From outline to final draft, we’ll be there every step of the way. 

Because great nonfiction doesn’t happen overnight.

 

Our online creative nonfiction coaches support writers through all stages of project development, from the first sentence to the final submission. Don’t settle for amateur writing help: work with professional writing consultants trained at the world’s top literary institutions.

 
 

memoir - autobiography - life writing - personal essay - art criticism - book and film reviews - cultural commentary - satire - comedy & humor writing - travel writing - food writing - health & wellness writing - nature writing - newsletters - more

 

explore nonfiction

 

Our Pillars

Learn what sets the Gilliam Writers Group apart.

 

A Hands-On Approach

write better, together.

 
Gilliam Writers Group is committed to providing actionable, practical feedback that helps every client become a better writer, no matter their training or goals. We believe that a creative writing coach should offer not only technical support, but a collaborative, participatory learning experience, to each person they work with. The interactive, growth-oriented nature of this service is what distinguishes writing coaching from editing; while editing is asynchronous, coaching calls for real-time human connection. While editing is product-focused, coaching attends equally to the writer, their product, and their process of production.

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GWG’s creative nonfiction coaches take a hands-on approach to our clients’ writing. Though this might seem incompatible with the virtual format of our meetings, it isn’t; we’ve found that our online sessions are highly effective for learning — not despite, but because of their digital format. Meeting on Zoom and Google Docs allows the participants to engage with written text in organic, cooperative ways; by collaborating on cloud-based documents, our coaches can shift seamlessly between dialogue and demonstration, idea and experiment, critique and revision. The virtual environment introduces an unprecedented level of immediacy into the workshopping process, making it possible for us to intervene in our clients’ output far more naturally than we could in a physical setting.
Practically speaking, this means our creative writing coaches can mark up your work with you live on video, demystifying editorial methods. We can observe your writing process unfolding in real time and provide actionable pointers on technique. We can instantly demonstrate the skills you want to learn — all without the awkwardness of peering over each other’s shoulders or passing notebooks back and forth.
If you’re still feeling uncertain (or excited!) about the logistics of one-on-one creative nonfiction classes online, we invite you to schedule a free consultation call. A Gilliam Writers Group Enrollment Manager will be happy to answer any questions you may have and match you with a professional writing coach.

Long-Term Collaboration

coaching changes lives.

 
Whether you’re interested in a short personal essay writing class or a more extensive memoir writing course, we hope you’ll consider building a long-term creative partnership with your GWG nonfiction writing coach. Why? Because the longer you work with a writing coach, the more impactful their insight becomes. A coach’s most valuable assets – nuanced interpersonal awareness, an intuitive grasp of their clients’ evolving skill sets, and deep familiarity with their work – simply aren’t available off-the-shelf.

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These layers of comprehension take time to emerge, relying as they do on data from months and even years of regular meetings. As time passes and the client-coach relationship deepens, this data becomes understanding, and informs our work as creative writing coaches in countless beneficial ways. We rely on the long process of trial and error to gain perspective on which interventions lead to the greatest improvements in a given client’s writing, for example, or which strategies most consistently mitigate their writer’s block. The more thoroughly we know our clients as individuals, the more precisely and impactfully we can apply our expertise to their writing.
Many of our senior faculty members have met with the same clients weekly for years; several of GWG’s very first customers are still active in our community today. Long-term collaboration is a core value of the Gilliam Writers Group, foundational to both the sustainability of our business and the quality of our services.

Qualified Coaches

training you can trust.

 
Gilliam Writers Group coaches are highly trained writers, expert editors, and passionate teachers of the art and science of creative nonfiction. Scroll through our Faculty page and you’ll see graduate degrees in writing and literature from the country’s top MFA and PhD programs; years of professional experience in the publishing industry, media, and education; and strong track records of literary publication.

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Writing by our faculty and emeritus faculty appears in top publications including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Bookforum, Artforum, Granta, Longreads, The Southern Review, Tin House, A Public Space, AGNI, Foreign Policy, JSTOR Daily, Vice, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, The Cincinnati Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, American Poetry Review, The Common, Al Jazeera, The New York Review of Books, Electric Lit, The Rumpus, Los Angeles Review of Books, Food & Wine, Ploughshares, and more.
We have been published by Simon and Schuster and Penguin Random House, among other presses large and small, and have earned multiple awards and prizes for fiction, poetry, and criticism.
Before hiring an online nonfiction writing coach through the Gilliam Writers Group, we invite you to request a writing sample from their portfolio. That way, you can experience for yourself the exceptional combination of talent and training our team has to offer.

