Tell me a little bit about Individual Essay Coaching

Individual Essay Coaching consists of individual coaching sessions with a writer who has expertise in writing and publishing essays. You'll meet with this experienced writer, who will help you polish your essay and give you ideas about where it can be published.

Who does the coaching?

These coaches are ASJA members who've had their essays published in publications ranging from More, Parents, Country Accents, Threads, Woman's Day, the Denver Post, Saveur and many others.

What happens in coaching session?

You will meet with your essay coach for 20 minutes maximum. Your coach will read your work in advance, so by the time the two of you meet, he or she can provide you with feedback to strengthen your article for publication.

How do I sign up for a coaching session?

1. Register and pay for the conference.

2. Submit one piece of writing, 1,500 words maximum, by e-mail to 2008essay =at= asja.org. That writing can be an essay, a letter, an op-ed article or any other piece of creative nonfiction which you would like to be published in a local or national publication. Please attach your piece as a Microsoft Word document or text file. Please also cut and paste your article into the body of the e-mail. Your material must be received no later than March 21, 2008.

Should I send anything else?

While it's not mandatory, you're certainly welcome to introduce yourself, your writing experiences and credentials, and what you hope to accomplish with your piece. Of course, we want to know anything else that you feel is pertinent to your essay.

What time do I show up for my coaching session?

We will let you know your time slot at least a week before the conference. These essay coaching sessions, which last 20 minutes, will begin 9 a.m. and end at 12 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2008. Since these tightly-scheduled sessions occur back-to-back, if you are late, you will lose your time slot. Consequently, you'll want to ensure that you know where to find the coaching session room well before your meeting.

I really want to sign up for the coaching sessions and the workshop, but I'm concerned about the time conflict.

Because the Sunday Sessions workshops will run concurrently with the coaching sessions, there will be some overlap with your one-on-one meeting. Expect to miss at least 20 minutes of this 3-hour long program. We're sorry about the inconvenience.

Wait! What if I have more questions?

Rest assured you can email us at 2008essay =at= asja.org or call us at (212) 997-0947.