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I am a firm believer that a non-published professional can become a successful writing coach. However, that doesn’t detract from the fact that guiding a writer to write effectively requires certain skills, such as knowing how to tread unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory and helping a writer craft the best version of their story, all while leveraging personal strengths to benefit the writer.Deciding who to serve makes all the difference in coaching sessions. And a coach should identify a zone of genius by channeling their own experience in a space where they can navigate easily and investigate the author’s issues. For me, I prefer to work with writers suffering from self-doubt and perfectionism.who suffer from self-doubt and perfectionism, as I can relate to that kind of writer, because when I first started <a data-mce-href="https://devonproofreader.com/blog/daegucityboy" href="https://devonproofreader.com/blog/daegucityboy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">studying Korean</a> over a decade ago, I pushed myself to sound as Korean as possible. The realization that I will never become a native Korean speaker came after my first year of living in South Korea. The same goes for writing anything; instead of striving for perfection (emulating another writer’s voice), a writer should focus on building on the correct skills and recognizing their limits.&nbsp;Having a system in place is the antidote for chaos. By solid systems, I mean embracing technology to streamline coaching sessions. For example, collaboration platforms like OneDrive and Google Drive are useful for sharing documents. Even Reedsy has a self-publishing application that lets writers and editors collaborate simultaneously. All of these tools make collaboration simple by generating a shareable link. If a coach instructs a writer to produce 500 words a day for 30 days straight, the coach can make daily notes and suggestions on the file at any time. And in between, they can exchange voice notes with walkie-talkie apps like Voxer. This is especially helpful for more shy or introverted writers who don’t work well in person or on video calls.Coaching a writer means knowing your shit when it comes to busineess practices. I can go on all day about this, so here are some key bullets to drive home my point:<ul><li>Establish boundaries for time-management purposes. A client shouldn’t call you in the middle of the night with a burning question.</li><li>Editorial skills (knowing how to write; recognizing incorrect usage of grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc) are crucial for evaluating a narrative design for the author’s writing. A coach must know the difference between there, their, and they’re; and not promote fallacies like “I before E except after C.”</li><li>Connect with clients correctly by showing empathy. One coaching style that works well with a bullish writer doesn’t work with a timid writer, especially when it comes to memoirists.</li><li>Help the writer make peace with marketing and experiment with different social media platforms. Twitter and BlueSky promote creativity by limiting word count, Substack works well for serial narratives and building readership through newsletter marketing, and LinkedIn is well-suited for thought leadership and professionals who want to reinvent themselves.</li><li>Take small but actionable steps by showcasing business skills with a website, easy-to-understand contracts, and customized project plans for each client. These and more add legitimacy to a coaching business.</li></ul>Last but not least, a writing coach must visualize success by believing they can meet any challenge. Working with memoirists means I have to search for ways to best serve a central moment in someone else’s life. By studying Psychology, I can learn to ask the right questions and engage with others in their zones, affording me the skills to capture a writer’s mind so I can develop a well-formed idea of why they want to write better.<a data-mce-href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">LET'S CONNECT﻿</a>

The Skills Of A Writing Coach

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A ghostwriter is an emotional-labor-intensive writer for hire who helps authors access their hard-to-reach lived experiences. When an author is too busy, too afraid, or unenlightened about how to journalize their story, the ghostwriter is there to offer a reality check on what needs to be done to get started. One misconception about ghostwriters is that we help writers cheat, or we simply just write for other people. I like to think that we help authors navigate the different avenues of getting a story to the surface.A good ghostwriter knows that literary content creators are thriving in a dismantled publishing industry, meaning the barrier to entry is damn near collapsed. A traditional publishing deal is no longer the only way to become a successful author; writers can publish pristine essays on a blog for free; compile them into a self-edited, self-designed e-book; post a purchase link on their social media; and print on demand as orders roll in—much more sustainable than printing hundreds of books at once, hoping to sell out. No more department bureaucracy! If successful, that same book can help the author secure speaking opportunities and lead writing workshops.So where does ghostwriting come in? Having the ability to write well consistently is not a requirement. We have to help the author access information they probably thought they’d forgotten about. As much as I would love to know everything about someone just by looking into their eyes, I am not a telekinetic, and that would look creepy if I tried it! A tactful ghostwriter has a custom list of questions for the author, so the end product comes to fruition. The author’s detailed answers, in turn, become an overview of the entire project, and it is from here that the ghostwriter can start on the work, while regularly checking in with the author, of course.I would never promise an author a thriving writing career, a publishing deal, recognition, awards, or any of the glitz and glamour many authors hope for. My only promise is to keep an impartial investment in the outcome of the product, whether it be a manuscript, essay, or an individual literary grant application. An author doesn’t pay me for my words; rather, they pay for an easy-to-work-with collaborator, the emotional aspect that I bring to a project, and my advocacy for their voice. (And *drum roll* reduced stress and on-time submissions.)<a data-mce-href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">LET'S CONNECT﻿</a>

