Home of Alice Batt, Writing Coach
Everybody’s got a story to tell.
Whether you’re writing your memoirs, a personal statement for college, or a resume to land your dream job, you’re telling the story of you.
I’ve helped hundreds of people tell their stories. Let me help you tell yours.
“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”
Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
My name is Alice Batt, and for the past 30 years, I’ve been working as a writer, editor, and teacher of writing. In all that time, the most important lesson I’ve learned is this: Successful writing isn’t just about the words.
Sure, words are a big (and totally necessary) part of writing, and I like helping people find the right ones. But in order to succeed as a writer, sometimes you need more. Sometimes you need help organizing your time, or thinking about what your audience expects, or talking back to that dragon that keeps coming between you and the page.
Sometimes, in order to tell your story, you need to go beyond words to develop the tools and habits that will help you write well. I’m willing to take that journey with you.
One day my school shut down for a pandemic, and the next time I looked up, three years had passed. Not exactly true. I didn’t Rip Van Winkle my way through the pandemic. Like lots of other folks, I kept plugging away. I taught my classes, conducted meetings, attended conferences, delivered presentations, and gave guidance …
All the advice I’ve read about blogs says you should keep your blog centered on a specific topic. That’s about to go out the window here, and I have no qualms about that. Ten days ago, my university closed operations and sent all the students home early for spring break. I was not on campus …
In working with prospective college students, I’ve heard a lot of “don’ts” about how to write a personal essay. Everyone—their friends, their parents, their uncle who went to college in the 80s—has given them caveats. They’ve heard so much about how NOT to write their essay that they’re having a hard time figuring out how …
Continue reading “The College Application Essay, Part 2: Dealing with Don’ts”
I provide writing consultations in person, by phone, or via Zoom (or one of its many cousins). Email me at albatt@icloud.com to set up an appointment and discuss rates.
Depending on how long your project is, we may decide that I should look at some pages before we meet. If we do, our agreed-upon hourly rate applies.