Forms & Genres

Expand your literary skill set, fine-tune your prose, or complete your latest manuscript or draft with an online nonfiction writing coach. Our faculty works in every form and genre of creative nonfiction.

Writing Coaching for Creative Nonfiction

true stories, gorgeously told.

 
The Gilliam Writers Group is your pathway to mastery in creative nonfiction. Our coaching services are designed to spark your imagination and guide you in crafting narratives that inform, inspire, and captivate. We are here to help you breathe life into your nonfiction prose, assisting you with the vital, messy work of weaving facts into meaningful stories.

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“Creative nonfiction” encompasses a vast array of literature. Your nonfiction writing coach can guide you through any subsection of this broad literary spectrum, whether you're intrigued by the incisive cultural commentary of James Baldwin, the immersive reporting style of Susan Orlean, or the philosophical musings of Henry David Thoreau. If you're drawn to the lyrical personal narratives of Maya Angelou, our nonfiction writing lessons can help you weave your experiences into an engrossing memoir. If the poignant essays of Roxane Gay speak to you, we can assist you in articulating your own viewpoints with equal power and finesse.
In weekly or bi-weekly video meetings, your creative writing coach online will collaborate with you on any projects or concepts you bring to the table — even if you’re starting from scratch. They’ll provide inspiring prompts tailored to your interests, supportive strategic advice, and detailed technical feedback to help you hone your narrative skills. Our shared digital workspace enables real-time editing, mutual brainstorming, and immediate input during sessions, offering you the convenience of learning to write nonfiction (or building on your existing skills) from the comfort of your own home.
At GWG, we know from personal experience that every writer has a worthwhile story to share. Our mission is to help you fully realize your own unique voice and narrative style. Whether you’re a journalist seeking to enhance your storytelling techniques, an author working on a nonfiction book, or an enthusiast aiming to turn personal experiences into art, we’ll design a curriculum that suits your needs. Our custom creative nonfiction courses can focus on any genre you choose, from memoirs and personal essays to biographies and opinion pieces.
For writers with publishing aspirations, a nonfiction book writing coach or memoir writing coach from our faculty of professional authors can offer invaluable insights on manuscript preparation, submission strategies, and the current publishing landscape. We provide our clients with comprehensive guidance on the various aspects of the publishing process, ensuring you have the knowledge and tools to confidently present your work to the world.
And for those who write purely for the joy of storytelling or personal reflection, GWG offers a creative, supportive environment for translating thoughts, insights, and memories into stories. There is nothing more satisfying — and perhaps nothing more enlightening — than seeing yourself take shape on the page, and a well-designed nonfiction writing class can facilitate that experience over and over again. Make this a regular practice, and who knows where your writing journey might take you? Find out with us at the Gilliam Writers Group, where your creativity meets our expertise.
To learn more about our creative nonfiction coaching services, please schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation call with a GWG Enrollment Manager. We’re here to support you, from blank page to final draft.

Memoir & Autobiography

mirror, mirror...

 
In every life, there is a story waiting to be told. If you want to give expression to your own story through a memoir or autobiography, the Gilliam Writers Group would love to help. Our online creative writing coaches offer personalized, long-term support to clients who feel called to transform their lived experiences into compelling prose.

