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About

Hello, I'm Candace

I will guide you through any writing challenge!

Photo of Candace Coakley book coach developmental editor at Candace Coakley Editorial Solutions

I love to help people make meaning and find clarity amid messy, complicated lives.

 

My writing journey has empowered me to slay demons both on and off the page and I want to help other writers find the same sense of freedom through their words. In my lifelong search for truth, I’ve written volumes about issues that have impacted me or my loved ones. I understand that baring your soul takes courage and commitment. I understand your struggles and will empower you to find creative solutions and reach your writing goals. 

As your book coach, I will help you identify the universal in your deeply personal story. By doing this deep work, you will help others going through a similar experience by proving they are not alone. I love coaching writers to find their voice and helping excavate the story burning inside. Whether you decide to publish or not is an individual choice with real consequences. I will guide you as we explore the pros and cons of different publishing paths and the best ways to share your work. I look forward to helping you bring what’s in your mind onto the page so others can benefit from your wisdom.

My Background and Experience

I bring a diverse range of expertise to my work as a book coach. In 1999, I founded Coakley Marketing Communications to provide strategic marketing and communication to nonprofits and small businesses. Prior to that, I was communications director for nonprofits including City Year and the American Lung Association. I am a longtime supporter of Jane Doe Inc's mission to end domestic violence and sexual assault. 

Through Memoir Incubator, Grub Street Creative Writing Center's MFA-level, year-long class, I completed a memoir and I'm currently working on another. I've studied craft with memoir expert Marion Roach Smith and mastered the art of Story with world-renowned writing expert Robert McKee. I coach writers on the publishing track for She Writes Press. I am proud to be an Author Accelerator-certified book coach in fiction, nonfiction, and memoir.

 

I founded Candace Coakley Editorial Solutions in 2016 to help writers craft their stories and share them with their target audience. I approach every project with mindfulness and a fierce dedication to client success.

 

I've served as an adjunct professor at Emerson College’s School of Communication and Boston University’s College of Communication.

I earned an M.A. from Emerson College and a B.A. from Boston College. 

​I live north of Boston, MA, with my partner, our three young adults, and our sweet and sassy rescue dog, Hope.

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About

Professional Affiliations

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Grub Street Creative Writing Center

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