Dr. Dan's English Reading, Writing & Creative Coaching/Consulting
About
My services as a Writing Coach & Consultant is to ensure your personal writing VOICE, (whether creatively, in your college essays, or resumes) is clearly heard while making sure you cultivate a skill set that will achieve any of the writing goals you have set for yourself.
Working with me is a personable experience. Unlike working with a tutoring company, we work side-by-side. We become a team concerned only with YOUR success.
I believe that my creative writing background as a Poet and my experience as a college professor (currently part of the USC Writing Faculty) gives me a unique perspective on how to approach writing, both academically and creatively. Writing is a collaborative effort. It is not a contest, but instead is a skill that invites an audience--that audience can be a blog readership, academic scholars, your teacher, or fans of your creative writing--to get to know who you are, intimately.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieldissinger/
I love writing, creativity, and helping students find strength in their voices. It's the best part of the job, and I take it very seriously.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Before any of the work begins, I usually do an initial meet & greet. This first meeting helps both myself and the new client to get a feel for how the working relationship will play out. After this meeting, we collaborate on a personalized plan of attack. Any sort of Writing/Coaching work is a COLLABORATION.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I currently work as a professor of writing at The University of Southern California. My experience in higher education has spanned over 7 years now, and I have taught courses in College Writing, Creative Writing, Business Writing, Literature (Intro, American, World), Theory, and Critical Thinking. During that time, I also tutored students of all levels and ages in a variety of Reading and Writing needs from Standardized Testing to writing books.
Also, my creative experience as a Poet has added to my understanding of a person's individual journey, whether it's in academics or creativity.
How did you get started teaching?
Oh man; it was purely chance, and that is the truth. I had graduated with my MFA from The Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University in Boulder, CO and just floated for 6 months. I finally decided to start looking for work and emailed some ex-professors for letters of recommendation to get adjunct work and there happened to be a position they were trying to fill. I was offered this position. In four days, I was in a college classroom for the first time.
Since then, I fell in love with teaching! I am so grateful for that chance, and every day I make sure I am being the best educator/mentor I can be for my students. Tutoring has become something that has just given me the opportunity to spread my personal teaching philosophy after class time. It has made me a better classroom teacher, as well as a better poet.
What types of students have you worked with?
As a tutor, I am asked to help students work on college admissions essays, class assignments, English writing/reading/speaking comprehension, creative editing, creative mentoring.
My clients have been all ages and levels, with a variety of needs and projects.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I was helping a student writing essays for college admission and she was having trouble getting the essays to sound genuine. When I looked at the essays, I noticed they were absent of her VOICE; she was not representing herself in the essay, just answering the question. We spoke about why it is important to represent one's VOICE in writing, did free writing exercises, and built a personal process to get the essays finished.
She was accepted into her first choice school! I was also told that the admissions committee said her essays were extremely impressive and was a major reason for her acceptance.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Talk to potential tutors/teachers and see how they listen. If you are just listening to the tutor/teacher, or is this person inviting you to be part of the conversation? This will show you how much control you will have over your own educational and creative journey.