Work With Me!

Hi! I’m Heather. I’m a certified book coach, developmental editor, podcaster, summit creator… and fellow writer.

You want to create a novel as powerful as the ones you’ve read. The kind of story readers become obsessed with and talk about for years.

The kind they stay up way too late reading. The kind that makes readers cry on TikTok, draw fan art of your characters, and create subreddits shipping your protagonist with completely the wrong (but oh-so-right) person.

I want to help you get there.

What Writers Are Saying About My Coaching, Classes, & Curriculum

"Heather is a brilliant book coach for speculative fiction writers. She's bursting with great ideas, she has an incredibly in-depth and mature story sense, and she is so well-read. She keeps in mind the many story models out there without ever hewing to one, helping you understand how to best develop your story. Her insights into my story are always delivered with kindness and "you can do this" and I have yet to disagree with one comment she's made. I could not write this novel without her. Don't hesitate to work with her."
Jen Louden
Jen LoudenNational Best-Selling Author & Writing Coach
Before working with Heather, I was stuck in developmental edit purgatory. I didn’t know how to identify, let alone fix the issues, all I knew was that it wasn’t working. Heather did more than provide instruction, she gave me confidence. She boosted my spirits, reassured me that all of my frustrations were part of the process and more importantly, she made me believe that I could actually do this. With her help, I re-outlined and re-wrote a 98k word draft in six months. The draft was in such good shape that all the remaining revisions and edits took only a few more months. It sounds dramatic, but thanks to her guidance, that disjointed collection of scenes is now a complete and compelling story. I am proud to query this manuscript knowing it is strong, marketable, and true to my vision. I cannot recommend Heather enough to any writer who feels stuck, scared or lost.
Katherine V.Writer
Interiority! Emotionality! Conflict! If you want to up your game, Heather will show you how to sift these critical concepts into your writing like cinnamon into butter. I'm so pleased with the transformation her help has wrought upon my third novel, I plan on enlisting her to resurrect (languishing in its drawer) my second!
Mark DavidAuthor
"I cannot say enough about the value I have received from working with Heather over the last six+ months. I have been able to evolve the startings of a pretty cheesy fairytale that I didn’t think had much potential to a full framework/story arc and ~70 pages of good, thoughtful content and scenes. My characters are interesting, my story is relevant and the theme feels important in a way that it fully lacked when I got started. The tools and tips are provided in a way that meet the particular writing challenge in the right way to be useful and implementable. She effortlessly provides high level guidance and nitty gritty grammar commentary and it is all helpful through the process. Before I met with Heather I felt alone in a cave, wondering if there really was a way out or if I should give up. With Heather, I have had a guide through the darkest, gnarliest challenges a new writer faces and it feels good to have faced the challenge to grow as a writer under her guidance."
Katrina G.Fantasy Writer
"This class was fantastic. I also love how she teaches. The long, in-depth lessons broken up with walkthroughs, practice, examples, and feedback on students' work make everything click in a way shorter formats never quite manage. And the way she answers questions is so clear and pedagogical. Now I'm just looking forward to all the lessons still to come."
Marita B.Writer
"I couldn't be happier with the approach that Heather took with me when I was looking for book coaching for my romantic-tragedy novel. Her knowledge, expertise, helpfulness, and creativity were indispensable in getting me out of a creative rut and cut to the heart of my story. She has a deep understanding of character motivation and backstory and her open-ended questions helped me resolve plot logic and come up with further plot points without losing the core of what I wanted to say. Heather was there to provide much-needed encouragement and inspiration that had allowed me to fall in love with my story all over again. I'll carry her thoughtful, considered approach with me for whatever lies ahead, and I am grateful for her passion, intuition, and support. I made more progress during our first video conference call than I had in the previous 18 months!"
Stuart WakefieldAuthor
"The class provided a usable and repeatable structure for writing and revising scenes. I am looking at them now from a whole new perspective and it has been eye opening.  No more having to ask myself if the scene lands, if it has the tension it needs. I am using the knowledge gained from the class to evaluate and rewrite scenes to ramp up that delicious tension - and my characters are all the more interesting for it. I already see an improvement in my writing and the skills gained will only continue to deepen and strengthen my work. I learned so much I couldn’t wait to sign up for the next class."
Jane W.Writer
"There is a lot of information out there, but Heather manages to find a way to distill it in practical, digestible chunks which I can immediately apply to my own work. I enjoy her classes and also the positive energy she brings which encourages me to keep going! I hope I can work more with her in the future and encourage any aspiring writer to do the same."
Nina K.Writer
"I wholeheartedly recommend Heather Davis as Book Coach to any author working on a manuscript, whether it's their first or fifth. Her insight and knowledge about great narrative and her passion for getting to the deep heart of your characters is invaluable. She brings an objective eye to your work to determine the strengths and weaknesses while offering a wealth of strategies to help you forge ahead with greater clarity. Heather's coaching has been pivotal in helping me overcome specific writing challenges and continue to progress towards completing my manuscript, all the while reminding me to celebrate the little victories achieved throughout the process. When you think you can't keep going or your self-doubt is threatening to sabotage your writing - Heather is the motivator and cheer squad you need."
Karen EastwoodAuthor
"When I first decided to follow my crazy dream to write a novel, I thought I could do the same thing I had done when writing poetry or short stories – just start writing, and everything would fall into place naturally. It doesn’t happen like that for novels. I found out after scratching out a few pages of great words that didn’t go anywhere. After fighting with impostor syndrome and myself, I looked for a book coach, someone who could help me make my words become a novel. When I “met” Heather Davis online, it all fell into place. Her style, her caring, and her energy made me know she was my guide. Heather is tough, but caring; she won’t baby you as you write, but she will genuinely get involved and help you GROW as an author. I have never regretted my choice!"
Jim WeemsAuthor
Heather, your voice is so soothing and reassuring, as is your writing wisdom. Thank you for sharing both an overview of what worldbuilding entails and walking us through specific areas of worldbuilding within Educated. The highlighted pages helped me see how interior narrative can be woven into a scene to deepen connection and understanding.
Dirty, Messy, Alive Summit AttendeeWriter
I didn't think I needed this, but --wow!--Heather's presentation was full of tips and secrets and things I hadn't considered before. So very glad I took a peek at it. Once I did I was riveted. I learned so much!
Dirty, Messy, Alive Summit AttendeeWriter
This woman is a SUPER PRO PRESENTER! I love how well-organized this presentation was, how it proceeded logically and clearly, building toward the finale.
Dirty, Messy, Alive Summit AttendeeWriter