You Might Need A Ghostwriter

<figure id="figure-323mwz8ilmkwgxs6q"><img id="323mwz8ilmkwgxs6q" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/13KMEQi4jJCyFxHSeAo2tHLZ8vx6c6wauL31K6jONIQ07sXg19tD5dBwC2pbvByL.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>When I first got the idea to move to South Korea in 2013, someone in my job at the time asked, “Why would you move halfway across the world to teach English when Mexico is right down the street?” He had a point. Of all countries, why South Korea? Not Japan, but South Korea?! But it didn’t matter; I was already set on moving halfway across the world. And it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision either. Of course, I needed a passport—my ticket to the world—but I’d already been culturally preparing myself at that point. (My chopstick skills were better than any Korean I’d met.) If done sloppily, moving to a foreign country can be the worst decision of your life. I mean the worst. With this guide from my lived experience, however, the move can be a piece of cake, or what Koreans say, “like eating rice cake lying down.”Your passport must prove you’re from one of the seven official English-speaking countries. Having English as your first language has absolutely nothing to do with teaching skills or the ability to converse well. With that said, teaching ESL in South Korea requires a passport proving your nationality is from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, the United States of America, or Canada. I don’t think there is any way around that. It was written into all the teaching contracts at the schools where I taught.I recommend sharpening your professional development skills before deciding to teach anything anywhere. In South Korea, an online certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for applying for full-time positions. Don’t worry if your major isn’t in direct line with English, education, Asian studies, or any other field you’re sweating bullets about; having a higher education is what matters. It’s most likely the law, just like the passport requirement, but it also shows some skin in the game by knowing how to learn. So, anyone who feels they wasted money on a four-year degree can spend a few years teaching ESL in Asia! I hold a bachelor’s in Communication with a minor in Spanish. (Don’t expect to tener una conversación with me, though.)To double down on professional development, let’s sprinkle in some ways to sharpen your intercultural communication skills. No matter which country they’re from, they’ll appreciate your efforts and host you at their dinner parties! Make friends with international students at your local university. I recommended frequenting the International Studies Department. For extra brownie points, get acquainted with language-specific professors and international professors. One professor who helped me was a Political Science professor from South Korea. Offer them advice on the best places to eat, how to settle into life (college/work/marriage) in your country, etc. Better yet, start your own language exchange club at a library. You may earn the title of Cultural Advisor in your neighborhood.Leadership skills will set you free. Let’s be real. Becoming a successful teacher takes getting comfortable speaking in front of people; there is no way around it. Everyone "speaks" nonverbally; even kindergarten ESL students can sniff anxiety from a new teacher. We can all agree that teaching is not an easy job, and being half across the world can magnify the experience tenfold, sending any seasoned teacher on the first flight back to their home country. Leadership skills are crucial in teaching abroad because, technically, you are in their house. Be stern in the beginning, then slowly ease up as the school year progresses. This sets the tone for the classroom, affording you wiggle room to mold yourself into the type of teacher you want to become. Being too nice in the first weeks will lead you in the wrong direction; students will walk all over you and, worse, bring their parents to class to evaluate your teaching practices.This last point goes without saying: Learn basic Korean at the very least! If you’re lucky like I was and have more than enough opportunity to practice your Korean speaking skills before making the big move, your efforts (and new friends) will thank you later. It goes without saying that learning a new language is not only fun, but it also enhances cultural competence and shows your peers (classmates, future employers, co-workers) that you’re willing to cast aside your own culture for a while. Even though you’ll be discouraged from using any Korean in your teaching workplace, you’ll be free to speak to whomever you like everywhere else.This list isn’t a comprehensive life guide for living abroad, but a few of the lifestyle tips I practiced before taking the big dive. So what are you waiting for?!<a data-mce-href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LET'S CONNECT</a>

