Hip-hip-hooray! Hip-hip-hooray! I am so tickled to share this good news with the world: a writer I helped with a story not only landed the piece in a major publication, but also recently garnered a lot of press coverage!
Check it out: http://krqe.com/2015/08/02/new-mexico-womans-story-picked-up-by-chicken-soup-for-the-soul/
Full disclosure, this writer is my mom. When Chicken Soup posted its call for stories to inspire nurses, I knew I had to encourage (read: force) my mom to share one of her thousands of tales. She was nervous at first; gracious throughout the many revisions; and in the end, intensely proud to sign her first contract! (It goes without saying that I was/am super proud, too.)
Blood relations aside, in the 2+ years I’ve spent working as a for-hire critiquer, I have helped many other artists reach beyond their expectations — like the wind that helps the sand dunes write in perfect cursive. I love when a fellow writer asks me to breathe a bit of fresh life into their project.
I helped one writer go through a grueling round of revisions on her children’s biography on Ravi Shankar. She submitted the work and landed a 5-book deal!
Another writer hired me to help him make sense of an odd little short story. He e-pubbed the reworked tale on Amazon and quickly soared to the #5 spot in his category!
Just two out of many success stories. I truly believe I have stumbled upon the most rewarding way to share my expertise and passion for storytelling. (And that’s saying something, because I also teach graduate workshops online, which is also hugely rewarding work!) I have met so many outstanding artists with the talent and tenacity needed to make it. All they lacked was that extra puff of air in their sails to get them going or get them over the finish line!
If your project needs some fresh air, let me know! I am more than happy to help and always delighted to catapult the confetti your way when fate taps your shoulder.
jenny mason 