorough, and thoughtful. She has so much expertise to share on everything from story structure to character arcs to common line-level mistakes! Julie isn’t afraid to suggest changes that will take your manuscript to the next level! She will push you to grow as a writer, but she will also be there to encourage and support you every step of the way! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with her on my manuscript.”
Reese Eschmann, author of Etta Invincible and 2017 Pitch Wars Mentee. Read my interview with Reese about her road to publication.
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“In searching for a book coach, I needed to find someone who “got me” and understood what I wanted to put out into the world. Then together, I felt that we could shape the story into something magical. And we did…Thank goodness you were interested in my story and took the time to be interested in me and what my vision was. We had great chemistry from the get-go and created a process that was comfortable for me. You helped me to shape all of the “stuff in my head” into a beautiful story that was true to me and also stayed focused on the reader’s perspective. “
Sonia Hunt, author of Nut Job (Gen X Media, 2021). Read about Sonia’s journey in her Success Story.
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“Julie helped me take the first draft of my manuscript to a polished, well executed novel that got me an agent and my first book deal. Julie’s ability to not only see the forest AND the trees but also zoom in and help with line level suggestions was invaluable. Above ALL that, Julie’s friendly, approachable, and genuine style of coaching made me feel at ease with my writing and helped me believe in myself again. Julie’s love of the writing craft comes through in everything we did. And now, because of her, I am a better writer who has fallen back in love with the process!”
María José Fitzgerald, author of Turtles of the Midnight Moon (Knopf, 2023)
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“Finding a book coach you trust is important for any writer but especially important for memoir writers. Trying to make sense of the past and shape our experiences into a narrative worth reading is vulnerable and hard. As I approach pitching my memoir, I’m confident it’s the best book I was capable of writing at the time because Julie was by my side every step of the way.
Julie speaks the truth with love. She encourages when you’re filled with doubt. She asks the hard questions.
She’s truly everything you want in a book coach: great marketplace awareness, spot-on feedback on the page, and positive energy that makes a writer feel like “yes, I can do this.”
Suzette Mullen, Book Coach and author of The Only Way Through is Out (University of Wisconsin Press, February 2024)
“Julie, I am blown away by what I have been able to absorb of your feedback. Thank you for being so patient and generous with me and all of my questions. Author Accelerator has never steered me wrong! I can already see where I need to sharpen the “point.” Thank you for being open to clarifications, questions and a dialogue. I already feel safe in your literary hands.”
Henriette Ivanans-McIntyre, best-selling author of In Pillness and In Health. Read more about our collaboration in Henriette’s Success Story interview.
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“Julie was very positive, responsive, and encouraging throughout my entire process of writing a proposal and pitching it to agents. She was generous in giving me a list of agents to query, along with offering tips along the way. I’m grateful to have accomplished my goal of securing my top choice of an agent by working with Julie!”
Sara Avant Stover, author of The Way Of The Happy Woman and The Book of SHE
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“Julie [has] been incredibly helpful not only in cleaning up my ponderous prose, but in organizing the structure of my manuscript… She made a complex narrative more approachable gor the general reader and for that I will always be grateful.”
Karl Von Loewe, author of Lost Roots (Atmosphere Press, September 2022). Read about Karl’s experience with finding the right publishing path.
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“Julie really knows how to find the core of your story and bring it out in new and interesting ways. Some of her suggestions were pivotal in my revisions and added so much to my character and arcs…She is great at giving feedback in a very positive way. She is patient and easy-going. I felt I could easily open up to her about any insecurities I felt about my writing.”
Rina Nichols, YA author
“Julie did such a great job of keeping the big picture of my story in her head as we worked through a draft. She always had insightful questions as well a creative solutions for some of my roadblocks. She was supportive and enthusiastic about my story and was always engaging to work with!”
Jen Braaksma, Author of Evangeline’s Heaven (Sparkpress, August 2022) and Book Coach
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“Julie has an unusual ability to see story from a big-picture perspective that connects the external aspects of setting and plot with the internal ones of character and emotional arc. That connection strengthens authenticity and helps to make the work more compelling. Her guidance on the intricacies of building a world (and the characters and emotions inhabiting it) is sure to be useful for writers of all genres.”
Joni Sensel, author of A Curse on the Wind and Feeling Fate
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“Julie is my go-to for world-building support. She asks me all the questions I don’t want to answer and my stories are better for it.”
Jessica Vitalis, author of The Wolf’s Curse, The Rabbit’s Gift, and Coyote Queen
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“Julie teaches world-building with enthusiasm that will bring your own world-building alive.”
Lily LaMotte, author of Measuring Up, Unhappy Camper, and Chloe’s Lunar New Year
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“Julie is a dream come true for writers: a careful and attentive reader who can hone in on what would make a story really soar. Whether you need help with a query, synopsis, or manuscript, I can’t recommend Julie strongly enough.”
— Heather Bell Adams, Author of Maranatha Road (Vandalia Press, 2017)
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“Julie and I have been critique partners for years, and she’s one of my go-to people whenever I need clear, concise, feedback on pacing, story structure, character development, plot holes (and plot bunnies), and anything else to do with good story. She’s kind, professional, and savvy about important social and cultural issues that are vital for authors to consider. I highly recommend her editorial services, and encourage all her clients to take her advice to heart. Julie knows story.”
