-
Coaching for Writers
For prose writers and poets. Feedback that won’t crush you. You’ll send me works in progress and we’ll meet 1-2 times per month with email communication in between. I’ll give you feedback that keeps you excited about your work and gives you energy to move forward with revisions and fresh ideas. See testimonials below. $100 per session. Read more
-
Writing for a Popular Audience
You’re an expert in your field, and now you’re ready to bring your ideas to a popular audience. Sessions will cover tone and clarity, identifying outlets, and pitching your work to editors. Especially for scientists, therapists, and other experts who are used to academic or legal writing. $125 per hour or buy a 4-session package for $400. Read more.
-
Submissions Jumpstart
For writers who want to send out more work but struggle with sensitivity to rejection. I’ll tailor a one-time 90-minute session to give you ways to circumvent your rejection sensitivity and create a submissions system that helps you move quickly. Because you cannot publish work that you don’t send out. $65. Book now because this price will go up soon or read more.
Testimonials
“I came to Megan with five years of experience in the field of journalism. I felt stagnant -- I was a strong reporter, but really wanted to improve my ability to weave narrative and investigation together. Megan was a fantastic choice: she asked me what my goals were for the piece, and then held me to task when I began veering into my usual habits. It was exactly what I needed; as a result of Megan's (kind, but firm) editing, I've completely changed my approach to long-form pieces. She was also very responsive on a tight deadline.” —Victoria Mckenzie, freelance journalist and editor
“At a time in my writing when I had hit a wall and couldn’t get over it, Megan Alpert came to the rescue. Her objective and critical eye helped me to understand where I really wanted my writing to go. In addition, her excellent editing skills took my writing to a higher level. Thank you, Megan!” —Sandra Worsham, memoirist and short story writer
“Megan is a talented editor. Her holistic style always provides me with ways to improve my work, whether she’s corrected errors or given me suggestions for creating a more robust, engaging piece. From quick review of article pitches to through reads of complex reporting, Megan is skilled and kind. It’s a pleasure to work with her!” —Lisa Rowan, writer, editor and podcaster
How Mentoring for Creative Writers Works
As a coach, I combine my experience as an editor, a student at the Gateless Academy, and my training in writing mentorship as developed at the Connors Writing Center at the University of New Hampshire. Studies show that positive feedback that recognizes a creator’s strengths actually helps them improve more than just a critique. But I’m not just a cheerleader. I tell you what’s working in your writing and how to achieve your goals, both for the writing itself and in your process. I will also advise you in the publishing process and recommend readings on craft where appropriate. I know what it’s like to get a tear-down critique, and what it’s like to get feedback from a creative partner. I love being a partner for writers.
Through focused feedback and creative inquiry, I can help you move forward in your writing, honoring your unique vision.
Coaching is for you if you:
Love writing but have trouble carving out time to get it done.
Need feedback on brand new work that you’re not quite sure where to go with.
Have a big project that you want help getting to the next step with, whether that’s getting a first draft out, writing a revision, or preparing for publication.
Writing for a Popular Audience
You’re a researcher, a therapist, or an expert in your field. The knowledge you have is important and could help real people. But you’re used to writing for other experts, academics, and students. You want to get your expertise in front of everyday people who could benefit from your knowledge.
I’ll help you learn how to target your writing to a popular audience, identify outlets for your work, pitch, and build relationships with editors. Whether you have five articles ready to publish or haven’t written a word yet, I can help you develop a plan, improve your style and tone, and get your work out there.
Why work with me?
In 2014, while traveling in Ecuador, I started pitching stories. Withing a year, I had published at The Guardian, Earth Island Journal, Vice, and Guernica, and won a fellowship at Foreign Policy magazine. Later, as a senior editor at Snopes, I worked closely with our science writer on science and health stories for a non-academic audience. I’ve also logged 7 years as a technical writer, translating complex software concepts into easily readable prose.
Having worked as a fact-checker, I also understand the importance of never sacrificing accuracy for readability. I will support the integrity of your ideas while helping make them accessible to more readers.
I
Submissions Jumpstart
Your writing is important—not just to you, but to the world. And while writing in isolation, like a hermit in an island cabin, sounds romantic, it’s not going to be enough to sustain you forever. Because writing is a conversation. that humanity is having with itself. And your writing can’t join the conversation from deep inside your desk drawer or in a private Google doc the rest of the world never sees.
You can’t publish work that you don’t submit. And the sad fact is that submitting, at least 9 times out of 10 and often more than that, means getting rejected. You need those rejections not to crush you. I can help you develop a system for submissions that will keep you going, keep you writing, and help you be part of the conversation. Even if you get rejected, every time you submit, you are starting a new relationship with an editor, getting your work read, and contributing to the conversation humanity is having with itself.
In this 90-minute bespoke session, I’ll help you build or upgrade your submissions system, write a cover letter, and send out your first five submissions.