Here's how I can help...

The Many Worlds Drafting Club

Are you looking for a cozy, encouraging place to deepen your storytelling skills while actively writing your novel?

The Many Worlds Drafting Club (which kicks off July 2026) is designed for speculative fiction writers who want support, guidance, community, and real momentum as they draft and revise their stories.

Whether you’re writing your very first novel or returning to the page after previous attempts, this space was created to help you keep growing, learning, and moving forward with confidence. Inside the Club, we study storytelling deeply, ask big questions about craft, celebrate each other’s progress, and continue showing up for the work together.

You’ll join a passionate, supportive group of writers actively drafting novels alongside you while learning the storytelling techniques that make stories emotionally powerful, immersive, and unforgettable.

This is a space for writers who believe stories matter.

A space to write, learn, revise, dream bigger, and slowly build a novel you’re genuinely proud of.

Come grab your coffee or tea and write with us for a while. 🌻

Learn more.

Book a FREE 30 Minute Many Worlds Draft Club Discovery Session

Private 1:1 Book Coaching with Heather

Are you an experienced writer ready to take your novel-writing skills to the next level?

Imagine having a writing mentor, story expert, and personal cheerleader all rolled into one.

That’s what private book coaching with me is like.

In our sessions, your novel gets the spotlight. Together, we’ll untangle plot problems, deepen character arcs and themes, strengthen emotional impact, and make sure your story is delivering on the promises of its genre and market. You’ll receive personalized guidance, expert eyes on your pages, and honest (but kind!) feedback designed to help you grow fast.

