You could say that writing away trauma is part of my genetic make-up. As someone who’s a third-generation Holocaust survivor, I am aware of at least three people in my family who have published books about their personal experiences and traumas. And of all the people in my family, those do appear to be the most well-adjusted and equipped to deal with everyday challenges.
Though my personal publications are academic rather than expressive, I know first-hand the value of recognition through writing. To connect to people with similar minds, similar experiences is one of the best feelings in the world. And to recognize your own pain in the words of someone else can be an absolute relief.
We write because we feel the need to. We write because we want to try to work through our thoughts and experience. But we publish because we feel that our ideas can be of interest and value to others. And if this is you, I can help.
How I can help you
I am a writing coach and editor and have been part of the publishing journeys of many books. That is why I offer services on a variety of levels.
For academic, fiction, and popular non-fiction authors, I work as a writing coach. Though you might have the desire to write, life has a tendency to get in the way. Especially when there are no external deadlines, no-one to be accountable to, it always seems like there’s something else more pressing that you have to deal with first. That is why monthly meetings with a writing coach can be extremely helpful. I will help you set your goals for the following month, discuss your needs and possibilities, and in the next meeting, we can evaluate, reflect, and adjust as needed. Now, in no way will I punish you for not accomplishing your monthly goals, but just the fact that there’s a deadline on it – and someone who will know if you have neglected your writing – can provide you with a burst of motivation to actually sit down and do the work that you’ve been postponing for so long.
I know that whilst you want to make your text as strong as possible, it can be difficult to let someone else touch your baby. That is why, as an editor I would never want to take away from your writing style, but have a sixth sense for spotting logical inconsistencies, restructuring texts, and improving readability. I am here to support you as a writer. And, like you, I want your text to be as successful as possible. This is true for novels, edited volumes, academic monographs, journal articles, book chapters, dissertations, essays, and even school assignments. What’s more, I aim to give structural feedback, so that you can make your own informed decision on what suggestions you will and will not adopt. And to learn from potential mistakes for future projects.
And when your text is written and edited to perfection, you will want to take the next step and let your book find its audience. If you decide to go the traditional publishing route, I can help you write a proposal that will get you a contract with an agent or publisher. As Director of Publications for a research network, I have found that often authors know how to write, they just don’t know how to sell their writing. And as that is what a book proposal is all about, this is an area they need help with if they want to get their work out there. What I would like to help you with is to figure out what the strengths are of both your project and you as an author. Those elements we can then turn into a successful proposal.
In Conclusion
No matter what the nature of your text is, and no matter what stage your text is in, I would love to help you. That is why on my PassionateWriterCoaching website, I offer the first introductory session for free. So drop me a line through the contact-form on my website, and let’s have a drink and a one-hour chat so we can figure out how I can best help you to be a successful Passionate Writer.
About Susanne
Ever since I taught myself to read at age 4 I have had a passion for the written word. Over the last five years, I have developed a set of systems to help myself and others be productive and make work of our writing passion. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I’m here to help. If you’d like to learn more about my work or want to inquire what I can do for your specific circumstances, check out my website at https://passionatewritercoaching.com/ and fill out the contact form!