Polish and Publish | Tools and Tactics for Creative Writers

Here are some kind words about my teaching from one of my students.

I meant to say this to you before but somehow never had the chance. Like others, I enjoy your class very much, but to me it is more than learning something new every week.  The pleasant atmosphere you create is like walking into a room with A/C after being outside on a hot summer afternoon.

I look forward to that hour every week.  To me it is also like what I hear about children in their “story-hour,” listening to new stories every week. I never had a chance to experience that as a child, because of several reasons, but I feel now I have that and it will continue for a long time. I sincerely thank you for everything.

Best regards,

Fariza [Hasan]

Okay. I admit it. I couldn’t resist adding another recommendation—this time from a writing colleague.

“Lynette is a superb creative writing coach and consummate professional. I was fortunate enough to read her booklet, Polish and Publish. It is a real gem and an invaluable tool for writers in all genres. I found it to be a shortcut, or Cliff Notes, of anything a writer could find beneficial in a practical, technical, and business sense. Yet, it was an engaging read; not the least bit boring like many other “instructional manuals.” I highly recommend Mrs. Benton for any coaching-related endeavor.”

Darah Zeledon, The Warrior Mom

A colleague whom I interviewed was kind enough to post the following recommendation on LinkedIn.

Lynette interviewed me for a two-part series in Examiner.com. The focus of the piece was professional writing careers in the context of fundraising and philanthropy.

Lynette was a joy to work with. She has a genuine curiosity that serves to inspire and inform her interviews. She will ask, and ask again to make sure she fully understands the story behind the words. I found myself rethinking my own sense of my writing life as a result of the questions she asked during our conversations and email exchanges.

Diane Felicio, Ph. D

Margy Rydzynski, who runs Brave New Web said the following about me and about my work. 

Lynette is a writer’s writer, someone who can take the hard work of creation and craft it into something as accessible as it is skillful. I, for one, feel grateful that she’s chosen to share her depth of knowledge regarding writing and writing careers. Her research is meticulous.

As a professional writer, I often find myself bookmarking her articles for my own reference and career development. As a client, she has impressed me with her focus, her discipline and her progress. I couldn’t have asked for a better client. Lynette has an incredible amount of knowledge and enthusiasm to offer her students and her peers. It’s a privilege to work with her.

Career coach extraordinaire, Terry Del Percio, wrote the the next testimonial.

Lynette is an extraordinary person.

Not only does she have a wealth of knowledge about writing and publishing in her mind, but she is vibrant, creative, generous, and one of the best listeners I’ve ever had the pleasure to speak with. Perhaps that is why she is such a skilled writer – she pays attention to everything that everyone else misses.

I love reading her pieces because her style is so natural – and the humor she incorporates into her writing is a breath of fresh air. Whenever I need advice about writing or publishing, Lynette is the first person I go to. She has the most recent resources at her fingertips, and is very generous in sharing them with others.”

Terry del Percio, Workintegrity, Career Strategies