Coaching and Advising

Relentless Optimism

I enjoy coaching fiction and creative nonfiction writers, as well as high school students who want to develop meaningful and original college/scholarship application essays.  Recent advisees have been selected for the Key West Writers Workshop, the Bank of America Student Leaders Program, the PEN American Writing For Justice Program, a FIRST Tech Challenge Dean’s List Award, a Coca-Cola Scholarship, the Gore Scholarship at Wichita State, and the SELF Scholarship from the University of Kansas School of Engineering.

I have 30+ years experience teaching literature and creative writing, advising undergraduate and graduate students, and mentoring scholars of all ages and interests through a wide range of applications. I volunteer regularly at local libraries offering drop-in college essay and application support, and I run community writing workshops in support of Friends of Coal Creek, a local non-profit.

Sessions and Rates:

Fiction/Nonfiction Coaching:  Send me one page of writing and a description of what you would like to accomplish.  Our first 30 minute Zoom is free.  My consulting rate is 125/hour (we’ll discuss up to 20 pages, and I’ll send you a follow-up 1-page summary ) or package rates for longer projects.  

College Essay Coaching and Application Review:

Initial Zoom Consult.  Bring a parent or guardian and a fat list of questions.  8th grade and up.  Free/30 minutes.

Application Planning:  May include an analysis of experiences and family history, evaluation of interests, curriculum and activities, development of leadership roles, exploration of summer opportunities, strategies for enrichments & letters of recommendation.  $65/hour.  Grades 9-11.

Essay Coaching and Application Review:  Intensive, inclusive, all-around support for rising juniors and fall seniors.  Packages starting at $250. 

Write to me at amanetteansay@gmail.com for a scheduling link.