Jill Dearman is THE BLOCKSBUSTER!

Jill Dearman has worked as a writing coach and run private writing workshops since 2003. She offers one-on-one as well as dual sessions (for writing buddies). See client blurbs below.

 

Endorsements from a calvacade of clients below.

"I sold my first book on a treatment and the first 50 pages. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that the first 50 pages are the easy part. It was awfully surprising to find that, for me, the big challenge in writing a novel is resistance, and resistance coming not so much from the cold-shouldered world of publishing or the tone-deaf ear of the reading public, but from me. I have a busy New York City-type career (I'm a Forensic Pathologist) and then a second busy-ish career as a freelance writer (New York Times Magazine, New Yorker, New York, Gourmet, Details, etc.), and finding the time to work on the novel was always 'difficult'.
"Or so I let myself believe, as I coasted along, ignoring the looming deadline as I took care of more pressing and immediately gratifying obligations. Working with Jill not only forced me to focus on my book, but it proved the initial push - or series of pushes - that got me rolling on it, and not just rolling, but actually excited about my book.
"Jill's gift is not just in making you write; she's also a fantastic reader, and gives excellent feedback. She's mastered the art of being honest, but gentle. Working with Jill for a few seasons has given me enough momentum to finish the book independently. I'm in good shape for my deadline, now, and Jill has whipped my self-confidence into such a state that I'm sure I'll finish strong. That said, as soon as I sell the next one, I'll get back with the divine Ms. D. I'm plenty confident now, but heck, even Tiger Woods has a coach, right?"
---Jonathan Hayes, novelist, Precious Blood, published by Harper Collins, November, 2007.

"If you are as ambivalent about your prose as you are about everything else in your life, place it and yourself in the velvet-gloved iron fist of Jill Dearman. She will be your Mother and your Whore."
--Donna Brodie, Executive Director of the Writers Room, New York City, Urban Writers Colony

"Jill Dearman is the shrink and rabbi every writer always wanted. The exercises she's developed will make you question your methods, throw a few out the window, and master new ones. And her entire process, which is both dark and hilarious, is consistently laced with the subliminal message that discipline, although you may not know it yet, is your best friend."
--Nanette Maxim, Senior Features Editor, Gourmet Magazine

"Jill Dearman's workshop got me writing again after a long brown-out. Her method ––original, practical and insistent ––involves both inspiration and self-discipline. I think it would be useful to writers at any stage, beginner to pro."
--Judith Pinsker, scriptwriter and six-time Emmy Winner, General Hospital

"Jill Dearman is a terrific writing coach. She understands the numerous obstacles a writer can face, on both the story end and the personal end, and she manages to finesse them all. Insightful, inspiring, invaluable."
--Panio Gianopoulos, Editor, Bloomsbury Books, whose writing has been published in The Bastard on the Couch, The Encyclopedia of Exes, Nerve, Tin House, Five Chapters and numerous other anthologies and magazines.

"Dearman is the Captain Kirk of writing teachers; she supplies all the tools to develop a committed practice so writers can boldly go where they least want to go: the dark, weird, and uncharted corners of the psyche."
-- Alex Porter, Maxim Magazine, MTV

"If you are sick of hearing goody-goody writing experts preaching their New Age or Know-it-All gospel, then bang on Jill Dearman's door, but quick. She seductively taps into writers' natural desire to write, which is just as natural to us as drinking, complaining and procrastinating. Then, through skill, experience and intuition, she hypnotizes writers into falling in love with their writing, and wanting to write again, and again. And by the end of the Dearman trip, we've learned how to hypnotize ourselves."
--Nisha Ganatra, writer & director of the award-winning Indie Film, Chutney Popcorn; director of the big-budget feature, Cake, starring Heather Graham.

"I have found Jill Dearman's classes, in particular her exercises, immensely helpful in fostering my own respect for my craft, and in creating a focus for my work and the characters that embody it. No matter the genre, the simple act of approaching your piece in these new and accessible ways will prove indispensable to any facing the block."
--Heather Bourbeau, journalist: Vanity Fair, Financial Times, New York Observer and Open City poet.

"Jill Dearman is a wonderful teacher who is dedicated and enthusiastic in her work with writers. Her ability to motivate, uncover, and focus creative energies is truly unique. I recommend her services for any writer who wants to take the next step forward in honing their craft."
--John McCaffrey, Author, "Words" included in the 2007 inaugural collection of Flash Fiction published by W.W. Norton & Company.

