"I had only one session with Stephanie, but I learned enough from it that it’s transformed the way I approach writing."
Stephanie asserts that professors of all ranks struggle with productivity because, though well trained to be scholars, they’ve generally received scant guidance on developing an individualized writing process. As a result, their writing efforts are commonly fraught with uncertainty, inconsistency, and unnecessary stress. Her mission is to help her clients develop sustainable writing habits by making modest adjustments that have major impact.
Experience
Over her thirty-year career, Stephanie has gained an international reputation as writing process expert, leading workshops at major universities (Yale, George Washington University, University of London), speaking at leading colleges (Amherst, Wellesley, WPI), and coaching faculty from top programs (Johns Hopkins, Brown, University of Lausanne). The culmination of her efforts was her selection as the first Director of Writing Programs at Williams College (2010-19). While at Williams, she advised faculty from across disciplines on all things writing-related and asserted the key initiative of supporting faculty as writers.
Notre Dame
Columbia
Brown
Johns Hopkins
Wellesley
London
Amherst
WPI
Yale
George Washington
Testimonies
“What a relief to speak with someone who really understands the challenges [of faculty life] and so can offer writing strategies that actually work in the real world.”
“I can only imagine how much more productive, and happier, I would have been if I’d known about Stephanie ten years ago. She’s a revelation!”
“Stephanie has an uncanny ability to get contentious people to focus and willingly work on challenging material together.
Her impact on our group was nothing short of transformational.”
“She’s transformed the way our writing group works together and the way we each work individually….We affectionately call her ‘The Professor Whisperer.’”
“For the first time in my career, I’m writing regularly and getting work done consistently. Writing still has its challenges, but Stephanie helped me accept that and understand how to overcome my resistance.”
“So strong! Interesting, interested, invested. She has a light, smart touch with everything”
Workshops, Coaching, and Consulting
Stephanie has helped scholars of all stripes adjust their previously misaligned writing habits in the face of inherent demands of academia. Her clients are often proven scholars who are capable of generating effective scholarship, but not without unnecessary anxiety, frustrating inefficiency, and acute uncertainty. Commonly, they struggle because, although they’ve been trained to be scholars, they haven’t been trained to be writers. As a result, they haven’t had the opportunity to develop sustainable writing habits that are consistent with their capabilities.
Having served as a professor, Stephanie has first-hand knowledge of the demands of faculty life. Having trained as writing expert, she has an encyclopedic knowledge of proven interventions. And having worked for over twenty years as coach and consultant, she has the adaptability to work with clients in a range of practical settings.
Faculty Coaching
Through on-going coaching, Stephanie can marshal you through the process of building a new writing routine. Assisting established scholars in this vein commonly involves dismantling pre-existing assumptions they have about the characteristics of writing practice, challenging attitudes that inadvertently disrupt genuine productivity, and/or aligning writing processes and practices with meaningful intellectual inquiry. Coaching sessions also help keep you on track to meet publishing deadlines and keep you accountable to meeting your scholarly commitments.
Writing Consultation
The writing process provides challenges for writers of every caliber. For some, modest adjustments can have profound impact. To this end, Stephanie offers individual consulting to provide clients with interventions that target specific writing concerns. Asingle consultation can provide you with new strategies and perspectives that can generate significant results.
Sabbatical Year Guidance and Support
Most of us assume that setting aside teaching to focus exclusively on scholarship is an automatic fix. But the sabbatical year presents its own particular stresses and challenges. In fact, many finish the break falling short of their writing goals. Stephanie can provide guidance that will allow you to optimize your sabbatical—helping you to set realistic goals, maintain consistent writing habits, find a workable balance between rest and research, and avoid isolation burnout.
Writing Retreats
Stephanie leads one-to-three day writing retreats that allow faculty to unplug from day-to-day departmental demands and focus exclusively on scholarly work. Whether on-site or remote, for a closed community or open to faculty from multiple colleges and universities, the retreats provide a balance between structure and space. And with Stephanie’s guidance, these events also provide an opportunity for you to gain deeper understanding of your unique relationship with writing and to learn sustainable practices that will stand up against the challenges of the real world.
Writing Group Support
Participating in a writing group can be helpful to sustaining productive habits, but only if everyone involved shares the commitment and vision that are central to sustaining effective, reliable collaboration. Stephanie can help your cohort clarify individual and group goals, formulate a plan of action that serves all participants, and provide methods for effective feedback on projects in process. Whether you seek guidance on setting up your collaboration or require on-going direction to keep your team on track, Stephanie can make sure that your writing group—and everyone in it—succeeds.
Group Workshops
A customized workshop might be the best way to meet the shared needs of faculty in your program. Whether you have a topic in mind or need help formulating a focus, Stephanie can design and lead sessions on a range of subjects to serve your scholarly community. Recent topics have included “Keeping Pace with the Tenure Clock,” “Dismantling Imposter Syndrome to Improve Productivity,” “25 Tips for Improving Scholarly Output,” and “Writing Strategies for the Stalled Professor.”