Gabrielle K. Byrne, author of Rise of the Dragon Moon (Imprint, 2019)
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“After writing, revising, revising, revising, and then revising some more, I have a hard time identifying issues with my manuscripts. Thank goodness for my critique partner, Julie! She caught a plot hole I and numerous others had missed. In addition, she offered insightful comments that strengthened my main character’s inner journey and asked questions that made me think about my purpose and intent of every scene. She is great at pointing out areas that could use a zap of tension and points where your characters’ thoughts and feelings could be enhanced. I highly recommend her editing services!”
Kim Long, author, Lexi Magill and the Teleportation Tournament (Running Press Kids, 2019)
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“Julie understands not only the power of a good story but the ins and outs of the craft and isn’t afraid to give it to you straight. If you are serious about your writing, hire her! She will help lift your tale to the next level.”
Mark Holtzen, Author, A Ticket to the Penant (Little Bigfoot, 2016)
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“Julie will tell you what you need to hear, not necessarily what you want to hear. That’s what makes her feedback useful…It gave me a much clearer picture of what I was trying to achieve and why it wasn’t working out….[Julie’s strengths are her] sense of humour and directness. I felt safe with her.
JS Veter, science fiction and fantasy author
“Julie helped me find a world that suited my story. On my own, I built a world that pulled my story in a direction I didn’t want to go. With Julie’s help, I was able to build a world that made my story so much better and had more depth than I ever could have achieved on my own.”
Dani Abernathy, fantasy author and book coach
“Julie is a gifted editor and she had vast knowledge about how to write a book proposal and about the publishing industry, which was really helpful. I didn’t have a clue of how things worked and she helped me understand the nuances… If you are looking to better understand how to enter the querying process and assemble a proposal, with someone who has a great editing eye, Julie is a great choice!”
Emily Cherkin, The Screentime Consultant
“I was Julie’s Pitch Wars 2018 mentee and in all our interactions she was prompt, kind, patient, and encouraging. She helped me realize the problems in my manuscript and brainstorm possible solves, all without ever making me feel like she was enforcing her personal preference. There wasn’t a moment where I felt she was talking down to me or not doing her best to help me. It was wonderful to work with Julie and I gained skills that will be useful all throughout my writing career.”
Tiffany Liu, Middle grade author and 2018 Pitch Wars Mentee
“Julie Artz taught me many foundational elements of story. I found myself at a crossroads in my career, a good writer, but not well-versed in the emotional element that makes a story shine. Julie helped me dig deep, challenging me to question my characters’ motivations, to really dig into their pasts, their desires, and the reason a reader should follow them from page one. As a result, I learned how to write a more nuanced story (one that makes people cry!). With Julie’s help, I not only had a manuscript that made me incredibly proud, but I also had the courage to enter the Pitch Wars competition. Thanks to Julie’s guidance, my manuscript was selected, and the resulting journey led me to agent representation. Working with Julie wasn’t just educational and fun, it was career-changing. If you’re looking for a book coach and editor who will continually challenge you week after week to write your best book, you need Julie! She won’t let you pull punches or gloss over the hard parts. She’ll be right there with you, encouraging you to keep at it, asking the right questions to make your story better. If you find yourself at a crossroads in your career, I highly recommend getting Julie onboard. You’ll become a better writer and your writing career will thank you.”
KC Karr, Book coach and YA author
“First and foremost, Julie was tough with me, and though I gave up several times, Julie pushed me to keep going. I responded well to the tough-love approach, and she did that well. She also made sure I put much more emotion into my memoir.
…Julie will keep you on track with fixed deadlines. She also helps with bringing the best writing out of you. She would both comment and rewrite where she saw appropriate. She helps in developing your voice, coaching you to get the concept instead of simply doing editing.”
Mo Issa, memoir author
“I loved getting feedback which was like an x-ray into my writing. It cracked things open for me that I wouldn’t have seen on my own.”
Virginia Davidson, middle grade author
“Julie is very encouraging and direct and provides plenty of information to make you a better writer. She points out things that need to be changed and compliments things I do well. You’ll love working with her!”
A.S Davis, young adult author
“Julie was kind, professional, open and supportive. She is great at explaining writing concepts and suggesting links and books for further study.
…I loved getting Julie’s feedback on my work from her pre-writing notebooks. She asked insightful questions to help me think through scenarios and priorities. Occasionally, she gave me direct suggestions when I couldn’t see the forest for the trees!”
Janet Davis-Castro, middle-grade author
“The red flags in my relationship with my agent began shortly after my second book was published. Communication wasn’t great, and I didn’t always feel that my agent was on my side. But I didn’t know what to do. I needed to be loyal to the person who’d got me published in the first place, yet my career was at a standstill. I began wondering if I’d ever have another book published.
This is where Julie stepped in. She talked me through what I wanted and needed in my novels and my career. We explored the choices I had, and how I’d feel if I pursued each one. These conversations and her ongoing support helped me feel good about giving my agent one last chance, and then stepping confidently into the query trenches. For the first time in over a year, I felt free, positive, and true to myself. This story has a happy ending: I found a wonderful new agent who is a fantastic fit, and my career has begun again.”
Middle-grade author
“If you want to publish your story, get some professional help – and it needs to be Julie. She will quickly understand what you are trying to do and will partner with you to tell your story in an interesting way. She is super organized and cost effective with your budget. Julie goes above and beyond just editing. She’s a thought partner.
Together, we turned out a great product. This would have not been possible without Julie. She made bold suggestions. She pushed me. There were doable deadlines. She broke it down into bite sized chunks that I could manage. She identified nonessential sections to consider for removal. She asked the right questions. She motivated me. Julie “reads” writers AND manuscripts.”
Deb Miller, memoir author
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