Whether you’re stuck trying to create an outline that actually works or looking to overhaul a manuscript that isn’t quite coming together yet, you’ll have a trusted coach in your corner, someone deeply invested in helping you write the best novel you’re capable of writing and become the strongest storyteller you can become.

This is perfect for experienced writers who are ready to go deep, commit to their craft, and make serious progress on their manuscript.

Not sure if private coaching is the right fit?

Schedule a low-pressure discovery session to see if we click, chat about your story, and explore whether 1:1 coaching is the next best step for you.

✨Private coaching starts at $1,200 for 2x/month.

Book a FREE 30 Minute Book Coaching Discovery Session

Storytelling Skills Assessment

Want to know exactly what’s working in your writing, what’s not, and which storytelling skills you should focus on next?

You don’t always need someone to read your entire novel to figure that out.

In fact, I can learn an enormous amount about your current strengths and weaknesses as a storyteller from the first 30 pages of your manuscript.

Your opening pages reveal how you handle point of view, interiority, pacing, backstory, worldbuilding, narrative flow, characterization, tension, scene structure, prose, and so much more. They show me where readers are likely to connect deeply with your story and where that connection may begin to break down.

That’s exactly what the Storytelling Skills Assessment is designed to uncover.

I’ll read up to 30 pages of your novel and give you a clear, honest assessment of what you’re already doing well, what isn’t working yet, and which craft skills will make the biggest difference in your writing right now.

And I promise you’ll walk away with at least 5–7 specific storytelling skills you can begin working on immediately to strengthen your craft and make not just these pages, but your entire manuscript, stronger.

This isn’t simply an edit of those 30 pages.

It’s a roadmap for becoming a stronger storyteller.

Rather than simply walking away with a list of problems to fix, you’ll come away understanding why something isn’t working, what stronger storytelling looks like, and how to develop and practice the skills that will make your entire manuscript stronger.

The goal isn’t just to improve the pages you send me. It’s to help you build storytelling skills you can carry into every scene, every revision, and every novel you write from here.

Depending on what I see in your pages, we might dig into things like:

• Point of view and narrative distance
• Character connection and emotionality
• Interiority
• Pacing and narrative flow
• Scene structure
• Tension and suspense
• Backstory and exposition
• Worldbuilding and context
• Character motivation and stakes
• Chapter pacing and structure
• Dialogue
• Prose and sentence-level storytelling
• Opening pages and reader expectations
• Story logic and cause and effect

And this assessment can go from the big-picture questions all the way down to the sentence level.

Are you giving readers enough context to understand the character, the world, and what’s happening? Are your scenes creating forward momentum? Is the reader emotionally connected to your protagonist? Are you weaving backstory and worldbuilding naturally into the present story? Is your point of view working the way you intend it to?

We can even get as granular as: Is your opening line doing enough work for your story?

But I won’t overwhelm you with a giant list of everything you could possibly improve.

Instead, I’ll identify the 5–7 craft skills I believe deserve your attention most right now and help you understand how strengthening those skills can elevate your storytelling as a whole.

What You’ll Receive

A deep assessment of up to 30 pages of your novel. I’ll look closely at both the big-picture storytelling and the craft happening on the page, identifying patterns that reveal your current strengths and the areas that need more development.

A clear breakdown of what you’re already doing well and what isn’t working yet. Knowing your strengths matters just as much as knowing your weaknesses. You’ll understand what you should keep doing, too.

At least 5–7 specific storytelling skills to focus on next. These won’t be vague suggestions like “work on pacing” or “deepen your characters.” You’ll understand what I’m seeing, why it matters, and what you can do to strengthen each skill.

Personalized recommendations for how to practice those skills. Depending on what I see, I may recommend craft resources, exercises, or study novels that demonstrate the techniques you’re working on. I may even point you toward a particular chapter or scene and say, Go look at what this author is doing here.

A 1-hour Zoom call with me. We’ll go through my editorial feedback together, answer your questions, brainstorm solutions, and make sure you leave knowing exactly what you should work on next and how to approach it.

A Follow-Up Review after you’ve practiced and revised. This is where we close the loop.