"Jill's talents –– as a writing coach and editor, as a fiction writer and essayist, as an astrologist and Kabbalist, to name only the obvious ones –– cannot be compartmentalized. She is a fully integrated and fascinating human being who shines her warm, revelatory light onto your work, a light which inevitably spills over into your day-to-day existence. For the mystical Jill Dearman, talking about how to make your writing more effective is talking about how to make a more vital and soulful life."
--Stanley Richardson, playwright, Veritas, produced by Classic Stage Company, New York City; graduate of the Edward Albee Playwright's Workshop.

"Jill makes me want to write. She makes writing possible and inviting with a subtle blend of humor, spirit, enthusiasm, irreverence, precision of language, and a seemingly endless bag of techniques to help my ideas weave seamlessly into prose. I particularly enjoying reading what I have written to her and watching the ideas light up in her eyes like a struck match."
--Dr. George Russell, Gay City News, Israeli Dance Quarterly, Juice, Less Hot Air on Dance, Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, LGNY

"Jill Dearman is a writer's secret weapon ––BLOCKS-buster, master
strategist, incisive editor, staunch & sympathetic supporter ––Jill's
like your personal Sun Tzu! Jill coaches every stage of the process - getting a project off the ground or beating one into submission. I've gotten more writing done over the past year with her than I ever have before. I've rewritten a novel, crafted a nonfiction book proposal, now with a major New York literary agent, and finished a short story and innumerable magazine pitches. Jill Dearman rocks!"
--Lalita Khosla, Writer, Country Living, Paper, Forbes; Producer/Director (Bravo, VH-1, PBS, Lifetime).

"Jill Dearman's writers' workshops have helped me to create a structure for my writing practice that is practical and doable on a daily basis so that my ideas actually make it onto paper where they count. The exercises proved to be playful, mischievous, and ultimately, enlightening."
--Barbra Long, screenwriter of the upcoming Biopic, Song of Life ,based on the relationship between singer Norah Jones and her father Ravi Shankar

"You can have anxiety and fear about what it is to write, or you can have depression about what it is you have written or would inevitably write; or in many cases you could have both – for years. Jill Dearman helps writers to meaningfully accomplish their collective goal: to write and to finish their projects. She is expert in the midwifery of what is necessarily a long birth! Bang the Keys! works like no other writing tool."
--Robert McVey, New York City psychotherapist in private practice and author of Brides of Hollywood, performed at The Cherry Lane Theater in New York City, starring Gretchen Mol

"Jill Dearman's writing workshop was a treat. By the time I finished it, the act of writing had gone from feeling like I was sitting on a bed of nails for hours to feeling like I was laying on silk sheets, immersed in a rollicking escapade with a secret lover. Who knew the writing process could be so sexy?"
--Sakina Jaffrey, Screenwriter; Actress (Raising Helen, The Manchurian Candidate).

"Jill Dearman is an utter original: hip, smart, hilarious, and endlessly insightful. Her workshop is a kinder, gentler boot camp, nudging you along until you find yourself happily writing away, more productive than you've ever been, miraculously liberated from the mental shackles that were holding you back in the first place. As someone who has worked in publishing for years, I can honestly say, her proposed book fills a need in the marketplace, like no other. Writers will tap into their powers of obsession (and artistry) in ways they never dreamed of."
--Lisa Sklar, Senior Copywriter at Penguin USA

 

Bang the Keys!

Writing Advice Column
By
Jill Dearman

"The Big Questions"

There is so much to say about developing a writing practice, and none of it is new. That must be why writers drink so much! As I begin this series of columns I thought it best to start small, so as not to send you running for the bar. Everyone has different styles and methods, but essentially every writer is in the same boat. It's hard to find the time to write, and it's hard to stay on track to the end. I asked a few writers I adore to share some of their wisdom for this first column. I hope it helps.

I asked Pete Hamill, one of the greatest New York writers out there, and a fellow New York University School of Journalism teacher; and Julia Glass, a longtime fellow Writers Room member till she moved to New England the following question:

"How do find the discipline to sit down and write when you are just not in the mood, or when the rest of your life feels overwhelming?"

Here's what they had to say:

Jill, your question is a good one, and there is no simple answer because each individual finds his or her way to the routines of work. Some of us work better at night. Some need the morning. Some (like me) use both. I always take a nap, late in the afternoon. That gives me two mornings. If I'm working at the same time on journalism and fiction, I usually divide them: journalism in the morning, fiction after the nap. I also take a daily walk, before the second shift, and always do it alone, with some problem or choice in my head. Usually, thanks to a good rush of blood, I solve the problem.

