Testimonials
Second Story Retreats launches in fall 2021. Here are some rave reviews from a wide variety of Elizabeth Rusch’s workshops, presentations and courses.
“Liz Rusch's approach is what I love in a class—organized, handouts, practice time, an enthusiastic teacher and great feedback. Exceptional.”
“Elizabeth is personable and relevant to writers at many stages in their craft. She also is very enthusiastic—you can tell she really has a passion for writing.”
“Elizabeth is always clear, fun, and organized. I can always walk into her presentations with very high expectations.”
"Elizabeth provided a wealth of helpful and interesting information in a very organized presentation. If you ever get a chance to attend one of her talks, you should jump at it.”
“I wanted to say how much I appreciated and enjoyed your presentations. You were so generous in sharing your expertise, resources, and suggestions. Your enthusiasm was apparent and infectious.”
“Excellent real-world examples.”
“Elizabeth is able to articulate her process and shares her fumbles gracefully to teach others how to write. She is considerate of her audience and addressed their needs.”
“Elizabeth Rusch is genuinely generous in sharing her experiences so that you can move your writing forward.”
“Liz Rusch's writing courses have been invaluable. She is a generous reader of our work and a well-informed expert on the publishing process. I was most impressed by her presentations of key writing concepts. She shares examples, feedback, questions for thought, and plenty of encouragement. In the end, the courses I took with Liz taught me how to be a better writer and a better advocate for my book project. Highly recommended!”
Write Your Book Proposal
“This class was spectacular, going above and beyond what I hoped for. Your ideas about how to find numbers for the market analysis and your process for the competitive analysis both made what looked like challenging sections into pretty easy work. I no longer feel overwhelmed by all the pieces that stressed me out before and I feel confident in my ability to write a strong proposal.”
“I would absolutely recommend this class. It was exactly what I needed to develop a book proposal. I had read about what goes into one, but it didn't actually make sense until you picked the pieces apart and showed us what it actually looked like. The assignments and questions you have put together are spot on. It seems to me that if you answer those questions the proposal writes itself. What an amazing class. You rock as a teacher.”
“The class was amazing—so smart and has helped me move closer to writing something that might have an audience.”
“I wish to join the chorus in thanking you wholeheartedly for such a great class. So helpful!”
“I really appreciate your real-world experience, how you shared past work, your authentic (but realistic) encouragement. You’ve been incredibly generous.”
“The class has been incredibly valuable, and the group has been wonderful. Thank you for your understanding and for your wisdom and guidance. I know if I am one day able to bring my book to fruition, I will have you to thank for giving me the structure and pathway to do so.”
Children’s and YA
“Liz is the personification of a picture book. She's a warm and welcoming instructor, easy to follow and inspiring on every level! You won't want it to end!"
“Thank you for sharing such helpful information, based on your personal journey and experiences. Thanks for the specific examples. You are not only so knowledgeable, but also fun and funny, which makes it delightful as we go.”
“Thank you again for this fantastic class, it has been unbelievably helpful and so very fun!”
“Liz really gets you in touch with how kids think and express themselves at different ages. That Liz moved into this genre from an entirely different background made me realize that there could be a YA writer hiding inside anybody.”
