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WRITERS' MUSE SURVEY
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Become a
Workshop Presenter
WRITERS' MUSE
Coaching Service
with Milli Thornton
. . . helping writers believe in themselves,
get more writing done, and take more steps to
realize their creative dreams
To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?
—Katharine Graham
A coaching program with WRITERS’ MUSE is geared to coax the natural writer from inside of you and to clarify what you most want to do with your writing.
You can use the program to help move you along on a specific project (eg., a short story, a novel, your memoirs), or for simpler writing pursuits—such as rediscovering the fun of your own creative spark.
This work is very personal; there’s no engraved method and very little predetermined format. Your coach will design assignments and make suggestions based on what you express to her during the Tele-Coaching Sessions.
Working spontaneously this way will allow the process to take you into those hidden or unexpected realms inside of you, where you will find delightful or even challenging material for your writing.
Apart from a desire to see you get the most value for your money, your coach will set expectations—to help banish that ol’ shadowy vulture that sits waiting, ready to rob you of creative opportunity every time you put “busy work” ahead of personal creative expression.
“I have never written so much in my life. I'm up to page 25 of my story. I thought I was unable to carry a story this long, but I guess I was wrong. Milli, I hit the jackpot with you!!”
—Sid Mendelson, Montville, NJ, referring to his second assignment
Page Contents
Program Structure & Cost
What's Milli Really Like as a Coach?
Coaching: An Investment in Yourself and Your Writing
How to Qualify for a Free Consultation With Milli
HERE ARE A FEW of the myriad reasons why a writer or closet writer may seek out the caring support of a coach:
- I’m surrounded by un-likeminded people and I have no one to talk to about how important writing is to me
- I’ve attended writing groups, where so many different critiques and opinions were given that now I’m confused about how to “fix” my writing
- I’ve attended writing groups where my writing was torn to pieces and now I feel kind of numb
- I have lots of ideas and writing projects on the boil, but I can’t seem to settle down and focus on just one
- I’m writing a novel but I’m stuck
- I have trouble finishing what I start
- I lack self-confidence and self-belief
“Thanks for all the support and encouragement. You’ve a been a big factor in my writing career as well as a friend.”
—Sandy Schairer, Albuquerque, NM
DO I NEED LOTS OF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER? For new writers, Milli recommends the Fear of Writing Online Creative Writing Course. This is the best place to get started; a coaching program can always follow the completion of the course if so desired. In fact, Writers' Muse got started when a student of the online course (someone relatively new to writing) requested coaching from Milli as a way to continue the passion and momentum he'd gained in the course.
Those with more experience (and who are not being overshadowed by their fear of writing) can progress straight to the coaching.
WILL COACHING SHOW ME HOW TO GET PUBLISHED? A coaching program will help you discover or strengthen dreams and set reachable goals for your writing life; this includes setting publishing goals and researching the means to achieve your goals. It also gently helps with any writing or publishing fears you may have. Milli is a self-published author and self-taught workshop presenter who has been marketing her own book, workshop and online course since 2001. So she can also share her many insights on marketing yourself as an author, which these days cannot be separated from being published.
WILL MILLI CRITIQUE MY WRITING? This is not a critique service, so critiques will not be the focus of the coaching. In most cases, the coaching is for encouragement, motivation and getting more writing done, so Milli will usually function more like your cheer squad in this regard. However, if you're at a point where you need feedback on what you're getting right (and what you need more understanding on), Milli can hone in on this and give you supportive critiques and also help you upgrade necessary professional skills, such as grammar and punctuation, structure and rewriting.
HOW CAN I KNOW IF MY WRITING IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE WORTHY OF COACHING? This is the wrong question. Along the way, some will love your writing and some will disdain it. Even editors of big publishing houses have been known to reject manuscripts that were later published elsewhere to become best sellers. The purpose of the coaching is to tap a deep well of self-belief and love for your own creative process.
WILL MILLI KICK ME UP THE BUTT TO GET ME MOVING? Nope, sorry, that's not Milli's style. This is not the rah-rah, let's go climb a rock face and pump out the Success Adrenalin type of coaching. Milli's style is to motivate you with genuine, caring enthusiasm and inspire you with the riches of your own imagination. As in everything she offers to writers, the underlying theme is to have fun and to embrace the Inner You . . . the only one who truly knows what's right for you. In addition to your own innate wisdom, Milli will throw her innovative suggestions into the mix—and she can usually point you to a creative tool or resource that you may not have discovered on your own. To summarize, Milli will strike a balance between expectational (so you'll actually get more writing done) and helping you discover a creative pace that will flow in the context of your life. Sometimes, simple rest is what's called for, and Milli can help you recognize when it's critical to allow that for yourself. Achievement at any cost is not on the agenda here.
