'Writing is mostly a case of mood management."
- Anne Enright


A Mind of One's Own Conversations, an interview series with author Charlotte Wood, is now available for purchase & instant download. 
Click here for details.


"No pen, no ink, no table, no room, no time, no quiet, no inclination."
- James Joyce

To see Alison's fees for individual and group coaching services, click here.


"Any memory of pain 
is deeply buried, and there 
is nothing more painful for 
a writer than an inability 
to work."
- John Cheever

Services

Wordcount - virtual writers's groups 
This virtual program is a friendly and hype-free group program offering writers practical strategies for increasing creative productivity.  With monthly virtual discussions writers in this group will make a writing plan, and will get a light structure and accountability to get the writing done. This group is about the emotional and psychological aspects of writing - it is not designed to address technical writing issues.  

The writer's group for writers who usually detest groups ...  

The Sanity Sessions - new to A Mind of One's Own.
An intense, focused six week program with practical strategies for managing procrastination, self-criticism, perfectionism and the like.  A condensed version of the strategies A Mind of One's Own writer clients love. Stand-alone, group or individual programs. Interested ?  Contact me now and let's get started.

Sanctuary 
Conversations and a private online space and access to the monthly Implementation days - to help you increase your creative productivity. 

The conversations each month help you work out how to reduce procrastination, manage the stresses in your life and find new ways to work with the uncertainties of being a writer.

I provide you with relevant, quality resources to help you develop sustainable, emotionally healthy writing rhythm.  There is no hype and no overload. I promise I won't clutter up your life with too much info.

Three, six or 12 month programs for individual writers or small groups (4 people max).

First draft fear and loathing - virtual program with Australian author, Charlotte Wood and Alison Manning
A program to take you through the eight steps of 'First draft first-aid' for dealing with first draft horrors such as excessive self-criticism, concern about external evaluation and managing the uncertainty of not knowing whether the draft is any good. Individual coaching or groups.  Book here.

Sounding board
The chance to speak your ideas, discuss the progress of a project, work out difficulties or just feel connected to someone while you're writing week to week.  Beneficial for developing clarity, maintaining focus and helping you work out what needs to happen for you to stay on track with your writing project. This works well for individuals and in 2014 will also be available for writing groups.

Individual coaching 
Opportunities through conversation to develop practical new skills and strategies to manage your thoughts and emotions to enable the mindset, confidence and capacity to write what only you can write. This includes: specific focus on developing more confidence; exploring tendencies such as perfectionism and developing effective new strategies for getting work done; developing focus and discipline; understanding fears and getting them into perspective; changing your relationship with your own and others' criticism; dealing with fear of failure and success; and, developing support structures that work for you. 

For some the value here is simply to have an independent person with whom to have confidential conversations - perhaps to take stock, discard thinking patterns and emotional responses that are past their use-by date.


                                    

Project retreats
I'll help you design a virtual retreat for yourself when you need to get a project kickstarted, or finally finished. Together we'll design the frame of mind, the time, the space and any other requirements you need to make solid progress.

Interview dread no more
Salvation for even the most introverted writer who dreads media interviews, yet needs to do them to promote their work. Practical step-by-step training (including recorded practice interviews) so you'll have the skills and confidence to do media interviews with minimum stress. 

Group or individual training available on request - contact here to make a request.  I'm considering making an audio self-study version of this training.  Click here to let me know if that would be useful for you.

Premium programs
I understand that sometimes what you want simply doesn't fit with what's on offer. So, if you're serious about wanting to make a change and if you're serious about making a commitment to finally deal with your 'challenges' so you can actually experience life differently, I will design a process to address the specifics of your situation - a longer term, intensive program designed to test whether your dreams and hopes will materialise or stay swirling around in your mind. 

Access to these premium programs is by invitation, which will follow a comprehensive intake interview where both of us discuss your ambition and map out possible strategies for working together. Only those who demonstrate readiness to make change and who can accept challenge and tolerate degrees of emotional discomfort along the way will be accepted for this program. 

The rewards will be directly related to the level of commitment towards the desired change.  These programs require serious commitment, financially and time wise. I would never use the term boot camp for one of my programs, but you get the idea.

Numbers are strictly limited. Please contact me if you'd like to make a plan.