One-on-one…
…done & done!
Finish your “something” by Labor Day
(and read the irresistible testimonial below!)
My guess is you probably have one thing you’ve been meaning to finish this summer: an essay, a Modern Love pitch, a memoir proposal, a chapter, a website for your clips, getting your Substack in order, getting dressed in the morning.
This is a 30-day one-on-one accountability program designed to help you get it done-done-done.
We’ll meet three times over the month on Zoom. In the first session, we’ll choose a clear, realistic goal and make a plan. In the second, we’ll look at the rough version and deal with whatever is slowing you down. In the third, we’ll finish, revise, send, publish, or make the next decision.
You will also check in between sessions, so the project doesn’t disappear into the summer fog of good intentions. You'll get my attention and editorial resources, contacts, videos from the Upod archives, ideas, encouragement and thoughtful reads (though know this isn't about me doing heavy edits; most of the work happens in the sessions).
This works best for people who already know what they want to do and would benefit from structure, deadlines, honest feedback, and someone — moi — keeping the process moving.
Again, the goal is simple: by Labor Day, the thing is done.
Three private sessions over 30 days. $600. Limited spots.
Let’s gooooooooooo!
Oh, and here’s a testimonial from the last round I did:
I’d been trying to get a book proposal done for more than a year and never seemed to find time to prioritize it. I signed up for the one-on-one sessions with David because I wanted to commit to finally getting it done, and I thought he might be able to help me iron out some issues I was struggling with.
Before our first session, we went over my goals and specific concerns, and in our first session, he helped me to completely re-imagine the concept to make it more marketable. He then worked with me on refining the various sections of my proposal, giving me the outside perspective I needed, with “homework” to keep me accountable.
By the end of our third session, I had the bulk of the proposal done and was energized in a way I hadn’t been in years. Within two weeks, I was submitting it to agents, and 18 minutes after submitting it, I had my first offer of representation!
The proposal was SO much stronger thanks to David’s advice, guidance and brainstorming. If you have a project you’re looking to finish (or kickstart), I seriously can’t recommend these one-on-one sessions enough. David is smart, funny, thoughtful and uniquely keyed into what makes things sell, and working with him was singularly the best career investment I’ve made in years. —Janice Costa
The fine print:
Can I guarantee you’ll get “it” done by Labor Day? Not quite. You still have to do the work. But I’ll provide the structure, deadlines, feedback and accountability to keep things moving.
This is a summer program and all three sessions must be completed by September 15. Once you sign up, it’s your responsibility to schedule your sessions with me in time. Sessions that haven’t been booked or used by September 15 will expire and cannot be carried into the fall.
Most of our work together happens during the sessions, though I’m happy to take a quick look at a draft beforehand when useful. Deeper work—such as line editing or reading that takes more than 30 minutes—can be booked as an additional coaching session.