But it's not a question at my age of finding the discipline. I started building it when I was young. To start with, I had the example of my Irish immigrant parents. My mother gave birth to seven children, and somehow she always had a part-time job. My father had one leg (from a soccer accident) and worked in a factory until he couldn't work anymore. Work, even unhappy work, was a matter of pride to those people (and millions like them). At 16, I went to work in the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a sheet metal worker. I had to rise each morning and go off to do work I didn't care much about, but I always made it to Shop 17. Serving in the US Navy had the same effect. By the time I went to work as a newspaperman, I did know how to work. I didn't know much about anything else, particularly my craft, but I knew how to show up and do my best.

Within the larger discipline, there are sub-disciplines. If I'm writing a novel, I never read the morning papers or watch TV news (unless there's a major calamity unfolding). In the freshness of morning, I want to stay in the world of my novel. So around 2 pm, when I go to lunch, I finally read the papers and watch the news. At night, I keep 3x5 index cards beside the bed, so that if something rises in my aging skull, I can jot down notes. Also before turning out the lights, I read one poem. Anybody from Lord Byron to Billy Collins. I want language to live vividly in me, even when I'm exhausted. I read each poem as if it were a prayer.
--Pete Hamill, award-winning author of numerous books including "Downtown: My Manhattan" and "The Gift" both from Little, Brown.

For good or ill, I have no set writing routine. I may work a few hours one day, all day the next, then become occupied by other tasks for a week or more. This means that I do not write every day (the notion that you must do so in order to succeed as a writer is bunk)--but I do try to find or make time daily for marinating in my fiction. Walking about on my own, whether I'm doing errands or just meandering, is crucial to that process. My characters come to life in my head as I move through the world; this is when I make the most important decisions about their stories. The more I walk--the more I'm alone in my head (no cell phone!)--the more eager I am to get to the keyboard once I get home. That's how I keep the juices flowing."
--Julia Glass, National Book Award Winner for "Three Junes" and author of the 2006 novel, "The Whole World Over". Both books published by Pantheon.

I thought it was interesting that both Pete and Julie were fans of the long walk, as am I. If there are more closet walkers sitting at home with the remote control wondering "when I am going to figure out how to bring my story to life?" perhaps it's time to come out and be a walkabout. See you on the streets!

I asked the warm and lovely Craig Lucas, a pioneering playwright and screenwriter, whose work has had a huge impact on my life, this question:

"How do you stick with a project through all the ups and downs?"

"I have to confess I don't quite understand it myself: the work itself is what inspires me to stay committed; I wouldn't think of abandoning a project, once I've begun it, unless it somehow fell apart in my
hands, and that has never happened. Whatever initial impulse compels
me to write, that carries me through whatever time -- the years or
even decades -- and whatever technical or aesthetic challenges one
must face to reach completion."
--Craig Lucas, playwright and screenwriter, "Longtime Companion," "Prelude to a Kiss," "The Dying Gaul," "The Light in the Piazza."

I was struck by the poignancy of Craig's words. He has written so elegantly about loss, and his art comes from a deeply personal place. If you are feeling like abandoning your project, or if you feel like the world is ignoring it, perhaps it's time to act like a good parent to your "baby" and stay with it till it's independent and complete. If you aren't dedicated to it, through all the good times and bad, how can you expect anyone else to be?
Bang the Keys!
--JD

Jill Dearman has been teaching editing at New York University School of Journalism since 2001. She developed a style guide for Simon and Schuster, and has worked as a freelance editor for many years. References available upon request. Rates vary depending on the project. For more information contact: JillDearman@gmail.com.

As a GHOST WRITER, I can hear your book idea, write it for you in your voice and deliver a polished manuscript (generally) within six months, for a reasonable fee. And once the manuscript is done I can work with you to publish it and market it. I remain anonymous and confidential and you gain a real book based on your real story and ideas that will live forever in the real world!

Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com or 212.841.0177 for a FREE CONSULT.

As an EDITOR and STORY DOCTOR, I have worked with fiction writers (novels and short stories), nonfiction writers, screenwriter/playwrights, poets and children's book/young adult authors. I have been teaching "The Art of Editing" at New York University since 2001. I am available for jobs light or heavy, copy editing to full story surgery. I have worked with writers from New York City to Los Angeles, the U.S. to Canada and beyond. Recommendations available upon request, and I am happy to provide a FREE 3 PAGE SAMPLE EDIT of your work.

Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com or 212.841.0177.

