Coaching
Work directly with Tim Grahl and Shawn Coyne.
The Dojo builds your skills every day. Coaching adds direct access to us: live workshops, personal feedback on your pages, and a faster path to publishable work.
Spots are limited, and enrollment is by waitlist only.
Shawn Coyne and Tim Grahl
Two ways to work with us
Group Coaching
Limited to 35 writers$1,000/month
Includes everything in the Dojo
- Work closely with Tim and a group of up to 35 writers
- Shawn helps once you reach the short story and novel levels
- Weekly workshops and office hours with Tim
- Message Tim directly as needed
- Everything in the Story Grid Dojo
Best for: Writers who want direct access to Tim to answer questions and get help as they work through the Dojo curriculum.
1-on-1 Mentoring
Limited to 10 writers$2,500/month
Includes everything in the Dojo
- Bi-weekly Zoom calls with Tim
- Weekly scene submissions with written and video feedback from Tim
- Tim reviews your Dojo work and feedback every week
- Weekly workshops and office hours, plus direct messaging with Tim
- Once you move to short stories and novels, work with Shawn to develop them into publishable pieces
- Everything in the Story Grid Dojo
Best for: Writers with 10 to 15 hours a week who want to fast-track their learning.
Compare all three
The Dojo
- Daily exercises with feedback
- Included
- Story Grid Teacher's Assistant
- Included
- Training library from Shawn and Tim
- Included
- Hundreds of drills
- Included
- Weekly workshops and office hours with Tim
- Not included
- Message Tim directly
- Not included
- Help from Shawn at the short story and novel levels
- Not included
- Bi-weekly 1-on-1 Zoom calls with Tim
- Not included
- Weekly scene feedback (written and video)
- Not included
- Weekly review of your Dojo work
- Not included
- Work with Shawn to develop your stories into publishable pieces
- Not included
- Spots
- Open
- Price
- See the Dojo page
Group Coaching
- Daily exercises with feedback
- Included
- Story Grid Teacher's Assistant
- Included
- Training library from Shawn and Tim
- Included
- Hundreds of drills
- Included
- Weekly workshops and office hours with Tim
- Included
- Message Tim directly
- Included
- Help from Shawn at the short story and novel levels
- Included
- Bi-weekly 1-on-1 Zoom calls with Tim
- Not included
- Weekly scene feedback (written and video)
- Not included
- Weekly review of your Dojo work
- Not included
- Work with Shawn to develop your stories into publishable pieces
- Not included
- Spots
- 35
- Price
- $1,000/month
1-on-1 Mentoring
- Daily exercises with feedback
- Included
- Story Grid Teacher's Assistant
- Included
- Training library from Shawn and Tim
- Included
- Hundreds of drills
- Included
- Weekly workshops and office hours with Tim
- Included
- Message Tim directly
- Included
- Help from Shawn at the short story and novel levels
- Included
- Bi-weekly 1-on-1 Zoom calls with Tim
- Included
- Weekly scene feedback (written and video)
- Included
- Weekly review of your Dojo work
- Included
- Work with Shawn to develop your stories into publishable pieces
- Included
- Spots
- 10
- Price
- $2,500/month
How the waitlist works
Join the waitlist.
Tell us your name and email.
We review your answers.
We want to make sure coaching is the right fit for where you are.
We reach out when a spot opens.
If it's a fit, we'll walk you through the next steps.
Your coaches
Shawn Coyne
Founder of Story Grid
35+ years as an editor and publisher. 86% of the books he published were profitable, against an industry average of about 35%.
Helps Group and 1-on-1 students with their short stories and novels.
Tim Grahl
Writer and Editor at Story Grid
18 years in publishing and author of six books. Spent over ten years failing to write a novel until he learned this method from Shawn.
Leads both coaching programs.
Coaching is a fit if
- You're serious about writing a publishable novel
- You want an expert reading your pages, not just a curriculum
- You can commit real time every week (10 to 15 hours for 1-on-1)
- You want honest feedback, even when it's hard to hear
Start with the Dojo instead if
- You want to build the skills at your own pace first
- You can give 30 minutes a day but not more right now
Questions about coaching
No. Both coaching options include everything in the Dojo.
Group gives you weekly access to Tim alongside up to 35 writers. 1-on-1 adds personal calls, weekly feedback on your own scenes, and work with Shawn on your stories and novels.
We review your answers and reach out when a spot opens that fits.
No. There's no minimum commitment.
Coaching is for fiction writers only. If you're writing memoir or narrative nonfiction, the Dojo can still help you build the core skills.