Thank-you for your interest in submitting an article for The Coaching Tools Company. We send out a newsletter with article, weekly, to around 45,000 coaches. To get a feel for our newsletter and articles, see our published guest author posts here >> We continue to make articles both search engine—and reader—friendly. On this page: The Usual Criteria Article Writing Tips & Style Editorial Style Notes 2026 Monthly Themes In addition, here is some information if you would like to Propose an Article or are a New Author IMPORTANT for 2026: 6 Tips for Reader—and Search Engine Friendly—Articles The tips outlined below are not only to make articles easier for the reader, but also for Search Engines. Google now routinely assesses the quality and readability of articles and uses this to decide how to rank a page in its search results! Use Headings and Sub-headings to break-up text and structure your article for flow (aim for no more than 300 words between sub-headings). Bullets and numbered lists are also great! Use contractions - for example use "we're" instead of "we are" and "I'll" instead of "I will". It's more friendly - and easier to read. Shorter is better: Try to keep your Sentences under 20 words (the recommendation is no more than 25% of an article should have 20+ word sentences). Also, try to keep your Paragraphs under 150 words. Use Transition words. These are words and phrases that improve the flow for the reader - and search engines. Yes, in some cases this breaks "grammar rules" we were taught eg. starting sentences with And or But. Other examples of transition words include: therefore, in other words, in addition, most importantly, in short, as a result and because. Try to use the more direct Active voice rather than Passive voice. We have readers from over 200 countries around the world, and for some people, English is not their first language. So be sure to explain any technical concepts or terms, ie. assume people are beginners. Additional Articles In addition to the articles you've been invited to write: We'd love to support you in your business goals! So if there's a specific article you'd like to write to support YOUR business goals (eg. to support a product launch/similar), let us know what you have in mind and when for and we'll discuss. Book Reviews are always popular - and people search for them, so it's a good way to be seen! Is there a book or even movie that really spoke to you? Speak from the heart and tell us why coaches should read or see it! The Usual Criteria: Articles are ideally 500-1500 words in length. But the priority is providing value, so this is up to you. Articles don't need to be totally unique. Don't get me wrong, we love unique articles! However, if you have a great article you know is popular or helpful - feel free to re-work and update it. No promotions/links in the article, but you may have multiple links to your website/social media/an offer in your sign-off. We reserve the right to edit your submission; article title, content and to make formatting changes before publishing. Importantly, articles must be written FOR coaches. Personal development articles are OK – but they must specifically address goals and issues that coaches face - either as a coach or with their clients. 6 General Article Writing Tips: Be AUTHENTIC and show your PERSONALITY. There are so many articles online - on every topic imaginable. What makes an article highly readable is when it has (your) personality! PRACTICAL: What can your fellow coaches DO once they have read your article or story? What practical actions/next steps/tips/suggestions/journaling prompts can you leave our readers with? These are good to wrap up with. INSPIRING: Will our readers feel better/encouraged/not so alone/learn something from reading your article or story? EDUCATIONAL: Do you have some interesting and useful knowledge or expertise to share? Be sure to tailor your article, so that readers will understand how this thing you're sharing applies to them - and to coaching. EXPERIENCE LEVELS: For maximum appeal, pitch your article to intermediate coaches (this way it will be useful to everyone from beginners through to experts). Make it UNIQUE! How can you approach a topic so we learn something new? For example, what new angle can you approach a subject from? How specific will you be? What could we do with this information? Feel free to play with the topics a little or make a suggestion. We’re interested in your unique passions, knowledge, experience, angles and thoughts. Writing Style/Company Voice: Our style is professional, helpful, lighthearted (mostly) and approachable. Your article should Entertain, Educate or Inspire our readers - or all three! Ask, "Does this article expand the (coach) reader's thinking, give fresh perspectives, solve a problem, inspire, teach or help coaches help themselves or their clients achieve their goals?" We love practical articles with useful tips, follow-up actions or questions to ponder. A thoughtful question or point to ponder can be added onto the end of ANY article! Editorial Style: SINGLE spacing after the period please, not double. SINGLE dashes please, not double. We do NOT use the Oxford Comma. Switch off "Smart Quotes". Use the plain ' and ", NOT the fancy ‘ and “. Sometimes email providers will have issues with these fancy quote characters and show them as @!