My Journey To Submitting for Certification.

The Ups and Downs of getting certified.

I finally submitted my practicum document for my book coaching certification on September 12, 2024. The last time I felt this kind of relief after completing an audacious goal was when I qualified as a chartered accountant. 

I still remember enrolling for the Nonfiction Book coaching certification with Author Accelerator on 6th December 2020. I was excited and ready to embark on getting certified as a book coach, though I’d been practising for a few years then. 

As a coach, helping writers craft their writing voice has always been my passion. But there was a moment when I realised I wanted to go deeper—create a lasting impact. The certification wasn’t just a course but a calling to do better and serve more deeply. At first, I was scared and doubted my ability to take a writer from a book idea to publication, until my coach called me out with a question that helped me look deeper into my intentions of being a book coach. 

“Why are you playing small, Raheemah?”

When I started the course in 2020, I had just left the corporate world, where I had worked for 13+ years. I was ready to test the waters of entering the coaching industry completely.

I remember getting a special notebook to write down what I had learned during the course. I went through Parts 1 and 2 of the course, which was eventually changed to Legacy as the course was updated. With time, in 2021, I didn't make time to complete the course when I dived fully into creating my coaching business - getting a coach and working with clients.

I would go through a few of the lessons and study materials in the course but without an intention to finish it until when 2023 came, and the  Author Accelerator team gave a deadline to older students to complete the course.

I got a chat from one of the students we were taking the course together that the deadline was now July 2024 to submit all three practicums for certification application. At this point, I knew I had no choice but to complete this course if I didn't want to lose my investment. According to the instructions, anyone who didn’t meet the deadline was to make another payment to start the course again. This ultimatum spurred me on more than anything else.  

With the deadline in mind, I designed a schedule to complete it in 6 months and declared this intention in two of the goal-setting workshops I attended in late December 2023 and January 2024.

At first, it wasn’t easy to dedicate one hour daily during the week until I got an accountability buddy who looked out for me. When it got to April 2024, after Ramadan and Eid, I realised that I wouldn’t be able to make the deadline of July 2024, so I asked for an extension. 

At this point, dejection set in and even got worse when I read a post by one of the course’s students on the Author Accelerator community group, throwing in the towel on completing the course. The thought of letting go also came to mind. However, I decided to put in the work and also put my trust in God. I reasoned that I would do everything I could to see the course through to the deadline and would be okay with whatever came after that. 

Then came the extension until 15 September 2024, which I used to reschedule my plan to complete the course. The most difficult part of the course for me was getting three live clients for the practicums, which were the major parts of it. I was constrained by the time period for each of these practicums to be completed.

A few weeks before the new deadline, I was concerned that I couldn't find a client for Practicum 3. However, something happened that got my mind at rest instead of worried and anxious. I concluded and accepted that I was willing to put in the work on my end, but if all didn’t work, then life went on. I was preparing my mind for any possibility and accepting whatever came my way. 

My Lord turned events around and unexpectedly gave me my P3 client. My client became a sister with whom I’ve been in her beta programme. She had a ready book proposal to be queried. I believe it was a sign from Allah that my goal was close and that I should not give up.    

I received the final document to complete Practicum 3 on 12th September and submitted all the other documents for Practicums 1 and 2 on the same day. I felt so relieved that I met the deadline before its end. I had a joyous dance after submitting the documents for certification. I still await a positive response from the Author Accelerator certification team about becoming a certified book coach.      

Going through the Author Accelerator’s Nonfiction Book Coaching was a fantastic experience. I’m more confident in taking my clients through the book blueprint framework, a book proposal and querying agents to get them a great deal with traditional publishers. All these, in addition to the self-publishing path, I had taken most of them through. I am more equipped with tools and strategies to make the book-writing process more accessible and enjoyable for my clients. I know that my coaching business shall feel a boost with this additional achievement to the cap, bi’idniLllah - as God wills.

Completing my Author Accelerator book coaching course was one of my main goals for 2024, and I’m ecstatic that I achieved it. I look forward to achieving more goals before the end of 2024.

What about you? Is something in your life or business calling you to dig deeper, to go beyond where you are now? If my journey has taught me one thing, it’s this: transformation begins with a single step. Maybe it’s time to take yours.

I’d love to hear your thoughts after reading my story about my journey to certification.