From a blank page to something only you could have written.
Every student starts somewhere different. The shape below is what the work usually looks like, whether we have six weeks or six months.
The consult
Twenty minutes on a call, complimentary. You tell me the schools, the deadlines and what's already written. I tell you what I'd do first and whether I'm the right person for it.
Finding the story
One or two sessions of real conversation, not a brainstorming worksheet. Most students arrive convinced the interesting thing about them is the least interesting thing on their résumé. We go looking for what's actually there.
Drafting together
You write between sessions; we work through each draft the way a script gets notes. Structure first, then scene, then the sentences. Expect several passes. That's the job, and it's where the essay starts sounding like you.
Line edits and polish
The last pass is craft: rhythm, word choice, the opening line, the ending that doesn't explain itself. We cut anything that's there to impress rather than to tell the truth.
The four ways to work together, and what each costs, are on the Services page.
You do the writing. I make it better.
You'll be asked real questions and given real notes. Nothing about the process requires you to be a natural writer, only willing to revise.
You'll know where things stand.
I'll tell you the plan, the timeline and what's realistic before we start. During the work, the drafts are between me and your student, which is what makes them honest.