Coach Write

How do you take an idea from a free PDF to a hardback planner in its seventh edition? Helen talks to Fay Wallis, career and executive coach, host of the HR Coffee Time podcast and creator of the Essential HR Planner, about iterating a product, working with printers and Amazon, and how what you publish can be part of a service led business. In this episode, you'll discover: How a free PDF of HR awa...

In this solo episode, Helen answers listener questions about her own path to publication, sharing an honest look behind the scenes of an independent author's book launch on the eve of releasing her fifth book, Enough: Rethinking Resilience in a World That Never Stops. In this episode you'll discover: Where the idea for Enough came from, and the three pillars, affiliation, achievement and autonomy,...

We're tackling a common misconception this week: that writing has to be a solitary pursuit. Helen unpacks why we default to picturing writers working alone, and makes the case for why writing alongside other people, particularly virtually, changes everything. In this episode, you'll discover: Why the image of the lone author at a mahogany desk is a myth, and where that image actually comes from Th...

Helen is joined by Heidi Dawson and Dr Lorenzo Mugnai, co-founders of Y Root Coaching, to talk about how a chance meeting turned into a coaching practice, and how their framework became a book, The Y Root Method, published just days before this recording. In this episode, you'll discover: How a corridor conversation between an astrophysicist and a leadership programme facilitator led to a coaching...

In this solo episode, Helen explores what a strengths-based approach can teach coaches about how they show up not just with clients, but on the page. Drawing on frameworks like Clifton Strengths, DISC, MBTI, and the Enneagram, she looks at how understanding your own strengths can shape a writing process that actually works for you. In this episode you'll discover Why a strengths-based approach bea...

In this episode, Helen is joined by Becca Syme, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, USA Today bestselling novelist, and founder of the Better Faster Academy, for a conversation about writing rules, strengths and building a coaching and author business that stays true to your values. In this episode you'll discover: Why "everything works for someone, and nothing works for everyone" became the guiding...

In this solo episode, Helen shares why your email list should be the backbone of your marketing as a coach or author, and exactly how to build, maintain, and use it well. In this episode: Why social media is "rented space" and what happens when platforms change or disappear Why coaches and authors are in the credibility business, and how a consistent newsletter builds trust and connection Choosing...

In this episode of the Coach Write Podcast, Helen speaks with Claire Fitzsimmons, co-founder of If Lost Start Here, a wellbeing journal for the anxious, disconnected and uncertain, co-created with illustrator and psychologist Amanda Sheeren. Claire is an ICF Associate Certified Coach, a certified Emotions Coach Practitioner, and host of the podcast A Thought I Kept. In this episode, you’ll discove...

Helen ONeill reflects on her first year of hosting the Coach White Podcast, sharing insights on format, technical setup, audience engagement, and monetisation strategies to help aspiring podcasters and authors. Key topics Podcast format and length preferences Technical setup and editing tools Audience engagement and feedback Scheduling and consistency strategies Monetisation and supporting the sho...

In this episode, Claire Pedrick shares her journey of writing and publishing her coaching books, the lessons learned along the way, and insights into the evolving world of publishing, including the importance of accessibility, branding, and authenticity.   Key topics Claire Pedrick's journey to publication Lessons learned from writing multiple books The importance of editing and cover design The r...

In this episode, Martin Cavannagh, head of content at Reedsy, shares insights on content strategy, editing, cover design, and building a successful author platform. Perfect for authors and coaches looking to leverage content and community for growth. Key topics Content strategy for authors and coaches Choosing the right editor and cover designer The role of AI in publishing and design Building a c...

This episode explores how writers and publishers can make their content more inclusive and accessible. Helen O'Neill discusses terminology, conscious language, and practical publishing choices to foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Key Topics Understanding D-E-I-B principles in writing Conscious language and mindful word choices The importance of context and consequence in language...

In this episode, Helen ONeill speaks with Hayley Brackley, neurodiversity consultant, coach, speaker, and founder of Great Minds Don’t, about the journey behind her book The Seven Lenses: A New Way of Seeing Neuroinclusion. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why there’s no single “right” way to write a book. How accessibility choices can expand your audience, not shrink it. How having the right sup...

