FOR WRITERS THAT WANT A BIGGER WRITING LIFE
Finish the book
Back your judgement
Build a writing career that grows
30-minute call • Free • No pressure
For writers who know they're capable of more
You may have a draft (several drafts)
You may have published already
Or be trying to break through for the first time
What you know is this:
Your current way of doing things isn’t getting you where you want to go
- You want a stronger book
- To become a stronger writer
- To grow an audience
- To build a writing life that keeps expanding
You've put a lot of work in
You can see what your book could be
But it's not yet the way you want
You’re revising, responding to feedback, trying different approaches… but often ending up in the same place. Sometimes your next book feels harder, not easier. There’s more awareness now, more pressure, more at stake. And amid all of that, it gets harder to tell what the work actually needs, and what’s just you inventing things to fix.
At this stage, effort isn't the issue
It's competing priorities
You’re not only thinking about the manuscript.
You’re also thinking about how to build momentum, whether visibility matters, and what kind of writing life you want this to become.
When too many priorities compete for attention, it becomes hard to know where to place your energy. That’s where this work helps: identifying what matters most now, and what can wait.
Ironically, you already know how to write
You've done courses, maybe even published books
You’ve done courses, maybe even published books, gotten feedback, tried different approaches, and put real time into the work.
What's missing isn't effort or information. It’s perspective.
You don't know:
- What matters most right now.
- Where your energy is best directed.
- Which decisions will move both the work and your wider writing life forward.
That’s what we focus on together, so you're not just busy, you're actually moving forward
What working together actually looks like
Start with where you are now
We look closely at your work, your goals, and what feels stuck, unclear, or harder than it needs to
Get clear on your next moves
Together, we identify the decisions that matter most now, so your time and energy go where they’ll have the biggest effect.
Build momentum month by month
You make meaningful progress on the page and in your wider writing life, with support and accountability along the way.
Keep growing beyond one book
Because the real goal isn’t only this book. It’s building the judgement, resilience, and craft that carry into the next one too.
A six-month 1:1 mentorship program
The Long Game is designed for writers who want to strengthen their work, make smarter decisions, and build a sustainable writing career
What's inside The Long Game
Your manuscript
Clear editorial insight into what’s working, what’s not landing yet, and the specific changes most likely to strengthen the book.
Your decisions
Cut through conflicting advice and endless second-guessing. Know what to prioritise now, what to ignore, and what move makes sense next.
Your writing career
Support navigating submissions, publication, publicity, visibility, audience-building, and how this book fits into the bigger picture of your writing life.
Your momentum
Build a steadier, more sustainable way of working so progress continues between sessions and beyond this book.
What working together includes
✓ Six months of support
✓ Monthly private coaching calls
✓ Personalised guidance tailored to your stage and goals
✓ Feedback on your manuscript and next steps
✓ Accountability and momentum between sessions
✓ Access to my private library of writing, publishing, and mindset resources
Why work with Katherine
I’m an internationally published, award nominated author of four books. For several years I co-hosted The First Time podcast, where I interviewed more than 150+ authors about how books are made and careers are built.
That means I’ve seen writing life from many angles: as a writer myself, as someone inside the publishing process, as an interviewer, and as a coach working closely with writers on their own turning points.
I understand how hard it can be to see your own work clearly, how personal setbacks can feel, and how easy it is to lose time circling when what you really need is perspective.
What I offer is experienced, practical support that looks at both the writing and the writer, so you can create better and better books, and build a writing life that gets bigger over time.
What happens when writers stop going it alone
'Both agents requested more.'
Writer preparing submissions
'Her insight into structure and story made it possible to rework the draft in a way that finally made sense.'
Kirsty Iltner, author of Depth of Field
'I went from feeling unsure and overwhelmed to having a clearer sense of what to focus on—and why.'
Anna Johnson, author of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife
'Katherine’s feedback helped me understand what the manuscript needed and make meaningful structural changes.'
Annelise, writer
'My story is better because of our sessions - and so is my attitude towards writing.'
'Your questions about plot and character gave my book real depth, and made success feel possible again.'
