Coaching and Editing

One-on-one, live or by phone, I help writers realize their projects by finding the story in their material, then developing the most effective voice and form in which to realize it.

How I work with you

Stuck on a book project? Struggling with an essay? Or just trying to get your thoughts on the page? I use a combination of methods to help you find the most effective voice for your work, and to unearth “raw materials” from within your own creative imagination.

“As a coach, Carol’s got just the right touch. She knows just when to ride herd, when to back off, when to applaud, when to suggest alternatives, and always with a spirit of appreciation, humor, empathy, and joy. Two things are certain: She’ll get you writing, and she’ll keep you writing.”
–Liz Dowling-Sendor, Episcopal priest, Chapel Hill NC

I might offer you prompts to use on your own, or other suggestions to help you get to the desk, tackle a rewrite, or start a new piece. For long distance clients, I find a combination of phone, email, and Instant Messenger can help accomplish our objectives just as effectively as meeting “live.”

“Carol is not only my coach, but also editor – and more important, Carol has inspired me to believe in myself. She has encouraged words and stories out of me I had long since forgotten. Her intuitive ability to know when to probe and when to be silent is a gift. Carol is a genius and helped me unlock the treasure of a gift I didn’t even know that I had. Plus, she is just so much fun to work with.”
–Mary Sullivan, Life Design Studio, Bremer, AL

Recent publications I’ve edited:
• Grubbed Stumps, Pa to Town: An American Family Farm, by Bill Buffett 2013
• Wide Open Spaces (essay collection) 2011
• Simply Being, by Carol Eckerman 2011
• Living Awake, by Mary Bea Sullivan
• Love at First Light: A homeless shelter for women and children,
by Ellen Dossett
• Qatari Voices (essay collection)
• Recollections and Recipes, by Bill Buffett
• A Journey of Courage, by Michele Murdock
• Foods You Will Enjoy: The Story of Buffett’s Store, by Bill Buffett
• Qatar: Then and Now (essay collection)

Projects I’m working on with writers now:
• A memoir about turning 80
• A memoir about raising a mentally ill son
• A memoir about growing up in the shadow of WW II
• A memoir about a transformative week-long visit to Latin America

“I have worked with Carol for over two years, in her workshops, on an individual basis on my memoir, and attending a four-day writing worship Carol co-led with her husband Bill. It is no accident that Carol’s workshops are always full and students return semester after semester to write with her. Carol is like a midwife, helping her students give voice to their deepest selves. Such an endeavor requires well-honed writing and listening skills, an appreciation of each student’s unique life experience, and outstanding group leadership skills. I have been in many focus/therapy/reading/ groups in my lifetime. Carol shows the best group leadership skills I’ve encountered. Not only does she attend to practical group details like starting and ending on time or keeping the group focused, she creates safety by overseeing the group process with careful attention, making a space for her students to write from the heart.”
–Carolyn Cooper, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Try It Out

Sometimes people need a sample hour of my approach to see if it seems like a good fit. I’m comfortable with that. So we can both get a sense of how long the editing process will take, I suggest you try me on a short sample excerpt. For the cost of one hour, you get a thoroughly marked manuscript (5 pages max) and a summary letter, suggesting how I see the broader issues of your work and where you might take it.

The Details

For my rates and other information, please visit my Frequently Asked Questions page.

More questions? Email me at: cd.henderson@gmail.com