Writing coach
Within the last two years, I have seen an uptick in people who want to learn how to improve their writing, especially among software engineers. It turns out that most people assume that technical people, programmers to be specific, cannot write. How wrong they are! Programming is merely speaking in a different language, whether it is C, Python, or JavaScript. Guess what? English is a language as well, and once you know the rules, you too can become a great writer, perhaps even an excellent one.
Does it matter if what you are writing is a technical document, memoir, or novel? Absolutely not! Once you know the message or story you want to convey, and your target audience, then you are halfway there. The next step is to write the piece, and we will work on it together to take it to the next level.
Whether you have always dreamed of writing but do not know where to start, are stuck in a rut and need new ideas, or you are ready to finally write that novel you have always dreamed of, I am with you each step of the way.
non-native english speakers
I work with many non-native speakers who want to improve their English skills. Most people make the same mistakes, for example with prepositions and the uses of "the" and "a." I point out patterns and explain ways to remember the rules.
I also work with clients on improving both their written and spoken English.
“I have learned more English with you than with all my English teachers combined, Samantha”
services provided
Feedback from a writing coach can come in many different forms, from a phone call, inline comments in a Word or Google document, a separate writeup, or a combination. For your project, choose from the following list of services to create a custom process to improve your writing.
Brainstorm on projects
Develop an outline
Identify the target audience
Develop a personal Style Guide
Point out patterns and weak areas in writing
Detailed line-by-line feedback
Formatting suggestions to engage the reader
Final line editing
Discuss venues for publishing
“Samantha is fantastic. She was able to review a blog post of mine on a tight time crunch. The feedback was phenomenal and has already improved my writing ten fold. If you can find a spot in her schedule, take it!”
“I made a blog post last week that was really influenced by your feedback. It was an article about cryptocurrency security, but I tried to focus on making it more personal and funny. The post ended up catching on and got over 40k views in one day and is now the all-time top voted post in two of the subreddits I posted to. Many of the commenters specifically cited the humor and storytelling as the reasons they enjoyed the post. I don’t think I would have written the article in that way if it hadn’t been for your feedback, so I wanted to tell you that you’ve definitely made a demonstrably positive impact on my writing.”
Michael wrote a post on how working with me grew his audience: Hiring an Editor Grew My Blog Audience 450x
Blog development AND EDITING
When people first start a blog, they are very excited and have plans to write new posts weekly or biweekly, certainly at least once a month. After all, how hard could it be? You have so many ideas that it is hard to choose what to write about. Well, as time goes on, you publish new posts once a month, then every other month, and then you notice that it has been six months. Sound familiar? It happens to a lot of people and even to companies. Time slips away because it is not a priority. Well, I have a solution.
The key is creating a Content Calendar that contains the next topics you are going to write about. I suggest scheduling out ten because that means you will have ten topics that you could write about. Some will be harder to develop than others, so having a long list provides you with flexibility. Set aside a time each week to write and a time to publish the work. For example, publish a cooking post on Thursday or Friday. Most people read those types of posts on the weekend. If you post on Monday, it will probably slip their mind to read it. For businesses, Tuesdays are probably better – certainly not on a Monday!
Why would someone need my help?
Weekly calls to discuss the topic, generating inspiration and motivation
Accountability
Learning how to create a content calendar
Editing and/or writing coach
Brainstorming on additional topics
Ensuring that you are addressing your readers' needs
Tips for posting on social media
I found these two articles to be extremely useful. While I do not agree with all the conclusions and find some data lacking, the articles raise many points for you to consider.
The Best Time to post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+