Picture this: you’ve got a love story burning in your heart, characters who won’t stop talking to you, and a deep certainty that your book needs to exist in the world. But every time you sit down to write, you’re paralyzed by questions about tropes, obligatory scenes, and whether you’re “doing romance right.” If this sounds painfully familiar, let me introduce you to someone who could change everything: Lysa Pond.
Lysa is a book coach who specializes in romance, and she’s built her entire practice around one simple truth—romance writers face unique challenges that generic writing advice simply can’t address. She’s not here to teach you basic storytelling; she’s here to help you master the specific art of crafting love stories that satisfy readers’ hearts and expectations every single time.
The coach who spent three days researching one backstory detail
Want to know what kind of dedication Lysa brings to her work? She once spent three days on the phone with the Historical Society and libraries in Skidmore and Nodaway County, Missouri, helping an author get critical backstory details exactly right. She talked with local historians for hours, working through community silences and pulling old newspaper archives—all for a single book.
What this tells you about working with Lysa: She doesn’t use cookie-cutter solutions or generic advice. Instead, she builds coaching plans that fit each writer individually, starting with a careful review of your strengths, challenges, and specific writing struggles. She helps you see what’s already working in your writing and creates a step-by-step plan to move forward with confidence.
This level of attention to detail reflects how she approaches coaching too. When Lysa takes you on as a client, you’re not just getting surface-level feedback—you’re getting someone who will dig deep to help your story succeed.
Why she chose to focus on romance writers specifically
Lysa’s writing journey began with cozy mysteries, but when she tried adding romance as a subplot, she discovered how scattered and misleading online information about writing romance could be. She poured energy into learning what truly works for this genre, and now she hopes other writers won’t have to stumble through the same trial and error.
She focuses specifically on romance writers because this genre has unique expectations that many new authors miss. A successful romance novel isn’t just about chemistry between characters—it needs to deliver on readers’ hopes every single time.
Here’s what romance readers expect (and what Lysa will help you master):
- A clear sub-genre (contemporary, historical, suspense, etc.)
- Recognizable tropes (enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, forbidden love, etc.)
- Obligatory scenes (meet-cute, first kiss, break-up, reunion, and more)
- A satisfying Happily Ever After or Happy For Now ending
Lysa’s coaching puts these requirements front and center, helping you understand the difference between bending a genre creatively and breaking it in ways that will frustrate readers.
The biggest roadblocks she helps romance writers overcome
Romance writers run into predictable problems that can stop a manuscript in its tracks. Lysa sees these challenges come up again and again, which means she’s developed proven strategies to help you work through them:
Not understanding must-have tropes and scenes: Lysa outlines the core expectations and reviews story beats with you, so nothing essential gets left out.
Struggling to identify your target romance audience: She teaches you how to research your ideal readers instead of writing blindly and hoping someone will connect.
Setting unrealistic word count goals: Lysa works with you to build healthy writing routines, focusing on steady progress over time rather than unsustainable sprints.
Getting discouraged by slow drafts or stumbles: She helps you reframe setbacks, maintain your enthusiasm, and avoid the burnout that derails so many writers.
Feeling lost in a messy first draft: Lysa breaks big projects into small, manageable steps, so you can see real progress and stay motivated.
Wanting to give up after negative feedback: She acts as both accountability partner and sounding board, offering practical guidance and genuine encouragement.
Without this kind of support, many writers try to write a full manuscript in a single week, burn out completely, and walk away from their work forever. Lysa’s coaching prevents this cycle by setting realistic standards and teaching tools you can use from project to project.
Why coaching romance writers is different from other genres
Coaching a romance writer comes with its own unique challenges. The genre rules are tighter, and readers are quick to call out missing spark or essential plot elements. Lysa says romance authors can’t afford to skip key moments—otherwise, critical reviews will pile up and can quickly crush new writers’ confidence.
One thing Lysa strongly advises: don’t read your own early reviews, especially on sites like Goodreads where negative feedback can feel especially personal and unfair. Instead, she suggests having a trusted friend or peer filter reviews and summarize what’s actually useful for improvement, protecting your morale while you’re still building confidence.
Some reviews will always be mistaken or harsh. One reader might give a one-star review over a misunderstood plot point, or accuse you of using AI simply because of a punctuation choice. Lysa helps you filter the noise without losing sight of what your story is trying to accomplish.
Real success story: from never finishing to published author
Lysa’s coaching creates real career transformations. Here’s a story she shared about one long-term client that shows exactly what’s possible:
The problem: This author routinely wrote drafts and edited them, but always doubted her work and would throw out the story instead of finishing.
Lysa’s approach: She challenged the writer to complete a manuscript “just for herself,” removing all pressure to publish or please others.
The process: With Lysa’s guidance, the student completed two full drafts and a revision, then brought the book through outside editing.
The result: That author is now a four-time published novelist with a fifth book on the way—all accomplished in a single year.