^& in your articles. Either change your settings in Microsoft Word or do a "Find and Replace" before sending. To change Microsoft Word settings: Select File, Options, Proofing, Autocorrect options, AutoFormat as you Type, then Turn OFF (unselect) Replace As you Type, "Straight Quotes" with "Smart Quotes". If you would like to PROPOSE an Article Topic/Idea: First, have a carefully crafted Article TITLE! An article title should solve a problem or help coaches achieve their goals. So, if you're not keen on the article title suggestions, know that numbers work well eg. 9 Steps to XXX, 3 Things to Know About YYY and you can use this app to get an idea of how your title scores here >> Here are some Generic/Evergreen Article TOPICS/Ideas: These are some topics coaches have requested in our surveys: Articles about The Value and Benefits of Coaching: Something so many of us struggle with... Case Studies: Learning from other people's successes and mistakes. NOTE: If mentioning clients respect confidentiality/be sure you have permission as appropriate. Check ICF Ethics here) New (to us) Coaching Tools, Activities or Exercises! Could be for sessions, groups or workshops. New (to us) Coaching Skills, Models and Techniques Coaching and Life Skills: Motivation and Focus, Building Rapport and Trust, Goal-Setting, Visioning, Dreaming, Values and Beliefs, Emotional intelligence, NLP, Neuroscience Coaching Questions: Great Questions, Questioning Skills and Techniques and How to Have Powerful Conversations. Fulfilling our potential as coaches! Dealing with our fears, limiting beliefs, self-doubt or lack of confidence. How to maximise our own potential. Making a difference in the world: How to empower others and help our clients grow and prosper. Helping the client have "Aha" moments: How to share OUR message. Better Organization: Systems, How to Get Help eg. a Virtual (or Personal) Assistant Tools to Build your Business: Growing your client base, coaching practice and income. Also how to find clients and convert prospects and enquiries into clients. Marketing and Sales: Niching, enrolling clients, effective marketing, how to find clients and how to convert prospects and enquiries into clients. (NOTE: Be sure your contribution adds something new - an angle, personal story or tips in a way we haven't heard them before). We're ALWAYS INTERESTED IN: Success stories, articles on how to improve specific coaching skills, core competencies, (your) coaching niche explained, good book reviews. For New Authors: IMPORTANT - we will NOT consider your article if: It feels like a sales pitch. It is not of interest to coaches or people interested in coaching. You mention your business or include website links within the article: All promotion and links MUST go in your bio/article byline which is included at the end of your article. Your Article MUST be COACH-Specific! We're not interested in generic articles that can be found on any self-development or coaching blog. Your article must specifically address coaches! This means for example, an article on meditation, self-care or time management alone is not of interest (unless you have some unique or refreshing angle). However, an article exploring how to encourage clients to meditate, or the unique issues of self-care or time management for a COACH is more interesting. PLEASE be aware: ABOUT YOU: We would love for you to include links to your website, social media page or a product you offer - but only in your sign-off. We reserve the right to edit your submission; article title, content and to make formatting changes before publishing. We only contact the authors of successful submissions. If you want to email us and follow up, we will respond. Your article may be a reworked article - but must NOT be exactly the same as another one you have already published. Finally, we recommend you review our Inspiring Article Topic Suggestions/Ideas below. 2026 Monthly THEMES: These are "loose" topics - feel free to think broadly/play with the subject! The article MUST BE coach-focused: helping coaches help their coaching clients - or helping the coach themselves. Especially helpful are articles with X number of tips, tools, techniques, ideas, we also love inspiration, how tos, things to avoid – with great examples or stories to back them up. Any time you have a unique angle or perspective or unique wisdom from your experience to share, our coaches love it! JANUARY: Goal-Setting & Planning 1) Helping clients turn big intentions into clear, workable goals 2) Choosing and adapting goal frameworks to suit different clients 3) Using visioning to make goals feel vivid and motivating 4) Building simple accountability that clients will actually use 5) Common goal pitfalls and how coaches can prevent them 6) Annual planning approaches for a coaching practice 7) Supporting clients to bridge the gap between motivation and action FEBRUARY: Relationships 1) Coaching clients to identify and communicate healthy boundaries 2) Practical ways to cultivate self-acceptance and kindness in coaching 3) Coaching approaches for tense or difficult work relationships 4) Facilitating relationship conversations safely in group or team settings 5) Language and prompts for courageous, respectful dialogue 6) Reconnecting relationships to personal values and what matters most 7) Compassion practices that improve day-to-day interactions MARCH: Spring - Organisation / Fresh Start 1) Designing a session that helps clients reset and refocus 2) Coaching questions that create clarity when someone feels stuck 3) Light tools to reduce mental clutter and decision fatigue 4) Reviewing a coaching practice to decide what to keep, stop or start 5) Helping clients reshape habits after a wobble or setback 6) Simple weekly review practices clients can sustain 7) Making priorities visible and easier to act on APRIL: Leadership 1) Introducing coach-like leadership in everyday work situations 2) Ways to build leadership confidence without bravado 3) Identifying leadership qualities to strengthen with coaching 4) Using strengths as a foundation for leadership growth 5) Structuring a short leadership skills session or workshop 6) Coaching influence and impact without formal authority 7) Common leadership development pitfalls and how to avoid them MAY: Coaching - Niches / Profession / Mastery 1) Exploring and refining a coaching niche that fits 2) Core coaching models worth learning and when to use them 3) Practical drills to improve listening and presence 4) Using metaphor, images or cards to unlock insight 5) Choosing and applying favourite coaching tools with intention 6) Short success stories that illustrate coaching in action 7) Strengthening the coach and client relationship over time JUNE: Business 1) Building a simple, repeatable client pipeline 2) Structuring discovery calls that feel natural and effective 3) Preparing for and responding to common sales objections 4) Aligning your message with the needs of a chosen niche 5) Creating helpful content that draws the right clients 6) Communicating with influence while staying values-led 7) Basic business metrics that matter for a small coaching practice JULY: Career Coaching 1) Clarifying when to use team coaching, group coaching or 1-to-1 2) Planning and delivering a first group programme 3) Coaching tools for career decisions and pivots 4) Facilitation moves that keep workshops engaging and safe 5) Designing virtual sessions that feel focused and human 6) Contracting and expectations in group or team settings 7) Supporting coaches who want to expand into groups or teams AUGUST: Reflection & Self-Care 1) Using journaling as a practical tool in coaching 2) Reflection models that help clients learn between sessions 3) Coaching approaches to restore balance without guilt 4) Simple debriefs for clients and for coaches 5) Prompts and quotations that deepen reflection 6) Everyday boundaries and micro-rests that replenish energy 7) Building a reflective practice that sticks SEPTEMBER: Get Moving / Q4 Focus 1) Structuring a session that creates focus for the months ahead 2) Coaching tools that move clients from overwhelm to action 3) Approaches to reduce procrastination and build momentum 4) Simple prioritisation methods clients can self-manage 5) Small habits that maintain progress in busy periods 6) Re-establishing routines after holidays or interruptions 7) Designing short challenges that spark consistent action OCTOBER: Motivation & Mindset 1) Helping clients spot and use their strengths deliberately 2) Coaching approaches for working with the inner critic 3) Practical resilience routines for demanding weeks 4) Questions that shift unhelpful thinking patterns 5) Aligning values, strengths and goals to sustain motivation 6) Recognising and navigating common self-sabotage patterns 7) Maintaining motivation through the final quarter NOVEMBER: Team & Groups 1) Planning and facilitating a team strengths session 2) Mindfulness and presence practices that fit coaching contexts 3) Coaching work/life balance in high-pressure teams 4) Establishing and maintaining boundaries at work 5) Appreciation and gratitude practices that feel authentic 6) Facilitator language for common tricky group moments 7) Simple ways to track and reflect on team coaching progress DECEMBER: Celebrate & Vision 1) Structuring a year-end session that celebrates and reflects 2) Meaningful ways to recognise client progress 3) Visioning approaches that lead to practical next steps 4) Preparing a coaching business to pause and restart well 5) Telling success stories that show process and learning 6) Deciding what to keep, stop and start in the new year 7) Light holiday practices that support wellbeing and closure ShareTweetSharePin33 Shares