THE ONE EXCEPTION TO THE NO-BUTT KICKING POLICY Sometimes, clients get a little too cosy with all the supportive feedback and the way Milli's “CAN DO!” attitude can carry them along. They slip into being reliant on Milli's assignments and her gift for finding the right resources, which can subtly submerge their own sense of destiny and direction. When Milli sees this happening, she will nicely bust your chops for this and set you back on the track of self-determination.
SINCE 2001, Milli Thornton has been inspiring writers through her book, Website, newsletter, workshops and online course. Her gentle, fun and supportive attitude has helped many writers heal from old creative wounds, or rediscover a passion for writing that got buried along the way.
Milli has also helped many “closet writers” come out of the closet and believe in their ability to write. Her simple methods go straight to the heart of creativity, and she has a knack for motivating writers to get something new written.
Her writing assignments are often deceptively easy—they “trick” the writer into painlessly producing anecdotes and stories that the writer didn’t even realize was there, waiting within. The verbalized response is typically “That was fun!”
“Milli, you have wakened a giant, and I thank you greatly for it!”
—Sandy Miller, Pipe Creek, TX
What Does a Writers' Muse Coaching Program Consist of?
And How Much Will It Cost?
“Milli, As usual, you have over delivered! We were feeling a bit overwhelmed about where to start and here you have provided a template of useful information to plug into. Thanks for the opportunity you've placed in our path to fulfill a dream. You're an awesome mentor. Thank you!!!!”
—Catherine & Ronald Greti, Menlo Park, CA
THE TYPICAL PROGRAM consists of several Tele-Coaching Sessions each month, for as many months as you decide to commit to.
Tele-Coaching is done by Skype over the Internet. Skype is a free, easily downloadable program that makes it possible to record the call for posterity. That way you can review the wisdom gained—both from insights provided by your coach and from your own inner brilliance as you chart your creative course.
You will also receive access to a Private Blog, which will be used jointly for the duration of the coaching. Your coach will post assignments for you to complete, and she will also use the blog to leave comments on your work. Assignments can either be designed to elicit completely new, original writing, or be based on your current writing project (eg., to help you get the next chapter of your novel written). At the end of the agreed period of coaching, you may change the password and keep the blog for your personal use.
Fees are flexible, based on length and frequency of contact. Milli can help you design a program that is right for both the Real You and your available time and budget. Below is the general fee structure, which can be modified if you'd like a different ratio of calls to written assignments.
Coaching calls are one hour each, with email follow-ups after each call (follow-ups include info and links for tools and resources recommended during the calls) as well as email check-ins for emotional support through the month. Calls are recorded and audio files will be available to you at the end of each month. Fees include time spent by the coach preparing assignments tailored to your needs, and reading and responding to your written assignments. Fees quoted are per month.
1 Coaching Call / 1 Blog Assignment ................ $150.00, payable at the start of each month's coaching2 Coaching Calls / 2 Blog Assignments ............. $225.00, payable at the start of each month's coaching
3 Coaching Calls / 3 Blog Assignments ............. $375.00, payable at the start of each month's coaching
There's an additional one-time charge of $35 for the intake procedure, which includes reading and assessing two compulsory assignments (1. About Me / About the Real Me — 2. My Dreams & Goals Revisited on Paper), setting up the client with a private blog and other induction processes.
HELPFUL ARTICLE PLUS BUDGETING TOOL:
Coaching: An Investment in Yourself and Your Writing
YOUR COACHING PROGRAM:
To discuss your goals, and how to design a program that best suits your needs, please take the survey to qualify for a free consultation.
“I will expect you to dig deep into your soul and come up with authentic self-guidance. My job is to ask the right questions, and set the right assignments, to help facilitate this.”
—Milli
Going Deeper . . . Can I Afford This?
And What's Milli Really Like as a Coach?
TO HELP YOU get to know me, and as a way to show you what you might expect when working with me, here's some feedback from one of my clients:
“To say I enjoyed our first session is an understatement. It was enthralling, motivating and tender. I felt that our session was the ultimate in collaboration and respect. I not only felt heard and acknowledged, but more importantly understood. Our conversation has not left my being. Your comments inspired me about going further and further. You gave me such incredible warmth and confidence in my own special gifts and talents. I know now that, working with you in collaboration, I will be able to reach levels of creativity that I never thought possible. Your feedback has motivated me to reach for the stars, and go after my passion and purpose.”
