What People Are Saying
“My Story Grid novel diagnostic with Story Grid Editor extraordinaire Danielle Kiowski was spectacular. She saw things in my novel I wasn't able to see, liked it in general, and had specific things to do to make it really shine. The call was great fun and really productive. I couldn't recommend her services more highly.”
— Johne Cook
“I had an awesome time working with Danielle on my novel. In short, I have never received such detailed, personalized, thoughtful coaching.
I have had experience working with weekly critique groups and a prior experience of working with a mentor—and Danielle provided something that I had not received in the other venues.
Critique groups were helpful for line edits and sharpening prose, but they couldn't give me any insight on how the work was functioning on a macro level. Danielle could. My previous coach was also able to give macro-level suggestions, but I never understood why those changes needed to take place. The response was something to the effect of "trust me." Danielle, on the other hand, could bring theory to the table and explain how the work was functioning in the context of psychological and philosophical needs of the reader. We had conversations about Jung, Campbell, Tolkien, and Maslow, among others, in order to find an answer to how a certain scene should develop. I was impressed by how well read she was, which was particularly helpful in her ability to find mentor texts for me and draw comparisons between how other authors have solved a problem versus my attempt.
In addition to her expertise, Danielle embodies Kim Scott's idea of "radical candor"—she clearly told me what I needed to hear about what was working and what wasn't, all in a compassionate way. Then she worked with me to find solutions, giving space for me to find ideas and even giving suggestions when I was stuck.
She's also flexible with scheduling, responsive, and extremely generous with her time—the consummate professional.”
— Sam Bradford
If you're looking to elevate your work to its fullest potential, I couldn't recommend Danielle Kiowski highly enough. Her insight into story structure is truly remarkable, and she has an incredible ability to grasp the heart of your narrative, sometimes even before you do. She's a fantastic partner on the creative journey—thoughtful, encouraging, and always positive.
— Nick Nielsen
Thank you so much, Danielle, for all you do! I’m looking forward to finishing my first novel, and I know I will do it very soon!
I have always loved writing. I spent years creating worlds, going into those worlds, and living in them. But as much fun as that was, I didn’t know how to harness that creativity to make an actual working story. Working with Danielle has helped me build the skills I need to develop actual stories that work from start to finish.
— Annette Roth