This approach—starting by lowering the stakes, then building skills and confidence—made finishing possible. With the right support, you can go from “never finished” to “published and thriving.”
Her own writing journey shaped her coaching philosophy
Lysa lives the writing process herself, turning her own struggles into better coaching for her clients. When she started writing cozy mysteries, she built massive family trees and 200-page outlines because that genre demanded extensive research and plotting.
But romance is different. For romance, Lysa discovered a more flexible approach works better:
Cozy Mystery approach: Heavy plotting, extensive research, structured worldbuilding, lengthy outlines
Romance approach: Character-driven discovery, bullet-pointed beats, letting the plot evolve as you learn about your characters on the page
Lysa prefers the flexibility of a four-act structure but steers away from “one-size-fits-all” writing advice. She focuses on giving you tools and plans that respect the specific demands of the romance genre, instead of forcing you into generic frameworks that don’t fit.
The resources she swears by (and will teach you to use)
Lysa doesn’t keep her best tools secret—she openly shares her favorite resources so you can skip the frustration of hunting for reliable information:
Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes: A foundational book on structuring romance plots, plus an easy-to-use beat sheet that shows where each critical moment belongs.
Scrivener: Writing software that keeps character sketches, worldbuilding, drafts, and final manuscripts in one organized place. Gwen Hayes offers a Scrivener template designed specifically for romance beats.
Lewis Jorstad’s 10-Day Series: Quick reads on outlining, drafting, and editing. Short and practical—perfect for busy writers who want step-by-step instructions.
Scrappy Rough Draft by Danika Bloom: This book reframes the messy first draft as something to be proud of, not embarrassed by—essential for maintaining a healthy writing mindset.
Author Ever After Community: Lysa praises this online space for being kind, knowledgeable, and genre-specific—a rare place where romance writers can share, learn, and feel genuinely supported.
These aren’t just nice extras—they’re tools that help writers stay organized, creative, and accountable throughout the entire process.
The mindset shift that changes everything
Lysa wishes someone had told her this simple truth at the start: “Just write. Anything and everything can be revised—except a blank page.”
For romance specifically, she’s learned that it’s more about knowing your characters deeply and letting the story unfold. Romance is driven by character decisions, chemistry, and growth, so her advice is to jot down key notes but let the real discovery happen as you write.
“Character-driven stories thrive when you know your people well. Not every detail has to be nailed down before Chapter One.”
She also reminds writers to build healthy habits, pace themselves, and block out the fear of negative reviews or unrealistic schedules that derail so many promising manuscripts.
Why coaching changes the game for romance writers
No one has to write a novel alone—thinking you must is a common mistake. Lysa encourages romance writers, especially those hesitating about getting help, to see coaching as practical, personal, and empowering.
Here’s what working with a good coach provides:
- Clear goals and realistic timelines that fit your actual life
- Accountability that keeps you moving forward consistently
- Honest, supportive feedback from someone who knows the genre
- Genre-specific skills, not just vague writing advice
- A cheerleader and problem-solver when you hit inevitable roadblocks
- Training in habits that will last for many books to come
Coaching helps you move faster from idea to polished first draft while avoiding burnout and self-doubt. As Lysa puts it, your Aunt Millie who doesn’t read romance isn’t the best source of feedback—you need someone who knows the genre and understands your audience.
Ready to connect with Lysa?
Lysa Pond is easy to reach and has options for different budgets:
Website: www.lpondbookcoach.com
Email: hello@lpondbookcoach.com
Lysa offers discounts for new writers and runs a special coaching scholarship every quarter. The scholarship includes four one-hour one-on-one coaching calls across a month, plus email support and additional resources. Check her website for the application—these opportunities don’t come around often!
Is Lysa right for you?
Lysa might be perfect for you if:
- You’re writing romance and want someone who truly understands the genre’s specific requirements
- You’ve started manuscripts before but struggle to finish them
- You feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice about romance writing
- You want practical, step-by-step guidance rather than vague encouragement
- You’re looking for someone who will hold you accountable while being genuinely supportive
- You want to learn tools and habits that will serve you for multiple books, not just your current project
- You value working with someone who has real experience helping romance writers succeed
She might not be the right fit if:
- You’re looking for someone to write or heavily rewrite sections for you
- You prefer working completely independently without regular check-ins
- You’re not open to learning about romance genre expectations and reader needs
- You want someone who will tell you your work is perfect as-is without suggesting improvements
Your romance deserves to be finished
If you write romance and feel stuck, discouraged, or just lonely on your journey, you don’t have to continue struggling alone. With Lysa Pond’s support and practical tools, you can skip much of the trial and error, avoid common mistakes, and actually enjoy the process of finishing—and publishing—the love stories you’ve always wanted to share.
Don’t wait to ask for help. With the right guide by your side, you can move from doubt and endless drafts to a finished novel that readers will love. Your story is worth telling, and Lysa is here to help you tell it with confidence and skill.