Here's a progress report for the same client after we'd been working together for two months:
—He now has written (and very specific) dreams and goals, parts of which he only realized during our coaching sessions
—He has painlessly learned some new practical skills, such as improved dialogue
—To gain experience with novel writing, he is writing a novel based on a story he wrote for an early assignment I gave him
—He is planning to write a screenplay based on something he uncovered while lightly researching the story mentioned above
—His presentation and formatting have improved, more as a result of an increase in confidence than from being told to do it
—He started with little experience, but now believes in himself as a writer and feels a deep passion for his writing
—He has a total trust for the creative process and approaches any assignment I give him with an open mind and heart
Generously, this same client suggested I use a sound clip from one of my coaching sessions with him, which you can play below. Duration: 10 minutes.
(NOTE: There are frequent pauses as we allow the meaning of our comments to sink in. There's also a super-imposed two-second silence at about the one-minute mark; this is to protect the titles of two books my client plans to write for children.)
AUDIO - SAMPLE COACHING SESSION (TIP - You may need to click the Play button twice):
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COACHING: AN INVESTMENT IN YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING
WRITERS' MUSE: Program Structure & Cost
ON THE QUESTION of whether you can afford this service, I have a few suggestions and some client feedback for you.
To help you first explore the larger issues of what coaching can be worth to you, here's a short collation of unsolicited comments from the same client regarding his attitude to coaching fees. Duration: 1 minute.
AUDIO - ONE CLIENT'S PERCEPTION RE: THE COACHING FEES (TIP - You may need to click the Play button twice):
If you agree that coaching is an investment in yourself but you're nervous that you simply can't afford it, here are some methods for finding closure on the money issue.
(A) Because our initial consultation should be focused on your dreams and goals—and whether this service is right for you—rather than on the fees, I want you to make the mental financial commitment to yourself ahead of time. Naturally, if you've followed the suggestions outlined here and still feel hesitant about whether you can afford this, we can devote 5-10 minutes of the consultation to hashing out your feelings on the money issue. But do as much self-clarification on this issue as you can before we get to the consultation call. At the very least, you should complete the free budget worksheet [provided in (C) below] before the call.
(B) Let's get down to the practical. Do you know, down to the dollar, where your paycheck or other weekly and/or monthly income is committed? If not, then you will probably not have a clear idea as to whether you can afford this service. Your finances may also be out of control. The key is in having a workable budget.
In using the dreaded word “budget,” I don't mean a stringent plan where you scrimp and deny yourself the good things in life. I use the word budget to indicate an intimate knowledge of your income and expenses—so intimate that you know exactly how much money you have, after bills and commitments, to use for the finer things in life, such as restaurants, entertainment and fulfilling your other desires.
If you're confused about how to get this type of clarity, I recommend my e-book, Budgeting Made Simple. For more information, click on the e-book cover. (NOTE: The link will open in a separate window so you won't lose your place while reading this page.)
(C) You can get started even faster by downloading this 3-page worksheet: Your Monthly Budget & Discretionary Spending Allowance.
The worksheet will tell you, within about 10 minutes, whether you can afford this coaching service. And whether you need to read the e-book to help repair your financial picture.
TO DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEET: Right click on the red link in the above paragraph and choose Save Target As. Save the worksheet to your desktop for immediate access.
WRITERS' MUSE: Program Structure & Cost
“RATHER THAN telling people what to do, coaches help people think through what they want and figure out ways they can get there. They help create maps, not tell clients the directions.”
—Claire Shumsky, quoted in the article “Life Coaches Aim to Get Clients to Their Goals,” by Ashley Harris of the Houston Chronicle
TO SET THE PROCESS in motion, simply complete the survey at the link below.
It is strongly suggested that you first read this entire Web page before taking the survey. If you skip this step, you'll be asked to go back and read this page before your consultation can be scheduled. In other words, you'll be required to understand what's involved in this service before proceeding with the consultation.
However, taking the survey does not enter you into any obligations. At the end of the survey, you can checkmark Yes or No when it comes to whether you'd like a follow-up from Milli. The initial follow-up will be by email.
To qualify for a 45-minute assessment consultation, email Milli and request the coaching survey:
Milli Thornton, Writers' Muse Coaching Service
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WRITERS' MUSE: Program Structure & Cost