Consultations
I love working with writers on their manuscripts-in-progress. My consulting approach is straightforward: I help to make each project the most itself it can be, to intensify or deepen what is already there.
I have taught writing at Columbia University, The Fashion Institute of New York (SUNY), Boston College, Emerson College, and Grubstreet, and bring this decade's experience as a writing instructor to my one-on-one coaching and consultations.
Please contact me about my sliding-scale rates, and any questions you might have about working together.
Testimonials:
“Working with Sara has been such a positive experience. My writing has improved on both a macro and micro level - I've gotten more out of our one-on-one work than some of the 8-week classes I've taken. As an editor, she works hard to understand artistic intent, and she frames her (always incisive) notes accordingly, always delivering them with empathy and kindness. I have never felt more motivated to keep writing.”
“As a poet, and a non-narrative poet at that, I went looking for a writing coach who could help me figure out how to create a plot or story, how to structure a novel, out of the life experience I wanted to write about. What Sara gave me was so much more, helping guide me through the difficult process of fictionalizing my life experience--what stays, what goes, where do I end, where does my character begin? What responsibility do I have to myself and other people in my life to tell a story a certain way? And then, just simply, once I'm staring at the page, how do I do it? They aren't easy questions to navigate--they aren't even really answerable!--and somehow I'd hang up with Sara and know exactly what to do--not because she told me, but because she helped me figure it out for myself. I'm so grateful for her insight and care.”
“Sara is a sensitive and skillful reader. I was referred to her by a friend when I was stuck on a project that was difficult for me both as a piece of writing and emotionally. I knew it could easily be squashed or derailed if I showed it to the wrong person, so I was very careful. I'm so glad I showed it to Sara. She helped me decide beforehand what kind of feedback I needed (for instance, I was not looking for line-editing). The editorial letter she sent after reading my work was very thorough and made me feel that my project was worth completing and within my capacity. She gave me specific suggestions for how to proceed, pointed to the strengths of the manuscript, and showed me what wasn't working, and why. Bolstered by her response, I was able to write a new draft that I'm proud of.”
“Sara worked closely with me on my memoir manuscript. She gave me the big picture view of things - the time frame of episodes in my book, structure, and alternative ways to organize my material. She also took the time to wade through my work page by page, line by line to edit and give suggestions. I gained a lot from her insights and her painstaking attention to detail. She was honest and frank in her assessment of my book and I am grateful to her for her help.”
- Natalie Lemle, Writer and Founder of art_works,
Boston, MA
Boston, MA
“As a poet, and a non-narrative poet at that, I went looking for a writing coach who could help me figure out how to create a plot or story, how to structure a novel, out of the life experience I wanted to write about. What Sara gave me was so much more, helping guide me through the difficult process of fictionalizing my life experience--what stays, what goes, where do I end, where does my character begin? What responsibility do I have to myself and other people in my life to tell a story a certain way? And then, just simply, once I'm staring at the page, how do I do it? They aren't easy questions to navigate--they aren't even really answerable!--and somehow I'd hang up with Sara and know exactly what to do--not because she told me, but because she helped me figure it out for myself. I'm so grateful for her insight and care.”
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Laurin Becker Macios,
Author of Somewhere to Go and I Almost Was Animal
Author of Somewhere to Go and I Almost Was Animal
“Sara is a sensitive and skillful reader. I was referred to her by a friend when I was stuck on a project that was difficult for me both as a piece of writing and emotionally. I knew it could easily be squashed or derailed if I showed it to the wrong person, so I was very careful. I'm so glad I showed it to Sara. She helped me decide beforehand what kind of feedback I needed (for instance, I was not looking for line-editing). The editorial letter she sent after reading my work was very thorough and made me feel that my project was worth completing and within my capacity. She gave me specific suggestions for how to proceed, pointed to the strengths of the manuscript, and showed me what wasn't working, and why. Bolstered by her response, I was able to write a new draft that I'm proud of.”
- Rose Gowen, Writer and Copy Editor,
Montréal, Canada
Montréal, Canada
“Sara worked closely with me on my memoir manuscript. She gave me the big picture view of things - the time frame of episodes in my book, structure, and alternative ways to organize my material. She also took the time to wade through my work page by page, line by line to edit and give suggestions. I gained a lot from her insights and her painstaking attention to detail. She was honest and frank in her assessment of my book and I am grateful to her for her help.”
- Butch Meily, Writer and President of Philippine
Disaster Resilience Foundation, Manila, Philippines