What are IDEASMYTH’s services?
- Creativity/Life/Career Coaching
- Workshops, Custom Classes & Editing
- Manuscript Editing
- Ideasmyth & Custom Events
What distinguishes IDEASMYTH’s workshops and services from all those others?
IDEASMYTH workshops focus on development of craft, professional writing habits, editing skills, communication skills, marketplace savvy, career development, and life/creativity management in that order.
IDEASMYTH clients’ successes, quantified in their work getting placed in dozens of excellent publications, prestigious jobs scored, books sold (and well reviewed!) constitute IDEASMYTH’s performance rating. Also see BUZZ.
IDEASMYTH cultivates a positive atmosphere in its workshops while still being rigorous about constructive criticism.
IDEASMYTH’s rates are competitive (or significantly cheaper) than many programs. Clients often describe IDEASMYTH’s workshop as “tougher and more useful than any course (they) took in grad school.”
Who are IDEASMYTH’s clients?
Word of mouth has delivered fantastic clients to IDEASMYTH most are already successful creative professionals, generally 20- to 60-something. IDEASMYTH coaching clients are those who want to create superlatively rewarding lives. IDEASMYTH has worked effectively with a great variety of people including: media professionals, editors, TV producers, lawyers, performers, entrepreneurs, boutique retailers, career-changers, homemakers. All of the workshop clients bring a professional commitment to their writing, even if they are not yet published. Students consistently report that they were impressed by the insightful critiques of their workshop peers.
Why should an already-successful freelancer, staffer or author take an IDEASMYTH workshop?
Because there’s nothing like the positive peer pressure of a great group to help you realize your fullest potential. Even if you’ve already gone to grad school, greatness and growth only comes with continual challenge. A lot of staffers use the workshops to develop portfolios of new work and hone their skills without risking their reputations on the job.
What is Creativity/Career/Life Coaching?
Creativity/career/life coaching are issues that are addressed in all IDEASMYTH workshops, but when you hire IDEASMYTH privately, we look at your specific career and life ambitions from a holistic perspective. After going over IDEASMYTH’s extensive questionnaire, we focus on shifting your efforts to accelerate the realization of your goals, be they a career change, a book proposal, column development, or more personal time etc. It is not therapy, but it is effective, pragmatic, empowering and results-oriented.
Who is Ideasmyth’s Creatrix-in-Chief, Victoria C. Rowan?
Victoria C. Rowan has dedicated her career to cultivating and celebrating creativity. She has written for dozens of publications, websites and Public Radio including: The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Moscow Times and NPR. For eleven years she curated a reading series entitled, Beyond Words: Stories on Stage, which was recognized in 2003 by New York Press as the City’s Best Live Reading and Performance Series. Founder of Mediabistro.com’s nationwide school for media professionals (2001-2002), she has taught and coached privately over 500 clients in New York City and internationally as well as created special programs that she delivered at Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA) and The Bard Graduate Center (NYC). She has also served as the Artistic Programmer for the 92nd St. Y/Unterberg Poetry Center’s 2006-7 literature series featuring the world’s greatest living writers.
What are the pros & cons of Workshop vs. Private Study?
For workshop rates, click here
Private Coaching for Career & Life-Altering Results
Because I have seen confirmed again and again that commitment is the best way to guarantee the results my clients seek for their work and their life, I always recommend a three-month/quarterly commitment of regularly scheduled appointments/check-in points. If the client is working on a book or another project that requires a lot of editing, I am also willing to negotiate a reasonable project fee or an average monthly minimum. The benefit of this model is that the client gets more support for their money. I’m also willing to discuss other retainer models that serve the clients lifestyle or cash flow best. This approach, which I consider analogous to targeted personal training, is best for clients working on long-term projects, wish to change careers, a life makeover or those who know they thrive best with ongoing personalized support. Personalized packages are always possible but HERE are some ready-made ones to consider.
Private Writing Coaching/Editing/Study Short-term
Should the client feel that they only need a few hours for a specific challenge or project, I also will work on a non-retainer basis by the hour. For this type of agreement, we will develop a program we agree suits the client’s goals best. This approach is also best for clients whose work/life schedules are completely unpredictable or first-time clients who are starting between workshop semesters. Personalized packages are always possible but HERE are some ready-made ones to consider.
Group Study
Please visit HERE to learn more about IDEASMYTH workshops.
Custom Seminar, Retreat & Event Development
Have developed custom retreats and special seminars for Stanford University and The Bard Graduate Center. Will create something practical and/or spectacular for your small business, corporation or group of friends. Can source excellent locations and caterers as needed.
General Policies Around Services & Payment
IDEASMYTH strives to go above and beyond in personalizing its services for every client, pleasing them and to be reasonable and fair in all transactions. Like most coaching and workshop programs, however, IDEASMYTH does not provide refunds if the client chooses to break their commitment to themselves. For workshops: since they are intimate groups of a limited size, Ideasmyth (consistent with all other professional writing workshop institutions) cannot refund tuition for classes unless you contact Ideasmyth the week BEFORE the first day of class. However, if the student must withdraw from a workshop for some exceptional unexpected circumstances at Ideasmyth’s discretion the equivalent of remaining class tuition may be commuted to the equivalent amount of services in private session work. For coaching: All services and appointments will be made only on a pre-paid basis (credit card, wire transfer or cash). All services and payments must be used within the time parameters mutually agreed upon. Every effort will be made to accommodate the clients’ schedule and keep the client informed of their remaining balance and schedule, however if the client is also responsible for using up their hours within the time agreed. If you need some immediate coaching, any call/Skype session over 10 minutes will be drawn from the client’s escrow account. If you give Ideasmyth less than ONE WEEK NOTICE for a coaching session cancellation, it is at Ideasmyth’s discretion whether or not Ideasmyth will reschedule the session within that week or if the client will be held financially responsible for that missed session.
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