 

A SAMPLING OF ENDORSEMENTS FROM JILL'S CLIENTS BELOW:

FICTION AND NONFICTION:
Jill Dearman gives writers what they need most: healthy doses of TLC, a pair of kind and sympathetic ears, and when neither of those do the trick, some good, old-fashion street-tough lovin'. Enter Jill's

Literary Marvel-land armed with reasons why you weren't able to write last week, fulfill a commitment, meet a deadline and one-by-one she will destroy them, until you are left alone to confront your naked ambition to write. And that's when the magic starts. Draft done, pass it on to her to edit into an authentic piece of literature.

-- Joe Tirella, The New York Times, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Vibe.

***

NONFICTION:
Jill Dearman saved me! Well, she made my writing a lot better. She possesses a rare combination of intuitive and technical skills. On levels small, sentence by sentence, and large, the overview of what you want to say, Jill applies her fine sensibilities and intelligence. She helped me to see what I could not see—what was missing and what could be added. She also pointed out imprecise images and suggested ways to be more clear. With Jill, it’s a conversation, never a demand or an arrogant certainty. Lucky me, to have found such an editor to help refine my essay, the kind of editor who serves the soul of the piece.
-- Starr Goode, Winner of The David L. Kubal Memorial Essay Prize; she is also a recipient of The Henri Coulette Memorial Poetry Award from The Academy of American Poets. She has been profiled for her work as a cultural commentator in the LA Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

***

"Jill Dearman doesn't simply chop the fat. She trims it with the greatest of care and leaves behind a lean piece of literary meat. And she's prepared with a list of side dishes to recommend when the meat just isn't filling enough. A better wordsmith's sous-chef I have yet to plan a menu with."
--Harry McEwan has been published in the literary magazine Dovetail. His plays have been produced at Circle Theater in Chicago, The Producer's Club in NYC (workshop with Lea DeLaria). His film scripts have won prizes and been optioned. He is currently working on a book of narrative essays.

FICTION:
"Befuddled, a tad frustrated, and clearly out of my element, I searched for someone who might help me navigate a new writing path. Though I’ve written my share of social science books and articles, my current dream is to publish, with my wife (and co-author's) help, and now Jill’s, a science fiction novel. When I landed on Jill’s webpage, the glowing endorsements inspired me to hire her as a writing coach/editor. Now that she’s provided me extensive feedback on my 300 page first draft, I’m honored to shine more light on Jill’s reputation as a stellar coach/editor. Jill provoked me to think about my story’s plot, protagonist, tone, and writing style in fresh ways. She has re-energized me with her engaged, perceptive, detailed, supportive—yet candid style. I smile whenever I think I have Jill in my corner as a coach/editor. Whatever I produce will be much, much better because of Jill’s input. She’s been wonderful in every way, and she has a great sense of humor, at no extra charge!"
--William Marsiglio, co-author, Families and Friendships (HarperCollins); author: Procreative Man (New York University Press), Men on a Mission (Johns Hopkins University Press) and numerous other published books. He is also a Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida.

***

"Jill Dearman has the ability to provide practical instruction on how to prune what's not essential to a written piece, thus helping to uncover that which is. Jill's natural enthusiasm, selfless support, and the knowledge and respect she has for the individual artistic process, makes her an ideal editor for writers of any level."
--John, McCaffrey's short stories, book reviews, and essays, have appeared in Fiction, KGBBAR.LIT, Smokelong Quarterly, Word Riot, and other literary periodicals. A Pushcart Prize nominee, he was part of Flash Fiction Forward, an anthology published (Summer 2006) by W.W. Norton & Company, which contained stories by noted writers such as Paul Theroux, Ann Hood, Rick Moody, and Dave Eggers.

***

"I originally went to Jill with a handful of half-formed ideas for a potential novel; seven months later I had a workable first draft. She has helped me to break bad habits, try out new ideas I might have otherwise discarded out of hand, and even, on occasion, given me a much-needed kick in the ass when inertia and self-doubt threatened to overcome me. One's worst enemy as a writer is always oneself, and in that struggle one can ask for no better ally."
--Ian Toll has written extensively about film and cultural matters for a variety of print and online publications, and has also worked as a script reader for United Artists, a freelance production assistant and a film archivist.

SCREENPLAYS / PLAYS:
"As a screenwriter, I realized my script had to be near perfect in order to convey as clear and concise a story as possible. Jill Dearman sifted through the detritus left in the wake of my process and helped lift my prose from merely acceptable copy to shoot-ready. Action!"
--Scott Duffy has contributed to numerous film and television projects for VH1, E*MUSIC, FORBES, COMEDY CENTRAL, BET, and several feature films.

