We are a multifaceted company with a mission to help creators and collectors refine their passion - writing, visual arts, or collecting. Through consulting, teaching, and technical assistance, we help advance your art or writing career and organize your collection.
We offer our clients over 35 years of combined experience in writing and art; each and every relationship is unique. We tailor our consultations to your particular career or collection and work with you to create your ideal plan. Contact us for a quote and with any questions about how we may best assist you.
Who We Work With
Collectors
While most major collectors can afford to hire their own collection managers, we seek to work with those who need less than full-time management. If you are hoping to organize a new collection, or prepare it for your estate, we can help facilitate. >
Writers
We believe good writing gets published.
With thousands of publishers seeking work across genres, emerging and established writers simply need occasional guidance to find the perfect structure and fit for their literary projects. Drawing upon 20 years of professional writing and teaching experience, we provide you with thorough and practical advice, enabling you to quickly launch or further your career.
How we can help ...
+ Manuscript Reading
Should you be in need of a savvy reader to provide feedback on your manuscript, regardless of length, we’ll give it our focused time and attention and then discuss our overall impressions of the project with you via phone, Skype, or e-mail.
+ Developmental Editing
Whether you’re working on flash fiction, a personal essay, a query letter, a book proposal, or an entire book, we provide extensive feedback on what’s working in your manuscript, and what you might address in revision, always with the goal of professional publication.
+ Consultation
Whether you have a professional question answered easily in 15 minutes, or you’re in need of several weeks of creative career coaching, we’ve got you covered. You tell us what you need, and we’ll meet with you by phone, Skype, or e-mail at a time that’s convenient for you. (We’re happy to meet with regional clients face-to-face in Eugene, Oregon.)
+ Website Creation
We will help you conceptualize, design, and set up a professional website; assist you in collecting content, and teach you to update your site so that you have complete control over content.
+ Author portraits/headshots
A professional portrait is a necessary part of any author's press kit. We will create your portrait to your specifications and maintain an image on file, ready to deliver as needed.
One-on-one Online Courses
One-on-one personalized Online Courses allow you to enroll at any time of year for a period of 4 or 8 weeks. You’ll receive one lecture a week including writing prompts for instructor feedback, and you’ll have the opportunity to submit rough and polished drafts of assignments for thorough editing with the goal of professional publication by the end of the course. In addition, you’ll receive phone, Skype, or e-mail consultation with the instructor about your projects.
Eight Week One-on-one Courses
+ The Art of the Personal Essay
Thousands of magazine and newspaper editors look for compelling personal essays to publish both print and online. Personal essays build your public visibility as an author and/or an artist. This course defines and explores the genre with published examples from a variety of periodicals, and breaks down the components of the personal essay. You’ll learn to come up with relevant and surprising topics and structure them in both traditional and lyrical formats. Your instructor will critique the rough and final drafts of two different essays that you’ll write while taking this course, and you’ll learn how to identify ideal publications and pitch specific editors in a professional manner.
+ Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Thousands of magazine and newspaper editors rely on freelance feature writers for content. Feature articles build your public visibility as an author and/or an artist. This course defines and explores the various feature writing forms with published examples from numerous periodicals. You’ll learn to come up with relevant and surprising topics and spin them in several ways to maximize your time and income. As well, you’ll learn how to find and interview sources for your article. Your instructor will critique the rough and final drafts of two different feature articles that you’ll write while taking this class, and you’ll learn how to identify ideal publications and pitch specific editors in a professional manner.
+ Short and Book-Length Memoir
Using examples from a variety of published short and book-length memoirs, this course will teach writers how to structure a memoir around a specific era, theme, and/or social issue. You’ll learn how to create surprising scenes with characterization, setting, dialogue, and conflict as building blocks for your story, and we’ll talk about the ethics involved in writing and publishing work about your family and friends. You’ll also learn to incorporate researched details so that readers come away from your memoir with insights on a particular topic or topics. Your instructor will critique the rough and final drafts of two different short memoirs or book chapters that you’ll write while taking this class, and you’ll learn how to identify ideal publications and pitch specific magazine and book editors in a professional manner.
Four Week One-on-one Courses
+ Social/Political Commentary for Magazines and Newspapers
Hundreds of magazine and newspaper editors and radio producers look for compelling social and political commentary from guest writers. Commentary builds your public visibility as an author and/or an artist and can help to change public policy. This course defines and explores the genre with published examples from a variety of periodicals, and breaks down the components of social and political commentary. You’ll learn to come up with relevant and surprising topics and structure them into a persuasive piece. Your instructor will critique the rough and final draft of one commentary that you’ll write while taking this course, and you’ll learn how to identify ideal publications and pitch specific editors in a professional manner.
+ How to Write Rich, Compelling Scenes
The scene is the building block for almost all forms of creative writing. We use them in fiction, in literary nonfiction, in feature articles, in personal essays, in social and political commentary, and in memoir. This course will teach you to craft a richly-detailed, compelling scene by breaking down a variety of published examples into their basic components. Through a thorough study of characterization, dialogue, setting, conflict, symbolism, and narrative arc, you’ll learn to write powerful scenes which you can then compile in a variety of genres. Your instructor will critique the rough and final drafts of three scenes that you’ll write while taking this course.
Artists
Your artwork is your passion...
... and sharing it can be difficult with poor quality photography or websites. At Creator & Collector Services, we use the latest technology and processes to digitize your artwork so that you are sharing the most faithful representation possible. From assistance with imaging to facilitating website creation, we provide technical and logistic support for the promotion of your art career.
How we can help ...
+ Artwork Digitization
We will create high resolution images of your artwork sufficient for printing, websites, or show submissions. We adhere to museum digitization standards, and guarantee color fidelity and accurate representation. We will maintain a database of your images as backup.
+ Interactive image creation
Using freely available software, we can create high resolution "zoomable" images of your artwork for close inspection online. We will provide you or your webmaster with all necessary files to enable it on your website.
+ Website Creation
We will work with you to conceptualize, design, launch, and maintain a professional website with unique URL. We will teach you to update content if you wish greater control, and be available for consultation after launch.
+ Digital Asset Management
Organizing and maintaining a database of your artworks is an exhaustive process, and time spent hunting for the right file could be better spent making art. Allow us to maintain your images, and when you need one or a hundred, simply call and they will be delivered at the needed resolution.
+ Image Submissions Assistance
Entering juried shows is confusing enough with all the requirements for your entry. We will gather, size, and deliver your images for you so that you can be sure of submitting the best quality imagery.
+ Artist Statement editing
An artist's statement should enhance and complement your artwork, not stand in for it. We will edit for syntax, grammar, and content, always communicating with you to ensure the original intent of the statement.
Collectors
Your collection is growing...
...but keeping it organized has become too much to handle alone. We can assist with the management of your collection through consulting and technical enhancements. Whether you're just beginning a collection, or preparing it for your estate, a well documented and professional database will enhance its prestige and worth.
How we can help ...
+ Collection Imaging
We can digitize 1 or 1000 objects in accordance with museum imaging protocols. As trained art handlers, your collection will be treated with care as a lasting record is created.
+ Conservation Imaging
Condition reporting is a standard procedure in organizing a collection, and imaging of wear or damage is important. In addition, multispectral imaging (UV and near-infrared) can illuminate conservation needs not visible under normal lighting conditions.
+ Website creation
If you wish to display your collection online, we can assist in creating a professional gallery and searchable database.
+ Liaising with Institutions
We will contact, on your behalf, appraisers, museums, galleries, and conservators to help find the worth of your collection, repair wear or damage, or sell or donate some or all of the artwork.