Taking care of the writing by taking care of the writer
Our Values
Instructive Companionship
The path from idea to final draft involves acts of imagination, honesty, precision, and revision. At the core of our practice are the instructive interactions we design to inspire and align these acts.
Creative Insight
Each Hillside coach is an accomplished writer, teacher, and editor responsive to the emotional experiences of writing. We model close attention and honest self-reflection.
The Story Inside
Founder Allan Reeder demonstrates how to close the distance between you and your reader by writing from inside of your experience. This is an excerpt from our free webinar, “Launching the Uncommon College-App Essay,” which helps writers move beyond head-scratching or doubt and into the confidence of having a specific and personally meaningful story to share.
Ways to Work with Hillside
Our coaching services reflect our belief in writing as a lifelong pursuit.
Our support for application-essay writers ranges from single exploratory sessions to comprehensive one-on-one courses.
We cultivate a lively and imaginative artistic connection that is serious about pursuing the art of writing with fun and inventive approaches.
Whether providing a new writer with instruction and inspiration or an established author with feedback and direction, we uncover opportunities for progress.
In live talks, webinars, and junior class workshops, founder Allan Reeder opens fresh ways of seeing and thinking for students embarking on college-app writing.
What Clients Are Writing About Hillside Support
I was blown away by what Hillside helped my son to accomplish. I wasn't privy to anything but the final work. His essay really captures his personality. I almost had tears reading it. He is not a kid who uses superlatives, but he raved about the assistance and advice. I can't thank you enough for all your help.Parent, Newbury, MA
Thank you so much for being an integral part of our daughter's growth and burgeoning intellect, for teaching her to weave together the different aspects of her life and articulate what they have taught her. What you do is powerful and a blessing to all of us. We are so thankful to have made this connection with Hillside.Parent, Goa, India
Thank you so much for all of your help, support, and encouragement in this challenging time for me. It meant a lot to know that you believed in me and in what I had to say. I will always laugh at that pessimistic kid who said he did not have anything to write about.Student, Lexington, MA
I really appreciate your focus on process. You've encouraged my daughter to slow down, and in doing so allowed space for reflection and self-discovery. I think that with teenagers, especially girls, the tendency is to deflect attention away from yourself. Looking inward is inherently more challenging.Parent, Sudbury, MA
You’ve been an invaluable mentor, kindling in me a passion not only for words but also for the often overlooked images in daily life and complexities in characters. Thank you for your meticulous and innovative coaching!Writer, Los Angeles, CA
My daughter had never had such one-on-one instruction, and I think your very thoughtful, gentle, and inquisitive approach to helping her express herself was a tremendous gift to give her. You always made her feel that her thoughts and impressions were important. I'm so thankful for the attention you paid.Parent, Wellesley, MA
Our son feels that his writing has improved enormously from working with you. His confidence has certainly been boosted. What a great experience for him!Parent, Belmont, MA
We are always spreading the word about the transformative experience you provide at Hillside!Parent, Cambridge, MA
The Latest from Hillside
Let Yourself Go…
Somehow, it’s been almost 25 years since my undergraduate mentor, a beloved journalism professor, urged our nonfiction writing class out into the world to ask questions: If you go looking for a story, a story will happen. The phrase’s durability stems from its Zen-like acceptance of chance, of discovery. Stated: If you go, it’ll happen. Unstated: “It” might not be what you thought you were looking for.
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Fall College-App Essay Support
Every fall, we hear from parents who tell us that — despite everyone’s best intentions — their senior didn't write a college-application essay during summer vacation. Or maybe they did, but ... it could use some work! Our coaches can help students who need to get started, students ready to get to the better draft, and students with school-specific essays ahead of them.
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Engineering the Sentence
In eighth grade, I took an elective to prep for a yearly STEM competition. I was eager to build rubber-band-powered airplanes and roller coasters, but as we filed in on Day One, there were no materials or tools to be found. Instead, the teacher divided us into pairs. One of us had to describe an object, the other had to draw it.
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