 

• To be an effective editor, an inspired ghost writer, one must first be a passionate reader. Like my favorite author, Patricia Highsmith, I am fascinated with the concept of the double. What does an editor or a ghost writer do, if not, get under the skin of a text and become a part of it? Many of Highsmith's books are set in exotic locales; I too do my best work on location! (Here I am editing and ghost writing for clients on location on Vieques).

 

 

 

 

 

Jill Dearman has been a practicing astrologer in New York City for many years. In her highly constructive sessions, she blends a Jungian approach with Kabbalistic insights. A practical mystic, she brings the astrological cycles and meaning of the tarot, and Kabbalah down to earth. Mademoiselle has called her one of the nation's top astrologers. Her books have been published by St. Martins and translated into several languages. She has written about astrology for numerous magazines, and currently writes the astrology column for Redbook.

Client Endorsements

"Years later, I still reflect on Jill's reading of my highly Arian chart -- in many ways, she provided me with lessons and themes that will instruct me for the rest of my life."
--Karyn Kusama, filmmaker, Girlfight, Aeon Flux.

Karyn Kusama and Jill Dearman, Photo by Godlis

 

"Unlike many astrologers, Jill approaches each reading as a window into the elements that comprise a personality, not to "predict" the future. So when she gave a reading for my newborn son, it was fascinating to hear about his potential interests and personality, and i often think about her reading, as it has proven to be amazingly accurate. A great gift for a new parent."
--Laura Staton, co-author, Baby Om: Yoga for Mothers and Babies.

 

"Jill brings together her stealth Scorpionic insights with years of
experience. You need to get a reading from her to unlock life's
mysterie … and more importantly your own. She'll intuitively zoom
right in on the issues that matter to you and shed light like few can."
-- Sherene Schostak, co-author, Surviving Saturn's Return.

 

Jill Dearman's "Queer Astrology for Men" is outstanding! It's the ultimate gay man's survival guide for living and loving. I don't know how I dated in L.A. before reading Jill Dearman's book. Dearman's exquisite writing is Beauty, Brains, and Charm on the page. I use it as a reference guide every single time I ready for a date. Buy this book right now. Dearman is relentlessly hip and effortlessly striking."
--David Jay Lasky, The New York Times.

Jill Dearman personifies all the best parts of New York City. She's
brilliant and irreverent, soulful and sophisticated, and more
down-to-earth than most people you'll ever meet. Her knowledge of pop culture and insight into the cosmic world is quite simply life-
altering. She guided me into a new phase of creativity with psychic
wisdom and great humor. Jill understands the basic laws of causality and the cosmos with a laid-back intuition that will make you feel safe and very strong. Jill Dearman is a good person, a great reader of people and literature, and a writer of many gifts. It is a blessing to be in her presence.
--Molly Rosen, Seventeen, YM.

 

For information e-mail Jill Dearman@gmail.com. Check out Jill's profile in Time Out New York!

BANG THE KEYS!

Writing Seminar for Companies

Writing Guru Jill Dearman will create and deliver a bang up workshop based on her highly successful 4 Step Writing Method, tailored especially to your company's needs.

CHALLENGE: Does your company need a dose of pep, and there's no vitametavegamin available?

SOLUTION: This writing seminar will energize your people into putting the zing back into their prose so that your clients won't be forced to doze.

CHALLENGE: Is your staff full of great ideas but not always able to produce on the page?

SOLUTION: A half or full day workshop of writing coaching, exercises and lessons in the craft of storytelling, prose-polishing and more will make sure that your employees deliver results, before you are reduced to delivering pizzas! (It's a tough economy but thin crust always seems to sell).

I can adapt the basic principles of my simple and effective 4 step writing method into a seminar geared towards re-igniting the embers of creative enthusiasm in your communications crew, while teaching them delicious and nutritious new techniques for understanding the strategies behind storytelling (and story selling!). To balance out the program I will be sure to inspire in them a passion for the elegant craft of line editing with precision and panache, My aim is to infuse these evolving wordsmiths with the sense of play needed to turn their writing pieces into pitch perfect performances that possess the boldness, clarity, and suspense of the most intoxicating seduction. (Worry not: only coffee, not absinthe will be required for the course!) After this extravaganza, they should be able to take the tools and spirit of the seminar and apply themselves willingly and skillfully to their writing assignments. I can then virtually follow up with them shortly after they've been pushed from the workshop nest and allowed to fly free.

I have worked with non-profit and for-profit companies to transform "cut and paste" and "thesaurus search" addicted employees into creative craftsmen with newfound skill sets such as the ability to turn a phrase, communicate the essence of a story or marketing concept, and pare down and punch up a page of prose.