ready to take your writing to the next level?
“Hey friend, I want to help you grow your writing and gain confidence as a creative. I bring MFA training and experience with a Fortune 500 company to help you find your unique voice.”
i get it. you’ve always known you wanted to write.
You have that novel in your desk drawer that you keep tweaking.
you have dreams of book tours and publishing stories.
You sometimes (Maybe) share your work with friends and family.
i also get that writing can be a lonely thing.
we sit at our desks and plug away — but how do you
know when a story is “done”? how do you revise your drafts? and then
the big questions. what can you really do with that english major?
How do you build a career out of the creative life?
that’s where I come in.
this summer 2019 course is an 8-week intensive mentorship.
you will gain access to a range of my original materials
including: A Guide to Line Edits.
We will meet weekly with the other mentees
in a workshop style setting as we grow as writers
and become good literary citizens.
This course is for you if:
— You’re an experienced hobbyist, ready to grow
— You have that idea you’re ready to tackle, or a manuscript in need of revision
— You long for community with other writers
SOUND LIKE YOU?
So what exactly is included?
One-on-One mentorship
Throughout the mentorship, I will read and critique the work of your choice.
(Short stories, a novel draft, screenplay — you name it!)
You’ll have unlimited access to ask me ANYTHING about the literary industry.
I’ll help you identify your goals for yourself — and help you reach those goals.
By the end of this course, you’ll have BRAND NEW material for your portfolio.
You’ll also gain loads of confidence and encouragement for your work!
focused craft studies to generate material
Every week, I will assign COLLEGE-LEVEL writing prompts based on craft studies.
We’ll study plot, setting, character, diction, and tighten our close reading skills.
Through a series of craft-based imitations, you will practice these elements
and build your repertoire, while working on the longer project of your choice.
We’ll read work by Anthony Doerr, Jhumpa Lahiri, Joan Didion, Jo Ann Beard,
Nathan Englander, Matthew Cunningham, Flannery O’Connor, and more!
Community with other mentees
You’ll have the chance to connect with the other members of the mentorship program.
Together, we will build a literary community and support each other in the process.
We all get that writing can be a lonely thing, right? Here, you’ll find likeminded souls.
We’ll support each other and share work for PEER CRITIQUE.
Plus: you’ll have the opportunity to attend literary EVENTS in the greater Orlando area.
Book launches, readings, open mic nights, small press events, signings etc.
A full-blown business breakdown
So how exactly do you make money through this thing called writing? The big question, right?
Together, we’ll debunk some industry myths and learn about setting a CAREER foundation.
You’ll learn about literary journals, undergrad writing programs, MFA programs and more.
We’ll discuss HOW TO GET PAID for freelancing (yes, even in college and high school!)
You’ll make a Submittable account and research journals and agents that fit your aesthetic.
You’ll be ready to continue writing, wherever your art takes you!
here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
—The difference in story structure vs. novel structure
—When to use free indirect discourse
—The importance of concrete settings
—How to use “beats” in your scenes
—How to write dialogue that sings off the page
—The importance of “story truth”
—Structural editing vs. line editing
—Why (and how) to submit to literary journals
Plus, you’ll gain a new literary friend.
I’ll be in your court, cheering you on.
If you’re not 100% satisfied with
the results of your mentorship,
you’ll get your full tuition back.
I’m excited to work with you!
I love helping passionate creatives learn to build a career foundation. I’ve worked as a reporter in the Washington Post Talent Network, a consultant and communications director at Sony Pictures’ AFFIRM Films, and an instructor of creative writing at the University of Central Florida. My first job (with my new liberal arts college English degree) was with a Fortune 500 Company.
No matter where you are in your writing journey, it’s never too early (or too late) to make practical steps toward working as a writer.
Faqs
1) what if i’m still in high school?
Perfect! I’d love to work with you. Fun fact: I got my first post-grad job based on work I did in high school on a tiny blogspot website where I did film reviews. Never underestimate yourself.
2) what if i don’t have a manuscript or anything to edit?
No worries! Come prepared to work and we’ll generate a lot of material.
3) What if i don’t live in orlando? can i still participate?
Absolutely. We’ll Skype you in to all community meetings.
4) What if i’m not a fiction writer? Is this still for me?
100%. Whatever your genre—journalistic nonfiction, personal memoir, poetry, fiction etc.—this mentorship will help you meet your own goals.
5) When does this start?
Flexible to you - but this mentorship will be for summer 2019!
Investment
in order to keep this mentorship community focused and
effective, i’m only taking a select number of students.
rsvp asap to reserve your spot. (No payment now – this is just a reservation!)
after filling out the form, i’ll send you more details
on the deposit, refund policy, and syllabus/schedule for the summer mentorship.
The full 8 week mentorship
Here, you’ll have access to all the amazing resources mentioned above.
You’ll have two months of my feedback for your project.
plus—we’ll meet weekly to discuss the readings. Sound good to you?
Only time for one month? we can do that!
In this condensed version, you’ll still generate amazing new material.
we’ll meet four times and workshop your new writing as you build a portfolio.
