‘If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word’
— Margaret Atwood

Academic 1-1 Writing Coaching

Academic Coach offers academics 1-1 writing support across the disciplines.

This support might be in the form of help with increasing productivity through coaching sessions, and specific advice tailored to the individual client’s needs.

This service is for you if:

  • You want intensive 1-1 support to do a deep dive on a particular writing challenge that we can set aside 7.5 hours to help you develop a plan of action and strategies to solve writing blockages

  • You have no problems turning up to your writing slots (I have a programme for this), but what happens afterwards could do with some improvement

  • You have not been writing for a while due to other professional responsibilities and need intensive support to rediscover that rhythm of writing

  • You need advice beyond writing, around career progression or other academic mentoring

This service is for academics who are post-PhD. Works for Postdocs, researchers and academics at all stages of your career.

A coaching plan is developed to meet your defined coaching goals and outcomes and bespoke support takes place over :

  • 10 (weekly) or 10 (fortnightly) meetings, delivered across 10 × 45 minute sessions, or a combination of coaching 45 minute sessions, and written feedback to a maximum of 7.5 hours programme time.

  • This programme of 1-1 support also includes access to the Writing Sprint Club with 6 hour co-writing sessions per month (Value 100 per month) for 3 months to support you in your writing.

Contact coach@academiccoach.info to choose your bespoke 1-1 coaching plan before buying. If you are not an existing client, and you purchase this product, you will be refunded and charged an administration fee.

If you are looking for a one-off deep dive, please look out for my Power Hour or VIP half day packages.

Where does this fit in our range of services?

Many clients who choose 1-1 go onto join one of my 12 month programmes to continue the writing support in a more structured and affordable format, such as the Master Journal Article Writing Programme, Mastering the Monograph or The Academic Writer’s Collective.

If you would like to find out more about 1-1 coaching you can contact me at coach@academiccoach.info to arrange an exploratory meeting free of charge.


Testimonials

I came across Melanie’s details at the time I needed coaching to help me review my book before submission. My manuscript was almost finished but it felt terribly disjointed and lacked clarity. I needed fresh eyes and a set of skills to help me understand where I went wrong and how I could make the changes necessary to produce a better and more interesting book in my research area. Working with Melanie is like working with a colleague who has the time to asks the right questions, helps you think and provides just the right level of steering you need when she knows you have strayed from the point you are trying to make, or you are simply writing something totally unrelated to your initial argument (e.g., something you like to write about rather than something that relates to the book). I look forward to my one-on-one sessions with Melanie because even though I have published my work for many years, I still need to be reminded that writing is a process that has several distinct stages that should be respected to ensure good writing habits.
— Dr Maureen Papas, University of Western Australia Law School
I contacted Melanie as an early stage academic with limited writing experience. My research had merit but I couldn’t clearly capture and communicate it to my target audience. Through Melanie’s guidance, I have learnt how to both identify the correct journals to target, and how to structure my writing to engage their editorial board. In addition she taught me how to manage and prioritize my writing time, an essential element that is often overlooked. She has a highly effective, no-nonsense, practical approach to writing which provides a clear development plan. I would highly recommend her.
— Lecturer, Maynooth University
Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s quote, I right away knew that Melanie would be the person I was looking for. Melanie evaluated swiftly my needs and in less than two months, she changed my old habits into renewed efficient academic writing skills. The journey we joined together was inspiring, joyful, effective and impactful: thanks to Melanie’s careful review, my paper was published. Thanks to her encouragement, timely interventions, kind reminders and continuous support, I was elected best presenter during the first Conference I attended after many years of absence. Thanks to Melanie’s flexible, pertinent reviews and accurate encouragements while writing my papers I was able to finalise my study in the best circumstances. Melanie is the person who you wish you would have met before. She is also the person you send a message to, just to ensure that you receive a reply: proof of her existence! Thank you, Melanie, you make studying and writing a wish come true!
— Saskia Ravesloot, SciencePo, Paris
After a period of leave from academia, I have been searching for an academic writing coach to help put me back on the right track towards a balanced, healthy and productive writing career. Melanie has been a rare find! As a very successful legal academic and writer, Melanie offers a coaching approach drawn from research and directly from the coal-face of academia. Her one-on-one coaching has been tailored to prioritize overcoming my most pressing writing obstacles, and has given me the confidence to re-start my writing. Melanie combines sage, practical advice on academic writing with recognition of the emotional stumbling blocks that many academics encounter. The most revelatory element of Melanie’s coaching has been to expose the basic gaps and deficits in my approach to research and writing that should be addressed as a requisite part of PhD training.
— Asst. Professor, leading Canadian Law School
The one-on-one coaching sessions are supportive, brisk, down-to-earth, practical and compassionate. Since I’ve started working with Melanie one on one, I am seeing myself get projects into publication and write with new purpose. I can’t recommend these sessions enough—it’s really like having a coach in your corner
— Associate Professor, US R1 University