
About me
Hi, I'm Alison Manning
Through A Mind Of One's Own I provide head-freeing conversations (mostly by telephone) and workshops for writers.
Topics that often come up include:
I help writers develop and maintain emotional well-being, find satisfaction in their work, acceptance of their own writing approach, and to develop capacity to communicate their writing needs to friends, family and others so that they have the time and space to work freely. In essence, I help writers to develop their own sustainable writing rhythm to enhance their wellbeing and creative productivity.
A Mind of One's Own complements my other practice, Mindspan Communications, a communication and conflict management consultancy. As well as being a registered Psychologist I've studied communication, coaching, English literature, conflict management (mediation) and environmental management.
To my work with writers I bring close listening skills, a capacity to get to the heart of the matter, humour and evidence-based techniques for helping a stuck, stressed or frustrated writer shift into a resourceful and productive frame of mind.
My base in regional New South Wales, Australia, allows me space to think, and freedom to work with clients anywhere in the world. This means much of my work is done by telephone and online.
Clients have told me repeatedly how heartened they feel after our conversations. Sometimes just one or two conversations bring a pronounced shift in a writer's capacity to write more freely and to enjoy writing in new ways. Clients tell me there is a mix of benefits, one of the most significant being simply having an independent person to talk to (confidentially) about their approach to their work.
All conversations are stricly confidential. I am very particular about this.
Hi, I'm Alison Manning
Through A Mind Of One's Own I provide head-freeing conversations (mostly by telephone) and workshops for writers.
Topics that often come up include:
- concerns about self-confidence
- writer guilt
- "toxic triangle' = if I write there's no money; if I do paid work there's no writing; and when I do write I'm isolated, depressed and / or anxious
- effects of isolation
- fear of failure and success
- procrastination
- being stuck
- reviewer dread
- self-damnation
- emotional stress
- negative feelings and anxiety
- dealing with changed sense of self and relationships with others after publication
- public speaking and media 'performance'
- peer envy
- and also, the state I term Fragmentia.
I help writers develop and maintain emotional well-being, find satisfaction in their work, acceptance of their own writing approach, and to develop capacity to communicate their writing needs to friends, family and others so that they have the time and space to work freely. In essence, I help writers to develop their own sustainable writing rhythm to enhance their wellbeing and creative productivity.
A Mind of One's Own complements my other practice, Mindspan Communications, a communication and conflict management consultancy. As well as being a registered Psychologist I've studied communication, coaching, English literature, conflict management (mediation) and environmental management.
To my work with writers I bring close listening skills, a capacity to get to the heart of the matter, humour and evidence-based techniques for helping a stuck, stressed or frustrated writer shift into a resourceful and productive frame of mind.
My base in regional New South Wales, Australia, allows me space to think, and freedom to work with clients anywhere in the world. This means much of my work is done by telephone and online.
Clients have told me repeatedly how heartened they feel after our conversations. Sometimes just one or two conversations bring a pronounced shift in a writer's capacity to write more freely and to enjoy writing in new ways. Clients tell me there is a mix of benefits, one of the most significant being simply having an independent person to talk to (confidentially) about their approach to their work.
All conversations are stricly confidential. I am very particular about this.