COACHING FOR WRITERS
Manuscript Consulting
Are you working on a memoir but don’t know how to finish it?
Writing a memoir is difficult. There are how-to books that can guide you, writer groups to join, workshops to participate in. These are all good methods. Another option is to work one-on-one with a writing coach/editor. That’s me.
I will help you prepare for, draft, and revise a memoir, a book of personal essays, or anything in between. I offer deep analysis, positive feedback, creative exercises, innovative approaches, and strategies for revision.
You may be the person who says I have a story to tell or you could make a movie out of my life but who nevertheless struggles to get it all down on paper.
Maybe you’re not so adept at organizing the material or knowing how to slow down and tell the story in full. I spend time helping you position yourself in relation to the material, getting a better sense of the project, and coming up with a strategy moving forward. As a manuscript consultant, I offer insight on your working draft and provide you with the tools that will best assist in the revision process.
Contact me for a free 30-minute consultation
“My experience of Sebastian’s teaching has affected my writing life in profound ways. Shortly after I moved to Asheville, I took his course in memoir writing and signed right up for a second go round. His gifted and creative utility of the written word along with a thorough knowledge of the craft inspired me to pursue an MFA in nonfiction. Now, two books later, I am deeply grateful for Sebastian’s support, his soft, non-judgmental guidance, and his passion for the creative life”
~ Molly Walling
Writing Coaching
I am interested in the unique journey of the first person “I” as it moves through the world.
As a longtime workshop leader, my interest is primarily in personal narrative—the stories we tell to make sense of our lives. I enjoy assisting writers on their journeys of self-discovery while helping them master the techniques of creative nonfiction.
I have been doing this work for over 20 years in a variety of settings. I am an author of six books and have published work in major magazines and journals, including The Atlantic, Poets & Writers, The Sun, Tin House, Virginia Quarterly Review, & Writer’s Chronicle.
Writing is like training; sometimes you need a little coaching to get the work done.
Making time in a busy life is never easy. It’s even harder to sustain a creative life. I work with you closely on your creative process—helping clear away blocks and offering strategies to make room for your creative endeavors within the framework of your work and family life. I also give your work a close read and offer concrete strategies for revision.
Being a writing coach is a lot like being a life coach but with a specific focus on creativity and creative life.
Contact me for a free 30-minute consultation
“Sebastian Matthews was my workshop leader at the Port Townsend Writers Conference. Having never been to an event like that, I had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be the highlight of my summer, and Sebastian was at the center. Gracious, thoughtful, and supportive, he guided a small group of us, with disparate goals and styles, in exercises and discussions that opened my mind, gave me new tools, and inspired me to write with renewed passion and better technique. It's been half a year, but the inspiration I got from Sebastian has not faded. Indeed, the tools and energy from that experience I expect to carry with me always.”
~ Steve Hampton