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Before we continue, a definition of terms is in order. A “memoir” is a personal narrative that chronicles a significant period or event in someone’s past, allowing for deep, detail-oriented reflection on the part of the writer. An “autobiography,” on the other hand, is a retrospective narrative that records the entire trajectory of a writer's life thus far. It demands a profound level of self-awareness, introspection, and honesty, as well as a hardy sense of perspective.
Notable memoirists like Mary Karr, Jeannette Walls, and Tobias Wolff have shared their tales of struggle, triumph, and transformation, giving others the courage to do the same. The autobiographical tradition, for its part, brings us sweeping classics from luminaries like Maya Angelou, whose I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings paints a stark portrait of her early life, and Benjamin Franklin, whose recollections contain priceless historical and political insights. These authors, along with countless others, left us the gift of their lives set down on paper – to cherish, to learn from, and to pass on to future generations.
Crafting a memoir or autobiography, of course, is not just about recollecting events and setting them down on paper. It’s about weaving your personal experiences into stories that touch hearts and inspire minds. It’s about identifying those poignant, everyday moments in which the personal meets the universal, and interpreting them in a way that brings insight to others. Every autobiography and memoir writing coach on GWG’s faculty understands this distinction; we are highly experienced at helping clients navigate their life histories, identify what has shaped them, and translate their impressions into clear, meaningful accounts.
One of the major difficulties in writing a memoir is knowing when and where to begin the story of your life. Perhaps the most important role our coaches can play in guiding the writing process is helping you identify the major themes and most important moments within the narrative of your life. Your coach is able to consider your life story objectively (while still appreciating the personal nature of the narrative), providing an invaluable outside perspective that can let you know the most resonant and affecting aspects of your reflections.
If desired, your coach can design an online memoir writing course or autobiography writing course that guides you through every phase of the creative process, from outlining to final tweaks and touch-ups. Together, you will plumb the depths of literary craft, addressing concerns both broad (like story arc and plot structure) and narrow (like the artful use of detail and dialogue in specific scenes). Whether you're beginning with fragments of memory or an already-compiled life chronicle, our online autobiography and memoir writing courses will help you compose a manuscript that makes you – and your readers – proud.
Just as each life story is unique, your coach’s approach will reflect your particular needs as a client. Your sessions together can be as structured or flexible as you choose; some clients may prefer a series of curriculum-oriented writing lessons, similar to an online class, while others might opt for a more conversational approach, treating each meeting as a creative dialogue with their coach. Whatever your preference, we’ll support you in writing at your own pace, in your own style and voice. We're not just showing you how to write excellent nonfiction — we're accompanying you on a deep-dive into your past.
Remember, you don't need to have a complete manuscript, or even a rough outline, to work with one of our writing coaches. All you need is something to say (or the desire to find it) and a willingness to immerse yourself in the coaching process. Our memoir and autobiography writing coaches will be there for you every step of the way as you tap your literary potential and share your recollections with the world. No matter who you are, your words, your memories, are valuable.
Please note that writing coaching takes place via Zoom and a shared Google Docs space. While most of our sessions take place virtually, GWG may in select cases be able to offer memoir writing classes near you, especially if you live in New York City. To discuss the possibility of setting up an in-person memoir or autobiography writing course in NYC, please reach out or schedule a free consultation call with one of our Enrollment Managers. For more information on our asynchronous editing services, see our Editing page (Services — Editing).
Discover the transformative power of creative nonfiction classes online with the Gilliam Writers Group. Schedule your consultation today to hire an autobiography or memoir writing coach, or to learn more about how we can help you tell your story.

Short Form Nonfiction: Life Writing & Creative Essay

The “I” of the beholder.

 
Whether you’re interested in penning diaristic personal essays, columns based on your work, reviews of the arts, or newsletters about travel or food, short-form nonfiction offers terrain for every writer. At the Gilliam Writers Group, we embrace this literary diversity, fostering a vibrant creative ecosystem where all of our clients can find a niche. 

