Acclaimed writers, industry experts, and mentors provide instruction and advice in Creative Coaching, Poetry, Songwriting, Screenwriting, and Musical Theater in this collection of interviews and self-authored essays. Each section provides an overview of one-on-one mentoring sessions that includes the first and final drafts of a poem, song lyrics, or short film screenplay, as well as the process of co-writing songs and producing a medley demo for a musical play. BOOK TOPICS CREATIVE COACHING Advice: Following intuition, living courageously, telling your own story, writer’s block, daily writing rituals, fostering creativity at any age or stage in life Instruction: Uncovering Your Values, Exploring Your Dreams, Taking Action POETRY Advice: Developing your craft, opportunities and challenges in publishing today, working with a mentor Spotlight: Interviews and original poetry of aspiring poets Instruction: Erase, Expand, Escape writing technique (the process and sample first and final drafts of a poem) SONGWRITING Advice: Developing your craft, opportunities and challenges in the music industry today, collaboration, the role of an artist manager, maximizing your voice and your potential, composing for television and film Spotlight: Interviews with aspiring singer-songwriters Instruction: Co-Writing, The Live Show (the Key to Success), Your Music (Hobby or Business), Lyric Writing (the process and sample first and final drafts of song lyrics) SCREENWRITING Advice: Challenges of becoming a professional screenwriter, stages of a pitch meeting, the role of a talent manager, importance of story structure Spotlight: Interviews with aspiring screenwriters Instruction: Skill Development and Collaboration in Film Making, Funding and Distributing your Film, Screenwriting (the process and sample first and final drafts of a short film screenplay) MUSICAL THEATER Advice: Collaboration, challenges of writing and producing a new musical Instruction: From Page to Stage – Getting Your Show Produced, Collaboration, Creating a Demo (the process of working with a co-writer, vocalist, and producer, and a sample medley) CONTRIBUTORS (including editor, Heidi Stock) Creative Coaching - Patricia Pearson, Laurie Wagner, Chris Kay Fraser, Allyson Latta, Kelly McNelis, Janice Cunning Poetry - Catherine Graham, Shannon Bramer, Catherine Owen, Stuart Ross, George Elliott Clarke, Ana Rodriguez Machado, Nora Grove, Jill Talbot, Natalia Darie, Whitney Sweet, Isabella de Almeida Aidar, James Hinds, Chloë Catán, Basia Gilas, Marina Black Songwriting – Luba, Lesley Pike, Luther Mallory, Katie Rox, Melanie Durrant, Theo Tams, Amir Brandon, Elias James, Rebekah Stevens, Maurice Laurin, Ryan Luchuck, Daniel Ingram, Juliette Jagger Screenwriting - Geneviève Appleton, Maureen Dorey, Elise Cousineau, Bryce Mitchell, Navin Ramaswaran, Amanda Clarke, Wendy Chan, Dawn Prato, Stefan Cap, Stephanie Palmer, Perry Zimel, Diane Drake, Stéphanie Joalland Musical Theater - Landon Braverman, Joseph Trefler, Michael Rubinoff, Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Susan Dunstan, Elise Dewsberry, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Louise Pitre, Robyn Hoja, Julian Troiano, Murray Foster, Marion Abbott