What is a Book Shepherd and Do You Need One as an Author?

When you’re writing a book and exploring the publishing industry, there can be lots of confusing terminology. Some of the words you might come across are “book shepherd” or “book coach”. You might be wondering whether you need one of these, and if so, whether they’re different from each other. We’re here to clear up the complicated vocab and guide you on what you might need to publish your book.

What is a book shepherd?

Now, a book shepherd doesn’t herd books like a shepherd herds sheep, so it might seem like a strange word choice for a job title. But it actually makes a lot of sense when we delve into what a book shepherd does.

A book shepherd guides aspiring authors through the process of writing and/or publishing a book. They usher the author along the path to publishing, potentially helping them with various parts of the process. They shine a light on the dark and mysterious parts of the publishing industry, pointing out pitfalls and barriers, and helping the author overcome them. See, a lot like shepherding, guiding the sheep safely and quickly from the field to the barn; in this case, the barn being “publishing”.

What is a book coach?

According to some resources, a book coach is exactly the same as a book shepherd—it’s just that “coaching” is a more commonly used and understandable job title for people. The ironic thing is that “coach” is not entirely accurate when it comes to books. Coaching is technically asking someone questions for them to find the answers within themselves, rather than giving them the answers as is the case for mentoring. As such, some book coaches may not “coach” in the strictest sense of the world; instead, they may guide, signpost, and/or mentor.

And to make things more confusing, there are also “writing coaches” who specifically help aspiring authors with the writing part of the process, which may include giving them feedback on their writing style, helping them develop a better writing style, improving their grammar, and so on. Unlike a book coach or book shepherd, a writing coach won’t typically help with others aspects of publishing or self-publishing, such as guiding the way from writing to publishing.

Who do I need?

This is where it gets a little more tricky because people across the industry call themselves different things, and there isn’t unanimous agreement on each role. Broadly speaking, a shepherd guides someone on how to publish a book, and they may be able to help with the writing part as well. Book coaches may help with both the writing and the publishing, but they may not “coach” in the traditional sense. And writing coaches will help with the writing but typically won’t help with the publishing. If in doubt, ask each coach/shepherd what exactly they help with and how they work with authors.

Where do I find one?

You can find book shepherds and writing coaches through Google searches, social media, and industry societies. Importantly, you should choose a shepherd or coach who understands your genre, who has good testimonials and reviews, and ideally who is willing to speak to you via phone or video call as it’s often quicker and easier to guide someone through the publishing process by speaking rather than email. Working with a book coach or shepherd is a partnership and they will be your guide, so it’s also crucial that you have a harmonious communication style and have rapport with each other.

Do you offer book shepherding?

If you’re looking for a book shepherd, our in-house shepherd guides aspiring nonfiction authors in the genres of business, self-help, philosophy, psychology, and more. She works with authors from idea to bookshelf, helping them get their wisdom down on paper, plan their manuscript, and write their content. She also guides people through the process of self-publishing, including choosing which platforms to publish on, how to arrange editing and design, and everything else an author needs to know to get published. More information on this service can be found on our website.