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Whereas long-form nonfiction leaves room for rumination, short-form nonfiction hinges on the author’s ability to balance artistry with concision. An online life writing course or personal essay writing class with GWG can show you how to achieve this balance, helping you compose meaningful narratives that capture your readers' attention quickly, sustain it intensely, and leave a lasting impression. We empower our clients to thrive within the constraints of even the strictest word limits, crafting vibrant pieces that pack a punch.
If you have developed a taste for the fruits of other writers’ contemplations, whether you prefer the work of Annie Ernaux, Ta-Nehisi Coates,, or Hilary Mantel, your writing coach can design an online personal essay writing class tailored to your individual tastes. Many authors find the shift from long-form works to short-form pieces invigorating; these shorter pieces exercise a different writing muscle than books, forcing you to rapidly immerse readers in your perceptions and make every word count.
If you’re a keen observer of the little things in life, someone who appreciates the quirks and contours of people’s every-day stories, then you might consider exploring your own cache of memories through short-form life writing courses online. In regular virtual meetings, you’ll work with your coach to condense emotionally ripe, deeply personal narratives into just a few pages. GWG’s life writing coaches eschew one-size-fits-all techniques and standardized templates for “good” nonfiction, emphasizing instead the pleasures of particularity. In other words, if you’re tired of workshop platitudes and sweeping generalizations about writing, then we’re the firm for you.
That’s because GWG’s nonfiction writing coaches not only support other authors but actually write short nonfiction of their own; our faculty’s work appears in many of the most distinguished literary journals in the US and beyond, as well as in several major collections and anthologies — more with each passing year. Our team’s deep familiarity with the writing and submissions process makes us uniquely insightful editors, mentors, and creative partners; as a client of the Gilliam Writers Group, you'll have our first-hand expertise at your disposal.
Ready to learn the ropes of life writing and personal essay? Eager to improve your latest draft? Let’s have a conversation. No matter your level of experience, we’d love to discuss how our online personal essay writing classes or life writing courses might benefit you. Just click on one of the "book consultation" buttons scattered throughout this page to book a free, 15-minute consultation call with one of our Enrollment Managers.

All Genres

a coach for every client.

 
The Gilliam Writers Group faculty has experience working in every type of nonfiction. Don’t be shy with your inquiries; whatever your preferred genre or style, at least one creative writing coach on our team has either written it themselves or supported an author who has. We read, write, and teach it all: memoir, autobiography, life writing, personal essay, art criticism, book and film reviews, cultural commentary, satire, comedy writing, travel writing, food writing, and more.

 Determining Fit

Is Gilliam right for you? Learn more about how – and who – a nonfiction writing coach can help.

  • Hobbyists who write creatively for fun

    Creative writers (of all levels) interested in seeking publication, entering writing contests, or submitting their work to literary magazines and journals

    Professional writers in other genres who want to break into creative nonfiction

    Published authors and essayists who need additional support (beyond their current agents or editors)

    Students interested in improving their work or exploring a passion

    Clients of all ages (primarily adults, but also young adults and children – most of our younger clientele hire us for tutoring rather than coaching)

    Total beginners who want to try out creative writing coaching for the first time or learn new skills

    Applicants to writing fellowships, writing residencies, MFA programs in creative writing, etc.

  • Guide you through the processes of submitting your work and seeking publication (we have lots of experience querying agents, pitching to journals & literary magazines, etc.)

    Help you start – and finish – a book project or story/essay collection

    Collaborate with you to develop a book or essay concept

    Help you edit, restructure, and improve your existing work – see our Editing page for more detail if you’re interested in hiring an asynchronous (outside-of-session) editor

    Give you the skills you need to improve your work independently, whether you’re writing at a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level

    Enrich your plot development, pacing, or organizational skills through storytelling coaching

    Support you in finding your voice as a writer

    Teach you how to write more clearly and elegantly, or to write in a certain style

    Reinforce your mastery of grammar and punctuation, even by providing formal grammar lessons if desired

    Show you how to convey personal memories in a compelling, entertaining way

    Strengthen your writing practice by advising you on time management, planning, and strategy

    Help you learn to write nonfiction if you’re a total beginner

    Guide you through a private, highly customized online course such as a memoir writing course, life writing course, or comedy writing class

    Meet with you regularly and consistently on a weekly or biweekly basis (online via video chat and a shared digital document)

    Offer encouragement and motivation beyond technical feedback

    Facilitate engaging and productive writing coaching sessions, even when you don’t show up with any written work

    Provide and co-sign an NDA to protect your privacy

  • Write on your behalf or produce written work for you outside of meetings

    Read or edit your work without payment, on our own time

    Take responsibility for your attendance at coaching sessions (though we will absolutely remind and encourage you to attend)

    Force you to maintain a certain writing schedule (we can help you create a schedule, but we cannot ensure that you stick to it)

    Guarantee publication, admission to programs or fellowships, or a successful career in our industry

    Tolerate plagiarism of any kind

    Take the place of a therapist – we are coaches, teachers and editors, not trained counselors

    Guarantee that one of our faculty members will be available to provide nonfiction writing classes near you (we do, however, guarantee that we can provide online nonfiction writing classes of the very highest quality)

    Act as your representative or personal correspondent to agencies, agents, publishers, magazines, journals, contest administrators, admissions boards, or any other person or entity

Pricing

Nonfiction coaching costs between $85 and $200 per hour. To learn more about our rate structure, use the drop-down menu below or visit our pricing page for authors, creatives, and professionals.

  • The Gilliam Writers Group bills hourly for online creative writing coaching, following our standard rate model for time-based services.

Getting Started

Connect with a nonfiction writing coach in 3 simple steps. Our onboarding process is thorough and convenient, resulting in successful client-coach matches.

Step 1

Schedule your consultation.

 
To connect with a creative nonfiction writing coach from the Gilliam Writers Group faculty, we invite you to first schedule a free, 15-minute consultation call with a representative from our company’s leadership team.

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During this intake call, we’ll guide you through a series of standardized questions about your background, experience, and goals, taking detailed notes on your responses. These notes will form the basis of your client brief – an internal document central to GWG’s client-coach matching process. After answering any lingering questions, your representative will conclude the call and email you two important documents.
First, you’ll receive our new client onboarding brochure, a PDF containing useful resources including a list of best practices, contact information for everyone on our leadership team, and the link to a feedback form you can submit at any point during your work with the Gillam Writers Group. Second, you will receive a link to our service agreement (fillable online). We co-sign this form with all new clients to establish clear terms of engagement and, above all, to protect your interests – for example, to legally bind ourselves to nondisclosure. You can later dissolve this agreement at any time, for any reason, with just 24 hours’ notice.

Step 2

Connect with your coach.

 
Within 24 hours of your consultation call, your newly assigned writing coach will reach out via email and text to schedule your first session.

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At this point, they’ll already have a clear sense of your background, needs, and preferred meeting schedule; it is our policy to always read a new client’s brief before making contact. This mitigates redundancy in GWG’s onboarding process; as you establish communication with your coach, you won’t need to rehash the basics of your interest in comedy writing classes, for example, or the personality profile of your ideal memoir writing helper. Your coach will already be in the loop.

Step 3

Enjoy your first session.

 
Our online writing coaching sessions take place on Zoom and Google Docs, and emphasize guided, real-time practice combined with immediate feedback.

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The structure of your first session will depend largely on your particular needs and the discernment of your coach; there is no standard formula, though most such meetings are necessarily focused on gathering information, assessing the client’s writing and goals, and developing a plan of action. After your first session, we suggest that you and your coach agree on a regular weekly or biweekly (once every two weeks) meeting time and stick to it. Over the years, we have found that consistent weekly or biweekly sessions generate the clearest improvements in our clients’ writing and writing processes.
The Gilliam Writers Group is primarily an online company; however, if you’re interested in setting up in-person nonfiction writing classes near you, please book a consultation call to discuss. In certain cases, we may be able to offer creative writing lessons in NYC, which is home to a large part of our community.

Swapping Coaches

just in case.

 
If you find that you and your writing coach aren’t a match, or you decide to work with other GWG faculty in the future, our leadership team can support you in choosing another creative nonfiction coach.

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Before matching you with another faculty member, we will usually suggest that you first tell your writing coach as clearly as possible what you believe is missing in your work together. Open, honest dialogue is essential to the service we offer; all GWG writing coaches have strong interpersonal skills, but none of us can read minds.
If clear communication does not yield the hoped-for results, or you no longer want to work with your coach for any reason, just let our leadership team know. We’ll initiate a new, more streamlined client-coach matching process, supplementing your original client brief (the one created during your initial consultation call) with updated information to reflect both your progress and the reasons you are pausing work with your previous coach.

Interested in working with a creative nonfiction writing coach?

Schedule a free consultation call with a Gilliam Writers Group Enrollment Manager. We’ll help you find a writing coach online in 24 hours or less.

You can book your call directly on our scheduling page by clicking the button below:

 

  • Brady Gilliam, Founder

  • Tadeh Kennedy, Enrollment Manager

  • Misha McDaniel, Enrollment Manager

 

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