Two-time published author (name witheld)
What writers come for, and leave with
✓ A manuscript that's sharper, stronger and closer to its potential
✓ More trust in their own judgement, and the courage to back ambitious work
✓ More consistent momentum between sessions
✓ Growth as a writer you can feel on the page
✓ A bigger sense of what’s possible after this book
✓ Clearer direction for the writing career they want to build
Investment
Serious, personalised support for serious writers
Not a course, not generic feedback
Direct access, experienced perspective, and sustained momentum over six months
The Long Game is a six-month private mentorship
Includes monthly one-to-one coaching, support between sessions, guidance on your writing, publishing insight, career strategy, and experienced support through key stages, including submissions and publication.
$6,600 AUD (inc. GST) upfront payment
Payment plans available
Looking for something shorter?
I also offer shorter-term options for writers who want manuscript feedback, advice or support around a specific stage of the process.
Enquire and I'll help you figure out what fits.
Why writers choose this work
Because staying stuck has a cost too
It costs time and momentum and can erode confidence
Many writers spend years trying to solve alone what becomes clear in one honest conversation with the right person.
This work is for writers who know their writing life matters to them and want to treat it accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get by my books as good as I can before I work with you?
Usually, no.
Many writers wait until they feel they’ve done everything possible alone before they get help. The problem is that by that stage, they’ve often spent months polishing the wrong things, circling the same issues, or becoming to close to it to know what's working and what's not.
Getting support earlier can save time, strengthen your manuscript sooner, and help you use your effort more wisely. Part of the value is having someone help you see what to focus on or do next.
I know how to write. I've done courses/published a book. Why would I need this?
Knowing how to write and knowing what this book needs next are different things.
Courses can teach craft and publishing a book gives experience. Both are valuable. But neither automatically gives you distance, perspective on, or the easiest path through the current project.
At a certain stage, the challenge is rarely a lack of knowledge. It’s being too close to the work, having too many options, or trying to solve everything alone.
That’s where one-to-one support can be powerful.
Not because you need someone to teach you how to write, but because you need an experienced outside perspective on your manuscript, your patterns, and your next decisions.
Many strong writers use support precisely because they’re serious, not because they’re beginners.
If my manuscript is close, is coaching still worth it?
Often writers think the manuscript is closer than it is. Just as often, they’re right that it’s close, but can’t clearly see what’s still holding it back.
Some of the hardest manuscripts to fix are the ones that are already pretty good.
The obvious problems are gone. The draft has real promise. But something still isn’t quite landing.
That’s where outside perspective can be most valuable: identifying what’s working, what’s missing, and which changes are most likely to move the manuscript forward.
Often the best time to get support is before another six months disappears circling the same issues.
I'm only part way through my book. Can I still work with you?
Absolutely.
You don’t need a finished manuscript to benefit from this work. In many cases, getting support earlier can save months of circling, help strengthen the structure sooner, and make the drafting process far more productive.
Some writers come with a full draft. Others come with 20,000 words or a partial manuscript.
Some come with a lot of ideas and a strong sense of what a project might contain, but want help figuring out what it actually is.
I’ve also worked with writers coming out of academic PhDs who want support shaping a more creative, non-academic project.
We work with the stage you’re actually in, not the stage you think you should be in.
What if I'm worried about the investment?
That’s understandable.
It's a meaningful investment. It’s designed for writers who know their work matters to them and want tailored, high-level support rather than more generic advice.
Many writers spend years trying to solve alone what becomes clearer far sooner with the right guidance.
What if we start then I realise it's not the right fit?
If after our first month you genuinely feel the work isn’t helping, we can stop there.
I want the fit to be right for both of us.
Ready to move forward?
Book a complimentary 30-minute 'Long Game' writer strategy session, where we’ll talk through where you are, what’s been getting in the way, and what would make the biggest difference to do next.
You’ll leave with a clearer sense of:
- What matters most right now
- What to focus on next, and
- Whether working together makes sense
You’ll be speaking with me directly.
©2025 Katherine Collette
What writers say