Welcome to Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services
Hi! I'm Sara Letourneau.
I work with writers to help them craft stories they're proud of, start or finish their projects, and develop the confidence they need to trust their creativity and achieve their writing and publishing goals.
Sometimes it’s through one of my editing packages, which run from developmental editing to proofreading. Other times, it’s through one-on-one coaching sessions.
Whatever your project or challenge may be, my mission will always be to guide and encourage you so you can tell powerful, engaging stories and become a more confident, productive, mindful writer.
I can help you with any of the following:
- You’re looking for a fresh set of eyes to provide big-picture feedback, strengthen your prose, catch grammatical or punctuation errors, and help you find your unique writing voice.
- You’re planning to self-publish your book and want a trained professional to ensure your final product is solidly structured, smoothly written, and error-free.
- You have an amazing story idea that you’ve been itching to write, but aren’t sure how to get started.
- You’re struggling to develop or regain your confidence in your craft.
- You want specialized assistance with structuring or editing your poetry manuscript.
Does this sound like you?
Then let's talk about your writing! Learn more about my services below, or send me an email.
Are you a poet who's looking for help with your manuscript? Or with exploring your craft further? Check out my poetry offerings here.
Here you'll find information about my editing options for fiction and nonfiction and how you can hire me for your next project.
What does a writing coach do? And how can one help you with your craft? I go into all of that here.
Here's My Story
Writing has been in my blood since childhood. I grew up reading every book I could find and would spend hours at the kitchen table, writing stories about talking animals, faraway places, and best friends going on adventures. By the time I was in high school, I had written short stories, poems, and articles for the school newsletter and a local newspaper.
Those passions have remained strong through my adult years. I graduated from Curry College (outside Boston, Massachusetts) with a BA in English Literature and Writing, earned a Certificate in Copyediting from Emerson College, and worked 10+ years as a copy editor in the corporate world, all while pursuing freelance and creative writing on the side.
And in that time, I’ve learned so much about writing. I've gone to workshops, attended conferences in Boston and New York City (and a writing retreat in Iceland!), and studied books and websites on the craft and business of writing. I also took a scary step forward and started sharing my writing with the rest of the world.
As a result, I’ve been a columnist for music webzines, tea review blogs, and two of the websites on writing that I admire most (DIY MFA and Writers Helping Writers). I’ve critiqued the work of other writers and carefully considered feedback on my own. I’ve submitted poems to literary journals and been fortunate enough to get several of them published. (You can read some of my poetry here.)
But I haven't always been successful . . . and maybe you can relate.
Like many writers, I’ve dealt with rejection and received harsh criticism. I’ve compared myself unfavorably to other writers and believed my dreams were out of reach. Sometimes I'd internalize setbacks or mistakes so much that I’d punish myself with negative self-talk, which only made my situation worse.
In short, I’ve been hit hard with many of the fears and insecurities that come with being a writer – all things that you might be experiencing right now.
And through it all, I discovered what I enjoy doing most besides reading and writing: Helping other writers bring their stories, and themselves, to their full potential.
It doesn’t matter if I’m analyzing a novel-length manuscript, editing a story’s prose line by line, or offering advice on writing through blog posts or in person. I enjoy all of these activities equally; and I approach each one not just with the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired over the years, but also with integrity, compassion, and enthusiasm.
That’s how Heart of the Story came to be . . .
and how I can help you with your writing goals and projects.
Say hello to Wesley! He's the Heart of the Story mascot, and his name comes from Stacey O'Brien's memoir, Wesley the Owl.
How about some fun facts now?
Let me share a few personal things about myself:
- I live in the Greater Boston area, but my heart feels most at home on Cape Cod. My parents retired there, so now I can visit my family and one of my favorite places in the world all at once!
- My favorite authors include Ursula K. Le Guin, N.K. Jemisin, Neil Gaiman, and Leigh Bardugo. And my favorite poets? Mary Oliver, Ursula K. Le Guin (yes, she wrote poetry, too!), Jennifer K. Sweeney, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil, just to name a few.
- I wrote the introduction for a cookbook! Alison Walsh of Wonderland Recipes invited me to contribute some words to her literature-inspired cookbook A Literary Tea Party, which was published in June 2018. You can read more about it here.
- I drink LOTS of tea. Black, green, oolong, white, herbal – I love them all, and I'm always happy to try new ones.
- I love using essential oils and can attest to their effectiveness with helping physical and mental health. And when I work on editing projects, I LOVE creating essential oil blends that "smell like" the books I'm working on.
Want to see if we'll work well together?
Check out the services I offer to learn how you can contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!
Are you a poet who's looking for help with your manuscript? Or with exploring your craft further? Check out my poetry offerings here.
Here you'll find information about my editing options for fiction and nonfiction and how you can hire me for your next project.
What does a writing coach do? And how can one help you with your craft? I go into all of that here.
