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College Essay Coach with an Iowa MFA in Nonfiction
Ergisa X.

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About Ergisa

Bio

I’m a writer and writing teacher with an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa, where I spent two years as instructor of record for Creative Writing and Creative Nonfiction courses. I’ve led workshops of 30 students at a time, but my favorite part of teaching has always been one-on-one: sitting with a single draft and helping a writer find what they’re actually trying to say.

For college applicants, that’s the whole game. Admissions readers see thousands of essays, and the...

I’m a writer and writing teacher with an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa, where I spent two years as instructor of record for Creative Writing and Creative Nonfiction courses. I’ve led workshops of 30 students at a time, but my favorite part of teaching has always been one-on-one: sitting with a single draft and helping a writer find what they’re actually trying to say.

For college applicants, that’s the whole game. Admissions readers see thousands of essays, and the ones that stand out aren’t the most impressive. They’re the most honest and specific. I help students find their real story, shape it, and revise it until it sounds unmistakably like their singular voice, not like a template or an artificial perfect student.

Outside of teaching, I spent two years writing grant proposals for PEN America, the free expression nonprofit, so I also know how to help writers make a persuasive case on a deadline.

I work with high school students on college essays, college students on academic and creative writing, and adults on personal statements and creative projects. Sessions are online, and I’m patient, encouraging, and honest about what’s working and what isn’t.

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Education

Hobart and William Smith Colleges, BA
English and Sociology
University of Iowa
Masters

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Approved Subjects

Creative Writing

Creative Writing

I hold an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa, where I taught Creative Writing and Creative Nonfiction as instructor of record for two years. My own writing has earned the Iowa Arts Fellowship, the Susan Kranzler Scibilia ‘68 Memorial Prize in Fiction, and a Penguin Random House Creative Writing Scholarship. I help writers of every level generate ideas, build scenes and characters, and revise their work until it feels alive on the page.
English

English

With a BA in English from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where I received the Chester J. Hampton Prize for Excellence in English, and an MFA from the University of Iowa, I’ve spent my life reading, writing, and teaching others to do both. As a university writing instructor and a college Writing Fellow, I’ve helped hundreds of students with everything an English class asks of them: understanding difficult readings, building strong thesis statements, writing and revising essays, and polishing grammar. I work directly with your assignments, teacher feedback, and class texts, so every session connects to your grades. I’m patient, encouraging, and honest, and I want you to leave each lesson more confident in your own voice.
Essay Writing

Essay Writing

As a Writing Fellow at Hobart and William Smith Colleges for three years, I worked one-on-one with students on essays across every discipline, from first-year papers to senior theses. I help students build a clear argument, organize their ideas logically, and support their claims with strong evidence. My goal is for students to leave each session a more confident and independent writer, not just with a better draft.
Fiction Writing

Fiction Writing

My fiction has been recognized with the Susan Kranzler Scibilia ‘68 Memorial Prize in Fiction and a Penguin Random House Creative Writing Scholarship, and I went on to earn an MFA from the University of Iowa, where I taught creative writing as an instructor of record. I help writers build the core elements of a strong story: vivid characters, scenes that move, dialogue that sounds real, and endings that land. Whether you’re writing your first short story, workshopping a piece for class, or revising a longer project, I’ll read your work closely and give you honest, specific feedback you can actually use. Above all, I’ll help you find the story you’re trying to tell and the voice that’s uniquely yours to tell it.
Grammar

Grammar

With an MFA from the University of Iowa, a BA in English, and years of editing professional grant proposals for PEN America, I know how much clear, correct grammar shapes the way writing is received. As a native Albanian speaker who learned English as a second language, I understand grammar rules from the inside out, and I can explain the why behind them, not just the what. I help students master everything from commas and subject-verb agreement to sentence structure and style, always using their own writing so the lessons stick. My goal is for grammar to stop feeling like a list of rules and start feeling like a tool for saying exactly what you mean.
Literature

Literature

I hold a BA in English from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, where I received the Chester J. Hampton Prize for Excellence in English, and an MFA from the University of Iowa. Reading closely has been at the center of my life as a writer and teacher, and as a university creative writing instructor I taught students to read published stories and essays the way writers do, noticing how every choice shapes meaning. I help students make sense of challenging texts, find their own interpretations, and turn those ideas into clear, confident literary analysis essays. Whether you’re working through Shakespeare, a contemporary novel, or poetry that feels impossible to crack, I’ll help you see what’s on the page and why it matters.
Personal Statements

Personal Statements

A strong personal statement is honest, specific, and unmistakably the writer’s own, and helping students find that voice is the heart of my teaching. With an MFA in nonfiction, I specialize in turning real experiences into compelling narratives. I work with college applicants, graduate school applicants, and professionals to find their story, shape it, and revise it until it stands out.
Proofreading

Proofreading

At PEN America, I drafted and edited grant proposals, reports, and budgets for major funders under tight deadlines, where every detail mattered. I catch errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, and consistency while preserving the writer’s voice. I also explain my corrections, so students learn to spot those mistakes on their own.
Thesis Writing

Thesis Writing

As an MFA graduate of the University of Iowa, I completed a book-length thesis of my own, so I know firsthand what it takes to sustain a long project from first idea to final draft. For three years as a Writing Fellow at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, I worked one-on-one with students on senior theses across disciplines, helping them narrow their topics, build strong arguments, and organize complex research into a clear structure. I also spent two years writing grant proposals for PEN America, where every page had to make a persuasive, well-supported case to a demanding audience. I’ll help you break your thesis into manageable steps, stay on track with deadlines, and revise until your argument is as strong as your research.
Writing

Writing

I’ve spent eight years teaching and working with writing: as a Writing Fellow in a college writing center, as a university writing instructor, and as a grant writer for a national nonprofit. I tailor my approach to each student, whether they need help getting started, organizing their thoughts, or polishing a final draft. I’m patient, encouraging, and honest about what’s working and what isn’t.
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Hourly Rate: $50
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