Confessions of a Writing Coach
Having someone pay me to edit their fiction at $10 for every 1,000 words was a dream come true.
Before joining Triond I belonged to an online site for mentors. I was a writing mentor. The site had you put down your credentials, what your specialty was, whether or not you would travel or only mentor through email, where you were located and other information. All initial contact between student and mentor was done through the site. I thought I had found my niche. I was going to be a writing coach.
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I certainly had the credentials, a new MFA in writing. An MFA in writing allows you to teach literature, writing and composition on a college level. The main reason I did not pursue becoming a professor was because I didn’t want to teach. I got the MFA with the hope of making a living writing not teaching.
So, when I was contacted by a young female poet who also wrote erotica I thought I had found the perfect job, one that gave me maximum freedom to concentrate on my own writing while I made money editing. My student agree to place $10 in my PayPal account for every 1,000 words. Her stories were usually around 4,000 words long. I had dreams of editing the stories of 200 students. If I averaged two stories a day I could average $80 a day. I would edit but I would not teach. Teaching took too long. I would become a writing coach.
My young writer stayed with me for two years. It was like magic when the money arrived in my PayPal account.
After a few months her story ideas became repetitious. What was worse, the grammar, spelling, punctuation and clarity of the writing did not improve. I expected proofread copy. What I got was the first draft.
Finally, I pointed this out. I was the mentor; I was not going to write the story. That was the end of the relationship. I never got another piece of copy.
And that was the end of my dream of being a writing coach. It was a nice dream. Now I dream of being published on Triond.
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November 27th, 2009 at 2:02 am
What a article…thank to share it
November 27th, 2009 at 2:42 am
Thanks for sharing. An inspiring read.
November 27th, 2009 at 3:25 am
An interesting read. It sounded like a good arrangement, but as so often happens the reality proved to be rather different.
November 27th, 2009 at 4:30 am
Great write. Thanks for the insight.
November 27th, 2009 at 4:45 am
I wouldn’t mind a gig like that. I would love to make a little extra cash editing.
I just have an MA in English. I thought about doing an MFA or a PhD. But I just have the MA and teaching English conversation at a university in Korea.
November 27th, 2009 at 4:46 am
When a dream comes true it dies.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:44 am
It is a shame it didn’t continue. Are there no more writers out there for you to mentor? It sounds like a good job.
Christine
November 27th, 2009 at 7:10 am
Good for you you had your dream for a time.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Writing takes a lot of work, real work. Too bad too many people have dreams of tossing off a first draft and becoming the next Stephen King … or Dan Brown or J.K. Rowling or whomever. It doesn\’t work that way.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:42 am
I have no such qualifications as you. But I love to write. I have had an article rejected by Triond 4 times on spelling and grammar I’ve run it through 3 different spell checks, and grammar checks and it comes up squeaky clean! My partner who is a qualified typist and part time writer has lookef at it and says its fine! think Triond is having a bad hair week!
November 27th, 2009 at 7:46 am
A little disappointing but that’s part of the game.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Some good things never last, and “change” is the only thing constant in this world. It was a nice phase, though.
Many of us Triond writers benefit from your tips.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Thing keeps changing. The best was that you’d experienced before.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:34 am
dream come true. article published.
November 27th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Your article makes me even more determined to produce more quality articles than just thinking about make quick money. I’m just enjoying writing more and more now than ever before. Thanks for sharing the experience.;)
November 27th, 2009 at 10:21 am
she sounds like me! and your new dream has come true! well done you!
November 27th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I’m inspired to make more quality articles, I love writing even sometimes I struggle. Thank you for sharing!
November 27th, 2009 at 11:14 am
You have got shifted from one genre to another, that’s all.But, which is lucrative?You only know about it.We don’t have any idea about it.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:23 am
I certainly hope you will continue as a mentor, someone else could benefit from your expertise. Interesting insight, thanks for sharing.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:55 am
I was astounded by Ken’s statement, “When a dream comes true it dies.” It happened here with me but I won’t go into it-this is your page and I still look to you as Professor, Guy.
This was very enlightening and I thank you!
Best regards from me.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
That was short-lived indeed.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
keyur, I hope the article was useful.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Unofre Pili, being an online mentor was an interesting experience. I’m glad I had the experience.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Frances, well she was the only student the site sent me so I still would not have been able to make a living at it.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
craigz, this article brought back some bad but some good memories, too.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Papa, I’m proud of getting the MFA; but now I have to figure out a way to make it pay.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
ken, I hope the dream of being published on Triond doesn’t die.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Christine, I don’t want to mentor one on one any longer. I’m a professional blogger now.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
simplyoj, now my dream is to be successful on Triond. I think I have a better chance of success on Triond than having success as a mentor.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
jharmon, well written prose is always hard work and many can not or will not pay the price to learn how to do it well. I don’t want to mentor writers who don’t think they have to pay that price. It’s a waste of their time and more importantly it’s a waste of my time.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Lord Banks, so far Triond has rejected four of my submissions but it was for good reasons.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
wonder, being published by Triond is better than being a mentor. At least for me it is.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
athena, Triond is a perfect fit for me.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Thanks for sharing the info!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
CHAN LEE, I’m glad I had the experience. Now I’m happy to be on Triond.
November 27th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Jane Jane, Triond is perfect for me. Now all I have to do is write.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Sharif, that’s how I feel. Now all I have to do is produce quality content and plenty of it.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
lillyrose, I’m concentrating on Triond. Triond is a good fit for me. I’m trying to make the most of this opportunity.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
jengriver, writing well is always a struggle but one that for a writer is worth the effort.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Southgate, I wasn’t happy mentoring. I’m happy with Triond.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Glynis, I’m mentoring here at Triond; it’s just not one on one.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
mo hoyal, I agree with ken; hopefully the new dream won’t die.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
diamondpoet, it’s all good because then I discovered Triond.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Sourav, I hope the article contained some useful insights.
November 27th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I am known as one of the grammar experts in my writing group. What frustrates me the most is editing the work, giving it back to them only to have them ignore my changes. I still love editing but don’t give me the work if you’re not going to listen to me. Gggrrr.
November 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
My sister and I found this to be quite humorous (possibly the way I read it) and extremely interesting. We can totally relate.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
You have to have a dream. I have thought about proofreading but then again I have enough problems proofreading my own work.
November 27th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Nice and very entertaining to read.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
If you prefer writing at Triond to mentoring, then, as you said, you must have been happy here.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Interesting article.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Interesting read.
November 27th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I think the students should have varied their pay to your paypal based on how much time they spent editing their copies.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Thanks for sharing.
http://www.replicawatchesindia.info
November 28th, 2009 at 3:06 am
I bet your Triond stories cannot give you as much as the lady did. This story really made me smile.
November 28th, 2009 at 4:57 am
I think you got to better things. I am sure you are having fun here. At least looks that way
November 28th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Some dreams only works at the beginning. Many dreams doesn’t last a lifetime. Great post.
December 6th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Thanks For Sharing!