Writing Coach

For some people, the prospect of sitting down to write something can induce a cold sweat. Some would rather chew glass than write the essay required with the application, the cover letter for a résumé, the dissertation that will culminate years of study and research. Some are willing to write but dissatisfied with their efforts. They all wish they had someone to guide them in shaping words into robust sentences and ordering paragraphs into a cohesive, cogent presentation.

I can help you achieve your writing goal, whether it’s just getting the thing written or writing a thing of grace and beauty. My forty years of writing everything from novels to brochures are backed up by extensive knowledge of grammar and all the components of style, from meter to wordplay to rhetoric. I will work with you one on one to create a first draft, guide you in revising and refining it, and help you polish the final piece to brilliance.

You will learn where to begin, how to define and target an audience, how to modulate your tone to achieve the desired effect. Shaping good sentences requires an understanding of their structure, and you will be able to analyze a sentence and identify the function of every word in it. The most important part of writing well is critical rereading, a step too many neglect. Root out redundancy and jettison jargon, avoid the trite and shun wordiness—there are many ways to improve a written piece, and I’ll share everything I know about putting words together.

If you have trouble translating what’s in your head onto paper or screen, the friendly aid of an experienced, facile writer may be just what you need.

My fee for coaching is $250 per hour, with an 8-hour minimum. It’s an investment that will make you a better, more confident writer.