This is reposted from my old blog. I’ve imported the whole post, comments and all, into a single space here. I’ve listed it here under its original date.
Something New for 2010
Saturday, December 26, 2009
For the new year, I am starting a new project. I will be offering poetry and writing coach services for people who are interested in learning or improving the writing craft. You can see how it works on the website I’ve set up.
Engaging a poetry or writing coach can be a useful for:
- ✦people who have to write as a part of their job and would like to make their writing more effective
- ✦“closeted” poets and writers who would like to prepare their work for eyes other than their own
- ✦poets and writers who want to learn how to prepare manuscripts for publication
- ✦poets and writers who would like to better prepare their writing for publication, in hopes of receiving more acceptance letters
- ✦novice poets and writers who want to understand the conventions of writing better so that they can shape their work to interact with a community of other readers / poets / writers
- ✦readers, poets, and writers who want a broader appreciation of the tradition of poetry (see poetry courses)
Not every writer or poet is fortunate enough to have other writers with whom they can interact and share the writing experience. Many writers would like to take their work to the next level, putting it into circulation and seeing it published, but are unsure how to go about the whole process. An experienced coach can help poets and writers who find themselves in such situations.
I have decided to start offering coaching services because my own blend of skills, experience, and interests suit such an arrangement. I have always loved reading and writing — the two activities in which every good writer is sure to be absorbed — and also teaching. I have 6 years’ experience teaching undergraduates in the English literature department of a private university in Singapore, and more than 15 years’ experience tutoring adult students in writing (academic and creative). I have always preferred individual training sessions to classroom time, as it allows for closer interaction between student and teacher. In addition, it allows the pair to focus on specific needs rather than simply aiming to cover a set of material. In one-on-one training, the focus is on the needs of the learner. And I really like that.
As a writer, I have enjoyed seeing my own work grow over the past several years. As an undergraduate student (20 years ago!), I was engaged to assist one of my professors in completing two manuscripts that he was preparing for publication. Since then, I have done professional writing for more than 15 years, developing material for businesses ranging from entertainment giants to shrimp farms. I’ve written material for historical societies, magazines, corporations, and advertising agencies. I branched into more creative endeavors roughly 10 years ago, but mostly, at first, only helping with editing and proofreading. After a while, I began to send out my own poetry for publication. I currently have about 200 poems, book reviews, and articles in print or accepted for publication. My first poetry collection, Cyborg Chimera, was released by Sam’s Dot Publishing last year, and 30 of my haiku appeared in dark ‘til dawn, a collection of designer art pieces. I’ve enjoyed the process of growing as a writer, and hope to share that experience with others who are interested in engaging coaching services.
I am looking forward to 2010 and this new step in my own writing and teaching. It is nice to bring my professional experience together into one service that I think can be of help to other writers and poets.
©2009 Shelly Bryant
Shelly Bryant 