Step Into Teaching ESL With Pride

<figure id="figure-2nm7uw21yymkwgpy06" class=""><img id="2nm7uw21yymkwgpy06" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/auhpErimJ75ntXBe4lV1YJBmlhPMa9fJirwzdxaBa3Eke27OvGxBjG0PYnOJ0vGO.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% undefined%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="3:2" data-caption="" data-positionx="50%" data-positiony="undefined%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/auhpErimJ75ntXBe4lV1YJBmlhPMa9fJirwzdxaBa3Eke27OvGxBjG0PYnOJ0vGO.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 3/2; object-position: 50% undefined%;"></figure>One year after graduating from Angelo State University in 2012, I <a data-mce-href="https://devonproofreader.com/blog/packyourbagsandmovetotheonecountrynow" href="https://devonproofreader.com/blog/packyourbagsandmovetotheonecountrynow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moved to South Korea</a> to teach English. (Jindo Island from 2013 to 2014; Gangjin in Summer 2014; Daegu from 2014 to 2018.) It was the best decision ever. And everyone should jump at the opportunity to live abroad at least once in their lives—teaching jobs are a dime a dozen in Asia. Even though I left South Korea in 2018, I still enjoy studying Korean and watching 무엇이든 물어보살 on YouTube. Getting a Korean-language certification has been on my back burner for years, but at this point, I should probably get one so I can attract more Korean clients.Reading has been my favorite hobby forever—the kid me read stuff he probably shouldn’t have been reading before he could even drive. Somehow, my interest in horror movies and cryptozoology turned me to true crime, noir crime fiction, and Goosebumps. R.L. Stine and James Ellroy, especially, were my favorite writers for the longest, and I have a vivid memory of buying Robert Bloch’s Psycho from Hastings (those who know, know) around Y2K. Nowadays, my morning routine includes reading for 45 minutes. If you trapped me on an island with only one book to read, I would choose Lost City of Z by David Grann.Over the years, I’ve had many jobs, odd and not so odd: translator, forklift trainer, parking lot maintenance, social media blogger, food (and toy) delivery driver. Just lots of randomness. Currently, I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, studying Psychology at Tulsa Community College. In my free-time I research grants, watch webinars about publishing and writing, learn stenography (for a future in psychiatric transcription and court reporting), and probe the best ways to make my website look better. Sometimes I’ll just think of something random and then update it.While in South Korea, I made every effort to meet as many Koreans as possible. Some of my cultural activities included radio and TV appearances (I once auditioned for a comedy show), Korean speaking contests, and tour guide stuff. I don't have the links for many of them, and every time I try to find the really good ones, I end up in a rabbit hole of K-content. Here are some articles I've appeared in.Daegu Newspaper: <a data-mce-href="https://www.idaegu.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=177482" href="https://www.idaegu.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=177482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">한글로 이름 쓴 외국인들 “예뻐요</a>” (August 2015)Yeongnam Ilbo Interview: <a data-mce-href="https://www.yeongnam.com/web/view.php?key=20170502.010290818010001" href="https://www.yeongnam.com/web/view.php?key=20170502.010290818010001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">[이 사람] 미국에서 온 유치원 영어교사 데븐 퍼부시</a> &nbsp;(May 2017)MediCity Daegu: <a data-mce-href="https://www.hkbs.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=430019" href="https://www.hkbs.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=430019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">메디시티 대구 SNS 홍보단(메디터) 발대식 개최</a> (July 2017)SME Daily Newspaper: <a data-mce-href="https://www.smedaily.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=71456" href="https://www.smedaily.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=71456" target="_blank" rel="noopener">세계인이 참가하는 ‘한국어 말하기 경연대회’ 열려</a> (October 2017)Fun facts about me:<ul><li>My favorite song is "It Keeps You Running" by The Doobie Brothers.</li><li>I once rode a bus through the Baltic States—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—in the dead middle of winter.</li><li>I got braces in 2025, at 38 years old.</li></ul><a data-mce-href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" href="https://devonproofreader.com/slide-in-my-inbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LET'S CONNECT</a>

Devon Furbush

Blog

The Skills Of A Writing Coach

You Might Need A Ghostwriter

Step Into Teaching ESL With Pride

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