When I spoke with Sheila Bender, a local poet, writer, essayist, early TeachStreet adopter, and one of the nicest folks you’ll come across, I couldn’t help but admire her career.

She’s written numerous books, which have been published by McGraw-Hill and others, ranging from collections of poetry to instructional books on how to write a college application essay. But more so than her writing credentials, what’s impressive about Sheila is her love of teaching writing, something she has done for three decades.

In talking about her career, Sheila speaks with a sense of fulfillment. She’s a writer, a teacher, and for her, it’s just that simple. So she has pursued a life cultivating both of those talents. Regardless of whether or not you aspire to be a writer yourself, it’s inspirational, not to mention reassuring, to hear someone speak with such validation about their life’s work.

And thankfully for those of us who are aspiring to be writers, or improve our writing, Sheila has a number of ways to help us do just that.

1) Writing it Real

• A great magazine and online resource which has been published (with the help of her husband Kurt) since 2002.

• For a $30 annual subscription, you can get access to weekly content, as well all magazine archives.

2) One-on-one Help

• Either by phone, email, or snail mail, you can get private instruction on from Sheila.

3) Live Seminars

• In addition to teaching a number of local classes, at the Hugo House and elsewhere, she speaks at a number of seminars.

4) Port Townsend Writers Conference

• This is a five day writing conference in Port Townsend limited to 50 people. It’s a great place to spend a couple days, commune with like minded folks, and of course, improve your writing.

5) Teacher Training

• You don’t need to be a student to take one of Sheila’s courses, teachers need help, too!

• Inquire with Sheila regarding teacher training opportunities.

To contact Sheila regarding any of her writing opportunities, you can email her directly at info@writingitreal.com, or give a call at 360.385.7839.

And from all of us here at TeachStreet, thanks again for all your feedback and support, Sheila!