I’ve wanted to write since I was a teenager. I was in love with reading and had so many story ideas that I wanted to bring to life for others. But as an adult I was never able to find the time, and whenever I started it just got too daunting. I tried short stories but they just weren’t any good. I read all the craft books by Stephen King, Ann Lamott, Margaret Atwood, and they’re great, but weren’t enough to get me where I wanted to go.
Then I found Seth. We started working on the craft level, writing great sentences and paragraphs, studying other works for clues, then doing several short exercises to drive the lessons home. On my own pieces, Seth provided encouragement and compassionately constructive criticism, while helping me see what the next steps could be if I was stuck. I also joined Seth’s writing workshops which sharpened my editorial eye and provided crucial encouragement and feedback when submitting my own pieces.
But the really important thing here is the process. Building a process that can support your creativity while life swirls around you. After all, we aren’t the first writers who’ve struggled with the myriad roadblocks to great writing, but it’s also true that many of us can’t possibly work into the early hours, or wake up before dawn to write 2000 words before work. Having a coach who has been there, who can bring in wisdom from experience and education, who can work with you to create a personalized process that fits in your life – that’s the real gold. It may seem pricey but it’s far, far cheaper than an MFA or any other program, and you get far more personalized support, too.
Brett
