We’ve been working our way through a series on Making Money as a Writer. Today, we’re talking about a service that can take a lot of different forms, and can also be fairly lucrative if you make this a core part of your overall business. We’re talking about coaching.

Coaching is a very broad term that can mean different things in different contexts. But generally, you are there to help the client become more successful in a certain area.

Coaching is usually done in either an individual or a group setting. It can also be done as a one-off coaching session, or it can be ongoing over a period of time. If you have specialized knowledge in a certain area, it can be a great opportunity to help people in a deep way.

I have benefited from coaching in a lot of different ways over the years. Two of the paid masterminds I’m in right now include individual coaching as part of the group structure. And twice in the past year, I have paid coaches for one-off sessions on specific topics.

I’m a huge fan of coaching because it’s basically a fast track to success in a specific area. For example, I hired my good friend John Schuchman, a social media coach for real estate agents, to do an hour of coaching with me on social media for the Daily Writer. I learned things from him in one hour I couldn’t have figured out on my own in the course of a year.

I have never offered group coaching, but I’ve done a lot of individual coaching, primarily related to helping people with their books.

As a writer, you have specialized knowledge in certain areas. A simple way to get started is to offer one-on-one coaching around the same topic you write about. Your books and other content can be a great way to promote your coaching services, which allows someone to get individual help in a way they can’t experience just by reading your books.

If you’re just getting started with coaching, I recommend the incredible book The Prosperous Coach by Rich Litvin. It’s one of the best business books I’ve ever read. I’d also recommend offering a few coaching sessions for free as a way to help you get some practice and also provide you with some testimonials if you want to take your coaching practice further.

Question: How could you expand your knowledge and impact by offering group or individual coaching as part of your overall business?