All Student Success Letters

Maya Rock

Dear Gotham,
 
I took a memoir writing class with Pat Willard at Gotham in 2007. I decided to take the class on a whim, and I’m so glad I did, because it completely changed my life.
 
My time at Gotham was entirely different from my previous writing class experiences. Gotham classes offered the perfect blend of a writing group and an academic course. I thrived in the structured environment and also enjoyed the support of peers who came from all walks of life and shared a common dedication to and enthusiasm for strengthening their writing. Pat’s expertise as a teacher and her knowledge as a published author were invaluable. At Gotham, not only did I get the incentive to write, I also learned important tools that improved the quality of my work. 
 
The class gave me the confidence I needed to pitch a memoir piece I had written to a couple of magazines. I was lucky to have one accepted by Marie Claire. I also started working on a young adult novel. It is a different genre than memoir, but without the encouragement I received from Pat and my classmates at Gotham, I’m not sure I would have attempted writing it. I was able to sell my novel to an imprint at Penguin Putnam.
 
These days, I am a full-time freelance writer/editor. I’m so grateful to Pat and Gotham for helping me to finally take my writing past the hobby level. At Gotham, I was really able to get in touch with the joy inherent in the practice of writing. I always try to pass on that positive spirit when I assist my clients with their own projects and recall it when I sit down to do my own work. 
 
All the best,
Maya Rock
maya-rock.com