How
I Give Feedback
When I give feedback, I try and articulate what I think the piece is about. The surface story may
seem obvious, but beneath this story I try to locate the underlying themes, questions, or hidden layers of nuance
and meaning. I ask a lot of questions, I point out the strengths of the writing, as well as places that are confusing to me,
that could benefit from more detail, or that seem unnecessary. I look at the overall shape and structure of a piece,
including beginnings, endings, and transitions, and sometimes I may suggest a radical revision, an entirely new way to approach
your piece or subject matter. I also suggest line edits, and pay attention to specific word choices, sentence structures,
and small details. I listen to what you tell me about the kind of feedback you are seeking and specific questions you may
have.
I always try to
respect your intentions as a writer and offer my opinions not as “the authoritative voice” on writing, but as
one voice, one person responding to your writing. Others will have different opinions, and the more you
listen to the range of responses out there, the more you will learn to identify what resonates with you and what doesn’t.
Ways We Can Work Together
I am open to tailoring a mentorship
that meets your specific needs and goals.
I can give feedback on a piece-by-piece basis, by telephone, or
in a face-to-face meeting.
Many
people I work with choose to commit to an initial three-month period and then we decide if we want to continue.
Here is an example of what that might look like:
First, we meet in person or talk over the phone to discuss your writing goals.
I may ask you to send me a short writing sample so I can become acquainted with your work.
You write a ‘self-contract’
that articulates your goals over a set period of time that we agree on. We will discuss your
contract and make sure that it is both realistic in scope and that it challenges you to grow as a writer. Your
contract can be as simple or as detailed as you wish.
Goals might include, but are not limited to:
- Honoring your commitment to your writing
life.
- Articulating specific stories or themes from your
life you want to explore.
- Free-writing extensively
and/or engaging in regular writing exercises (I can suggest exercises tailored to your interests/needs if this
is helpful).
- Naming specific pieces you want to revise or
complete.
- Creating a writing schedule.
- Listing books or authors you want to read and study.
- Naming specific craft issues you want to work on.
- Experimenting with new genres or forms.
- Attending readings or performing at open mics.
- Submitting
your work to publications. One of
your goals—and the main component of our relationship—will be for you to send me up to 20 double-spaced
pages of your work each month (exact length and deadlines are negotiable).
I will sometimes ask you to send me a short letter/process statement that lets me know if there are any specific
questions you have for me, the reader.
I will read your work several times and respond with
questions and notes jotted in the margins as well as a lengthy typed letter, articulating what I feel the piece is about,
its strengths, areas of weakness, etc. I’ll mail my responses back to you within two weeks
after receiving your packet.
If
you have questions about my comments, or about writing in general, you can email me at any time. I
am open to having an on-going dialogue with you about writing. I am also here to push you, gently, and remind you
of the goals you have laid out for yourself. If you find that your goals are changing, or that some aspect of the contract
is not working for you, we can always amend it.
At the end of our allotted time together, we will meet again in person for an hour (or talk
on the phone) and go over your goals, your progress, your strengths, challenges, and the next steps for you as a
writer.
