People have different reasons for wanting to work one-on-one. A few years back, a Portland-area naturopath reached out and asked if I'd work with her so she could begin writing and publishing articles that would help her build her business. Not long after, her mother contacted me and asked if I'd work with her so she could grow as a poet and build a manuscript. While everyone has different goals (articles, poetry, manuscript editing), the reasons people seek out a one-on-one writing engagement boil down to a few common denominators. To grow as a writer; to complete a project; and to produce something.
Sometimes, the concept of "production" is intangible. For instance, writers want to "produce the feeling" that they've accomplished something by the fact that they now have a regular writing schedule. Other times, it's extremely tangible: a writer wants to produce a book. Either way, both goals are within sight when working one-on-one.
With regards to the intangible, two of the things I focus on include creating time, and creating space. For many writers, time and/or space is what they lack, whether it be time away from family or obligations to get work done, or the fact that they don't have a comfortable space where they can go and write. Little by little, we chip away at the negative reinforcements and build a plan that gets through these barriers.
With regards to the tangible, imagine you're a professional something or the other who's looking for more public speaking engagements. You know that "great idea for a book" that's been floating around in your head for about five years? What would happen if you actually took 20 or so copies of that book to your next speaking engagement? Do you think it would prove to be a more powerful networking tool than your business card? More powerful than your trifold brochure? So do I. Your book--or your article series, or your ongoing podcast--will set you apart as a leader in your industry way more than anything else you can truck around.