Artist Statements and Individual Artist Grants
For many artists writing grants is daunting—either they take up too much bandwidth, they bring up imposter syndrome, or deadlines slip by. Similarly, artist’s statements can be confusing or can feel like an over-simplification of complex works and processes. Funders don’t make this process easy, which steals time and resources from artists who could be actually making work and privaledges those with existing industry knowledge.
When I work with artists on grants and artist statements, my goal is to leave you with some text that makes you feel honored, accurately represented, and inspired. I believe that having someone write about your work can be validating and encouraging—adding momentum to your creative process instead of stalling or confusing it.
This process has shown some promising results: As of now, I’ve helped a client receive both an acceptance and a runner-up prize for highly competitive grants.
Cover Letters
Writing cover letters can feel onerous and can bring up feelings of inadequacy. I also believe that we tend to underplay our own accomplishments when an outside eye could help us highlight our strengths.
I’ve become a bit of a throat-slitter of a cover letter writer. I focus on helping you highlight and articulate your values and strengths, creating a compelling argument for how they align with your desired work.
Here are a couple ways we can work together:
- I’ll help you create a template cover letter that can be adapted for each individual job.
- If you, like me, have a variety of skills/jobs you can pursue, I can help you create several templates.
- You can hire me to write or edit each of your cover letters, tailoring them to each individual job (I only offer this service for jobs where writing is not an essential function of the job).
“Jesse is a skilled editor who took my cover letter from alright to excellent. She is experienced at inviting the writer to reshape their narrative from a place of curiosity. Through guiding questions and prompts, Jesse helped me rethink what to include and reframe the importance of these experiences. Jesse was also encouraging throughout the process, pointing out where I may have sold myself short and validating my qualifications. She took what can be a painful process and empowered me to showcase the best of my accomplishments, ensuring the content aligned with my integrity and values. I wish she could edit everything I write!”
—Alberta Bleck, Transit-Oriented Development Strategist, The City of Seattle
College/University/Education Applications
I spent a year working as a college essay coach, helping students navigate the (hefty) amount of writing often required for the college admissions process. For undergraduate applications, I help students brainstorm experiences, themes, and structures for personal statements and supplements. I’ve also worked with students applying for graduate-level work and for conservatory programs. I’m excited to say that I helped several students get into their first-choice schools!