Step Three

You write. It may be a complete work (novel, short story, essay, memoir, etc.), or it may be incomplete, and ongoing. You determine your pace and the work you want to learn from, which is not the same as determining what you want to learn. The writing will dictate that.

You determine that you will learn. You decide you want to learn and improve your writing, and thus you are open to the experience. You may know what you want to improve on—and this is good—but I also ask you to leave room for the unexpected.

You listen and/or read my comments. You will receive written comments, verbal, or both. I ask that you listen and wait. Sometimes, the hardest part of learning is the waiting—but without it, the unexpected might be overlooked. During our consultation, we will agree on an appropriate amount of Wait, as this varies person to person.

You ask questions. While I encourage this, I acknowledge I am not all-knowing. Questions are an integral part of the open exchange between Writer and Coach. To not ask a question, is to limit the possibilities of what might be learned.

You maintain authority over your work. You, the only person with absolute intimate knowledge of your work—what it is and wants to be—(whether you know it or not), are the only one that can determine what it becomes. Listen, Wait, and Trust your instincts.

You write some more. This could be a new work, a continuation of the current, or a revision. You take what you learned and you move forward, always with the understanding that in order to complete the next (even a revision), you may need to learn something entirely new.

“…. Juli's comments on work… cover writing basics and suggestions for individual writers which is concise and detailed…. each writer gets individual assessment, encouragement and professional attention. I would recommend anyone seeking assistance with their writing to work with Juli. You will find that her expertise will improve your writing substantially.” Donna Bowring