“Circle of Writers was incredible. I learned so much about the craft of travel writing. Even today in school, I use tools I learned in this program and apply it to my work so my writing is more original. It was a great way of expressing my feelings while at the same time reflecting upon my trip. Thanks to Circle of Writers, I now have hard copies of my own writing to always cherish. I’ll never forget my experience in Peru. -Tess Hezlep, Summer Service Peru ”
MORE Global Works Writers share their experience here.
“Mary gently holds my words with her tender spirit and thoughtfulness, helping me to fine tune my work in a way that I could not do alone. Time and time again, Mary has asked the right question or offered a suggestion that has allowed me to massage and distill my writing so that it is expressed with greater clarity. I trust her with my stories and with the way she moves me forward and deeper to express the truth. Her deep love of the craft combined with her smart editorial insights have transformed my work and given me the courage to write with authenticity.
- Joy Solomon, Director & Managing Attorney The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Abuse Prevention at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale.
Upon returning from my trip with Global Works, I was hit with a wave of college application stress. I knew the schools I wanted to apply to, but didn’t know where to start with the essays. When I heard about the Circle of Writers program, I signed up in hopes of establishing my Common App Personal Statement. Each day of the course we learned strategies to develop a unique, insightful writing styles. Once we had written the first drafts of our essays, Mary gave us feedback on how to both expand our pieces but remain concise. She punctually gave us multiple rounds of suggestions as we revised our work, ending with well developed passages. She stressed the fact that a piece of writing can never be finished, we can always improve our work when we look at it from different perspectives. This concept altered my point of view, allowing me to see my work with new eyes.
After the 10-day program was finished, I reached out to Mary for help with the 12+ supplemental essay I needed to complete. Working on a couple at a time, she helped me reflect on the messages I wanted to convey. She showed me how I could present myself and my accomplishments in the best, most authentic way possible. I really struggled with sticking to word count limits, but she has a keen eye for cutting out wordiness. On a personal level, Mary supported me emotionally with some of the personal topics I was writing about. Overall, Mary was an invaluable part of my college application process, and I would not have been confident in my work without her. I am indebted to her for the patience she gave me and how supportive she was throughout the entire undertaking.
