By: Alexandra Perez
Loyalty was supposed to mean security until Jenny Watz realized it didn’t. She grew up believing in the safe formula: study hard, get the job, stay loyal, and climb the ladder until retirement. But in 2016, after nearly eight years at a company that espoused loyalty, she was laid off, and everything she thought she knew about success unraveled. The loss forced her to question who she was without a title. “I didn’t realize how much of my self-worth was tied to my job,” she says. “When I lost it, I didn’t know who I was.”
That moment became her turning point. Watz decided she would never again let her worth depend on anyone else’s approval. She hired herself, went back to school for a professional editing certificate, and began freelancing. Her natural eye for detail and instinct for storytelling soon pulled her toward ghostwriting and editing manuscripts. Yet she noticed a common problem among her clients. “People weren’t just struggling with words,” she says. “They were struggling with what they wanted to say.” That realization led her to become a book coach, helping people find clarity in their message and confidence in their voice.
For Watz, the biggest myth about writing a book is that it’s too hard and takes forever. She calls that mindset the ultimate excuse. “With the right tools and a plan, it’s absolutely doable,” she explains. Her method is simple: start talking. Record your thoughts, transcribe them, and refine later. “It’s the easiest way to get words on the page and sound authentically like you, because it literally is you.”
But Watz is also quick to call out the nonsense she sees in the industry. She believes professionalism is power, and cutting corners on editing or design is a rookie move. “Good editing is invisible,” she says. “You know it’s there because everything flows, but you don’t see it.” She compares the process to building a house: the foundation, framing, and finishing all matter. Skip one, and the structure collapses.
Her directness has become part of her signature style. She’s equal parts truth-teller and problem-solver, blending humor with tough love. One client came to her with a draft that was fifty-seven chapters long. Watz didn’t sugarcoat it. She told him no one would read a book that size. Together, they cut it down to twelve sharp, cohesive chapters. The finished version landed him a five-figure consulting contract and multiple speaking gigs. “That’s the real ROI of writing a book,” she says. “It’s not royalties. It’s results. Your book amplifies your authority. It’s about visibility and credibility. You literally get to say, “I wrote the book on this.”
Her no-BS honesty has earned her a reputation as someone who protects her authors as fiercely as she challenges them. Watz is vocal about the vanity publishers who prey on people’s dreams. “They’ll take your money and your magic if you let them,” she says. Instead, she connects her clients with trusted professionals and helps them understand every step of the process. Her focus is not to publish the book for them but to prepare them to do it right.
For Watz, writing is about impact, not perfection. She has seen authors use their books to process trauma, tell hard truths, and inspire change. She recalls working with veterans and first responders who found healing in their stories. “It can be really cathartic,” she says. “You never know whose life you might touch. Maybe you’ll never meet them, but your words could be the reason someone keeps going.”
When people hesitate to start, Watz doesn’t entertain excuses. Her favorite question cuts straight to the point: If not now, when? She asks every client to dig deep. Why do you want to write this book? What will it mean when it’s finished? What do you want the reader to do next? “Some people can’t answer that,” she admits. “And that’s fine. My job is to help them find that clarity before they write a single word.”
Outside of work, Watz is a rescue advocate who spends her free time volunteering with a senior dog sanctuary in St. Louis. Her own dog, Chloe, came from there. “She’s a pain in the ass,” Watz laughs, “but she’s mine.” It’s a glimpse of the same loyalty and grit she brings to her coaching. Whether she’s rescuing a forgotten dog or saving a writer from their own self-doubt, she shows up fully every time.
Today, Watz is finishing her second book on how to use buyer psychology in nonfiction writing to help readers connect and take action. Her first book, Self-Editing Made Easy: Strengthen Your Writing and Edit with Confidence, continues to help writers sharpen their work before hiring an editor. “I know how damn good it feels to hold your book in your hands,” she says. “I want everyone I work with to feel that too.”
Jenny Watz built her business on grit, truth, and a sharp sense of humor. She doesn’t chase trends or settle for surface-level success. She teaches what she’s lived: clarity takes courage, good writing takes guts, and the best stories don’t wait for perfect timing. They begin the moment you stop making excuses and start trusting your voice.
