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Keeping the writing goingHave you ever attended a writing workshop and come away all enthused and excited about your writing, only to find that, before long, your writing practice dwindles away?
Alan Close and I have come up with a solution! On-line mentoring to support you in developing a regular and committed writing practice, whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction.
It works like this. When you sign up for a period of eight weeks, you let us know a bit about you and what you would like to work on, and what you find gets in the way of regular writing.
Then each week, for eight weeks, we'll send you emails offering inspiring quotes or encouraging thoughts on the writing process. You might like to print some of them off and stick them around your desk. We'll also send you a writing exercise that will get you writing and exploring new territory.
We'll be encouraging you to establish a writing schedule. It may be 15 minutes every day, or three hours twice a week. And we'll offer some suggestions on how to figure out what schedule will work for you and tricks to make sure it happens (one of the tricks involves an alarm clock!).
Each Sunday you will send us up to 2000 words. It can be writing from the exercises or other writing. One of us will read your piece carefully and offer you specific and constructive feedback. And if we don't hear from you, we'll be in touch!
We have a particular approach to giving feedback and believe that first draft writing doesn't benefit from critical feedback. What's more useful for you as the writer is to hear what's working, what we want more of and what we enjoy about your style and approach. We may pose some questions for you to consider when you come to rewrite that section. Questions are often the best tool for prompting a strong rewrite.
If you send us a rewritten piece, then we will offer more detailed feedback on matters such as plot, structure, character, tension, point of view etc etc
Our aim, quite simply, is to keep your pen on the page (or fingers on the keyboard) and to offer specific guidance along the way.
Feedback from participantsI have learnt more in eight weeks than I have in seven years of attending courses, writing groups and reading books/websites dedicated to the topic. I loved how the feedback was always professional and kind, while honest and constructive at the same time. Reading the feedback always gave me the sense of being in 'good hands' and I instantly got a sense of where I was 'at'.
Kelly Maltman
When does it start?It starts any time you are ready. You just need to be able to send us material each week for the next eight weeks. We do have a limit on the number of people we can mentor, though, so if you want to book ahead, please let us know.
How much?The cost is $330 for eight weeks of on-line mentoring. We ask for a 50% deposit when you book and the balance before the mentoring begins.
Need more information?For more information, please email me on sarah@sarah-armstrong.com or call 02 66846897.
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