The personal stuff!
I grew up in New Zealand and like many NZers I've travelled a fair bit—to England, most of southern Europe, a small part of northern Europe, the States, South America, the Pacific. I first left NZ as a 20-year-old and travelled to England by ship—yes!—via Fiji, the Panama Canal, Acapulco, and New York. What an adventure those weeks were! Starting off in London, I lived and worked there for a few months, then went on the road: France, Italy, and Spain. Over-wintering in Spain, I met my future husband. We travelled together throughout southern Europe, then moved to NZ and alternated between living and working in NZ and Spain for several years.
I trained as a journalist in my late teens, and for many years had a crazy variety of jobs—journalism, office work, cleaning, retail, as an English teacher, teaching Spanish—including to the then-future NZ prime minister, Helen Clark!
Ever the late starter (too busy travelling), in my 30s I settled into studying and completed a bachelor’s followed by a master's in English & Spanish linguistics.
Then followed several years working as a documentation consultant and business analyst in the IT sector, followed by 15 years in my own business as a consultant to corporates like Telecom, Air NZ, and Vodafone, working with IT nerds and end-users.
In the early 2000s, the family moved to the Gold Coast, Australia. I took a year off work and wrote my first (and so far only!) novel, which took me many years to publish (2019), as I then became a solo parent and work was the priority.
Becoming an editor
This seemed a natural extension of my lifelong love of words. In 2008, I embraced the challenge of being in the first cohort of editors to qualify as an Accredited Editor (AE), the industry benchmark for professional editors in Australia and NZ through IPEd (the Institute of Professional Editors).
And I haven't looked back! Finally finding my passion, I've been helping first-time and existing writers ever since, through:
- professional editing services
- book coaching (below)
- manuscript appraisals
- referrals for authors to other specialists
- training program for new editors.
Book Coaching & Writing Programs
Over the past couple of years, my focus has also been on creating book coaching and writing programs. Choose from self-led online programs, a group program, and a fully 1:1 program for accelerated accountability.
1. Scaffolding for Scribes - FREE!
A free resource to get you started on your book.
2. The Writer's Starter Kit You Didn’t Know You Needed: Begin your Book with a Bang!
This program is for writers who need to get going on their book but don’t know where to start. It is a fully self-led online program that guides you through seven modules. By the end of the modules, you are fully set up to write all the chapters of your book.
3. Get Your Book to the Finish Line™ DIY
This program suits writers who want the content from the GROUP MASTERY program (below) with the flexibility of working at their own pace. It is a fully self-led, online program, designed to get you from zero to the first draft of your book.
4. Get Your Book to the Finish Line™
This program combines weekly group coaching and fortnightly 1:1 coaching via Zoom.
You are fully guided through writing your book, starting with the practicalities of scheduling writing into your lifestyle, and planning and structuring your book, all the way to finishing the first draft.
Writing sprints and exercises, mainly working on your own book, are a major component of this program.
5. The Book Writing Academy
This 6-month VIP mentorship program includes weekly 1:1 coaching, weekly reviews of your writing*, and free editing of the completed manuscript* (*conditions apply).
And there's more!
I currently have three 1:1 spaces available.
Book in a call before embarking on your writer's journey: https://calendly.com/gailtagarro/60min
6. Writing to Heal: Metamorphosis
When you have experienced trauma in your life (and trauma means something different for everyone), or a life challenge, or grief, or some difficulty, it can be very healing to write about the experience. This not only helps to process it but also transforms it and most importantly, leads to growth. When you are able to rise above such challenges, you achieve true freedom of mind, body, and spirit.
Having worked with a lot of coaches myself, I know how valuable it is to be shown new perspectives that on my own, I may never have considered. I created this beautiful program to help lead you from the darkness to the light.
Book a free 1:1 Discovery Call to find out more.
