All of Michael’s consulting is individualized to best suit your project, deadlines and budget, so we always recommend emailing us if you need help choosing a coaching program.

This is often the best time to begin coaching, so that Michael can help you select stories with the greatest emotional and commercial potential, and lay a strong foundation for characters and structure that will move and inspire your readers, audiences or customers. Just an hour or two of coaching should be sufficient to start you off on the right track.

Michael frequently helps clients in this way. Start by purchasing a single hour of his time to begin, and together you can decide how to proceed from there.

Yep.

That’s not a problem. You can simply tell me your concept and ideas for your project at the beginning of your session, and we’ll work from there.

Yes. The packages for feature film screenplays are equally appropriate for TV movie outlines and scripts. If you have a pilot or episode of a television series, email us, and we’ll design a package that fits your particular situation and budget.

Absolutely. In fact there are some advantages to doing so, since he can see firsthand how the presentation of the story will affect the emotional response of your potential audience.

Certainly. But the story elements of the presentation will always be the initial focus of your coaching.

Just email us, describe your project and situation, and I will let you know how we can be of greatest benefit within your budget.

He does, but we highly recommend allowing Michael to coach you, as the best ideas for your story or marketing campaign grow out of your interaction during the on-on-one session. But if you prefer simply a written summary of his overall comments and suggestions, including annotations, email us the written story, speech, script or marketing tool you want critiqued, and Michael will tell you the cost involved. If you are a screenwriter, you may prefer to have one of Michael’s associates critique your screenplay. Please see the Critique Package on the COACHING FOR SCREENWRITERS.

While Michael does not do synopses or provide coverage, his associates can provide this service for you. Visit pricing details. Please see the Script Critique & Development Notes Package or Script Analysis Package on the COACHING FOR SCREENWRITERS.

Absolutely, if that is your desire. Just tell us your particular needs when you sign up for coaching.

No.  Michael is a story and script consultant; he does not represent, option or produce his clients’ work; Michael is not an agent or producer, and he will not submit it to publishers, agents or producers, and he doesn’t claim any rights to any work that he does for you.

On rare occasion, depending on the project, the situation and the fee. But Michael’s primary goal is to work with you to improve your own writing and storytelling. If you’re interested in some other service on his part, just email us and he will contact you to discuss it.

We understand that your budget must be a primary consideration. So if you have less to spend on coaching, email us and describe your project and the amount you wish to spend, and I will recommend how I or one of my associates can best help you within that budget. We occasionally have opportunities for free coaching in exchange for help with office, web site or social media needs.

Just let me know, and we’ll apply what you paid for the smaller package to the cost of the larger one, and continue the process from there.

The cost of unused hours is refundable. If you purchase a package and choose not to complete the process, the refund is calculated based on my regular hourly rate for the hours you’ve already used, minus PayPal fees. You simply have to notify us by letter or email within one year of the date you purchased the original package.

Michael is happy to work out payment arrangements for larger coaching packages. Just email us your request and we’ll work out a payment schedule.

No. Never.

Certainly – in fact we recommend it! Schedule your session as soon as you can tell us the date your work will be ready for Michael to read. That way your coaching session can occur just a short time after your work is completed, reducing or eliminating the time you’ll have to wait for Michael’s guidance.

If you have an imminent appearance, court case or due date for your work, Michael will do everything he can to juggle his schedule or expand his hours to accommodate your deadlines.

Probably not. We usually double book the backup times (otherwise Michael would only be working half the time). The backup times are designed to prevent long delays for your session should Michael have to postpone – which he rarely does.

Just contact us with as much advance notice as you can – at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled session – and then visit this page to reschedule.