Once you’ve had time to work on the skills we identified and revise your pages, you can send those pages back to me. I’ll reread them specifically to evaluate how successfully you’ve applied what we discussed.

You’ll find out what has improved, where those new skills are showing up successfully on the page, and what still needs additional work.

Because one of the hardest parts of learning craft is wondering:

Okay…but am I actually doing it right now?

I don’t want to leave you wondering.

The Goal

By the end of this process, I want you to be able to say:

I know what I’m already doing well.

I know what isn’t working yet and why.

I know the 5–7 storytelling skills I should focus on next.

I know how to practice them.

And I know whether I’m successfully applying them to my writing.

Because sometimes you don’t need someone to tell you everything that needs to change in an 85,000-word manuscript.

You need someone who can look closely at your writing, identify the foundational patterns underneath it, and show you exactly where to focus your energy so you can become a stronger storyteller.

This isn’t just about making 30 pages better.

It’s about making you a better writer.

If you’re not ready for ongoing private coaching or a full developmental edit, but you want expert eyes on your writing and a clear, actionable path toward improving your craft, this is a wonderful place to start.

Storytelling Skills Assessment: $750

Book a FREE 30 Minute Storytelling Skills Assessment Discovery Chat

Full Developmental Edit

This isn’t just an edit. It’s a deep, story-first excavation of your novel’s beating heart.

Developmental editing with me means rolling up our sleeves and diving into everything that makes your book your book, from plot and character arcs to structure, pacing, emotionality, stakes, dialogue, style, and voice. I don’t skim the surface. I dig deep to help you strengthen, clarify, and fine-tune your novel from the inside out.

I approach every manuscript with both kindness and clarity, offering tough but supportive feedback from an aerial view of the story as a whole. My goal is not simply to point out what isn’t working, but to help you understand why it isn’t working and how to fix it so you can grow into the strongest storyteller possible.

As I move through your manuscript, I’m constantly evaluating the foundational layers of the novel and asking questions like:

• Are we starting in the right place, and in the right way?
• Does the cause-and-effect logic actually hold up across scenes?
• Do the characters feel emotionally resonant, real, and believable?
• Are their arcs satisfying and earned?
• Is the structure building momentum or slowing the story down?
• Are the stakes strong enough to keep readers turning pages?
• Is the emotional journey landing on the page?
• Is the interiority immersive and compelling?
• Is the backstory woven in naturally and effectively?
• Are the scenes actually working both externally and emotionally?
• Is the voice compelling, distinct, and true to you?

I also pay close attention to recurring storytelling issues throughout the manuscript, including things like weak interiority, unclear motivations, pacing problems, emotional disconnects, repetitive scene structure, story logic inconsistencies, or plot elements that aren’t landing as powerfully as they could.

If there are specific plotlines, character dynamics, or structural choices weakening the novel, I will call attention to them directly and explain why they may not be working for readers.

Because I do such a deep analysis of every manuscript, my editorial letters are typically 20–30 pages in length. These letters not only highlight what is already working beautifully in your novel, but also identify the core issues I’m seeing and provide concrete, actionable suggestions for revision so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

You’ll receive:

• A 10-15 page editorial letter full of big-picture insights, recurring craft observations, and a clear roadmap for revision
• Your manuscript marked with thoughtful, scene-specific inline comments
• A 1-hour Zoom call where we’ll unpack the feedback together, answer questions, brainstorm solutions, and make a plan for your next draft

This process is designed not just to improve your manuscript, but to help you improve as a storyteller.

Whether you’re trying to untangle a messy middle, strengthen your character arcs, overhaul a draft that isn’t quite working yet, or elevate a promising manuscript into something truly compelling, you’ll have a trusted story expert in your corner the entire way through.

My goal is simple: to help you write the best novel you’re capable of writing.

I work from standard manuscript formatting (12-pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch margins).

Ready to take your novel to the next level?

Let’s start with a free discovery call to talk through where you are, where you’re stuck, and how I can help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and excitement about your story again.

Developmental editing starts at $0.040 per word (~$3,400 for an 85,000-word manuscript).

Book a FREE 30 Minute Developmental Edit Chat