In this episode, you'll discover: Why the British vs. US English decision is rarely just a spelling question, and what it really comes down to How to choose your book's language based on where your ideal reader and client actually live Why your author voice matters more than which spelling convention you pick, especially in an age of AI generated content The practical impact of consistency, house...

In this episode you'll discover: How a car accident, an induced coma and a brain injury led Dr Fatima Syed to poetry, and why she calls her poems "five minute poems" written straight onto her phone Why she chose to self-publish her book, Yaqeen, Stitched From Sorrows, to keep her raw, unedited words exactly as they were written How using AI as a light-touch editing tool, rather than a co-writer, h...

In this episode of the footnotes, Helen ONeill shares her key takeaways from SPS Live 2026, the largest independent author conference in Europe. Here are some speakers whose sessions resonated most: Tom Donnelly on separating your creative and critical brain when you write Becca Syme on questioning the writing rules you've always been told to follow Becca Syme on the eight types of fans and what t...

Avreil Price is a leadership coach, consultant and founder of AV Consultancy, who helps senior leaders step back, recognise the impact they have already made, and shape what comes next. Her debut book, The Legacy Coach: Your Next Chapter, Your Legacy, Your Way, grew out of her own experience of life-changing transition, including recovering from a brain haemorrhage in 2020, relocating from England...

One of the questions Helen gets asked most often is this: should I write the book first, or build the programme first? In this episode of The Footnotes, Helen digs into the chicken-and-egg reality of aligning a signature coaching programme with a book, and why doing both can be one of the most powerful things a coach can do for their business and their credibility. She covers four key benefits of...

Helen speaks with Dr Phil Renshaw, co-author of Coaching on the Go. In this episode you'll discover: Why coaching has been accidentally over-professionalised, and why teaching managers to coach using a professional coaching framework is costing organisations time and money How Phil and his co-author Jenny Robinson wrote their book Coaching on the Go before approaching a publisher, and what that un...

Getting reviews for your book is a lot like getting testimonials when you first start your coaching practice. You know they matter. What nobody tells you is how hard they are to get. In this solo episode, Helen shares why book reviews are so important, how to build a review strategy before you even publish, and some practical ways to make it as easy as possible for your readers to leave their thou...

Helen speaks to Alice Driscoll and Louise Van Haarst, co-founders of The Powerhouse and co-authors of the bestselling book Smart Conflict: How to Have Hard Conversations at Work.   In This Episode You'll Discover: How Alice and Louise moved from a chance meeting at Henley Business School to co-founding The Powerhouse and writing their bestselling book, Smart Conflict. Why having a fully developed...

In this episode, you'll discover: Why treating your book as a key business resource rather than a sales tool is the strategy that builds long-term thought leadership How Kickstarter crowdfunding works as a publishing tool The case for selling your books direct through your own platform, and how owning your customer data creates relationships that convert readers into coaching clients How painting...

This week's episode is a solo show on the question we always ask guests on the show. How do you get your book into the hands of readers? In this episode, you'll discover: Why getting your metadata right is the unglamorous but essential foundation of book discoverability, including categories, keywords and your blurb How to use social media and your existing community to build momentum, whether you...

Helen speaks to Iain McCormick, founder of the Executive Coaching Centre, coach supervisor, and trainer, and author of five books, the most recent being Frustration Inoculation: Eight Practical Steps from Struggle to Strength. In this episode, you'll learn: What frustration inoculation actually means, how it differs from conventional stress management, and why a proactive approach of anticipating...

Helen speaks to Sue Finch, EMCC accredited coach, poet, and host of the podcast Singing as the Darkness Lifts, and author of two poetry collections: Magnifying Glass and Welcome to the Museum of a Life. In this episode you’ll learn: How a 30-year career in education led Sue to pursue an MA in Creative Writing and why building a structured commitment around her studies was the key to making time fo...