What is a truant pen?
The phrase comes from a Philip Sidney poem written in the 16th century. It's at the end of the first sonnet in his collection "Astrophil and Stella."
The narrator of this poem is a writer struggling to find the words that will capture the attention of the woman he loves. When I first read this poem in my 12th grade English class, the last two lines spoke to my soul:
Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite,
"Fool," said my Muse to me, "Look in thy heart, and write."
I saw myself in that couplet!
I wrote obsessively as a teenager, and the beginning of my senior year marked my first real battle with writer's block and imposter syndrome. Reading this poem gave me comfort. It was proof that even the greats get stuck. For as long as there have been writers, there has been writer's block.
I wrote these lines on a sticky note and slapped it on my desk. Throughout the rest of high school and college, that sticky note could offer me an instant pep talk.
Hi! I’m Sam.
I am a YA author, high school history teacher, and book coach. I love helping writers who are lost in the Revision Woods to find a pathway to clarity and fall in love with their stories again. All teens deserve to see themselves represented in great books. They deserve the chance to read yours! If you are a YA author who is stuck, I’m here to help.
Why subscribe?
Every Wednesday I send out actionable writing strategies that you can use to get unstuck and make progress on your manuscript. You can get them delivered to your inbox for free to keep you inspired and moving forward.
Once a month, I also send out The TP Diaries, a log of my messy, imperfect writing process so you can see my strategies in action. (And also, lots of dog pictures.)
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What is a book coach?
Maybe you’ve already gotten feedback on your manuscript from a critique partner, a beta reader, or even an editor. Getting feedback is a bit like being given a fish: it will feed you for a day – but what happens when you need more?
As your coach, I’ll do more than just give you the fish that feeds one project.
I’ll also teach you how to fish and feed your whole writing career!
You can learn more about my coaching services on my website. If you would like to work with me one-on-one you can schedule a free Writing Jumpstart session as an introduction.
