Ron Samul

My name is Ron Samul and I’ve been a graduate writing mentor for more then fifteen years. If you are interested in working with me, you should know how I think and work with writers. It may feel different because, I don’t want to be your line editor, I want to bring your writing through a process-aware thinking that will build better narratives, and better writers.

Important Elements

• Structural thinking / It is important that the whole book is the center of the vision. Pacing, interconnection, foreshadowing, character, chapter design, and the importance of all elements.
• Revision and development / I want to collaborate with the shift from rough draft to second draft and beyond, to understand the different stages, and how feedback can vary from step-to-step.  
• Close reading / I believe in sustained attention to what a story is doing beneath the surface: detail, theme, motivation, suspense, and the logic of character behavior.
• Open-ended but disciplined feedback / I value inquiry, but also insist on specificity, which is a useful balance for workshop culture. It is your work and you have the ultimate decision. Even if I don’t agree, I will still work to make the novel what you want.
• Work ethic and consistency / I emphasize discipline, butt-in-chair practice, and the idea that writing is sustained work rather than sporadic inspiration.

The Model

The model to mentoring is to be generative as a writer rather than corrective. As a mentor, my job is to help writers discover their own stories and style instead of imposing generic voice. Writers have a lot of problems to solve in their work, and I am their to work on those issues like a think tank.

Why Writers benefit

I am not a line editor. If you looking for a proofreader or line editor, I am not that person. I can help with deeper architecture of the work, identify where the emotional logic is weak, and revise with purpose. I can help with story logic, thematic pressure, and reader experience all at once. That is the kind of work that I can best help with in the writing process.

• I help writers uncover the real engine of their stories.
• I read for structure, motivation, and meaningful detail.
• I give feedback that is specific, candid, and process-aware.
• I help writers move from exploration to revision to finish.
• I treat writing as disciplined creative labor that can be taught, practiced, and strengthened.

If you are interested in working with me, let’s connect. I would like to read some pages before we even committ to the work. I do ask a fee, but we can discuss that based on the level of work, the process, and other factors.

Reach out at my email if you are interested. And check out my articles and novel on Substack and my website:

ronsamulwriter@gmail.com

Substack:

Website: