With Tom Fernicola
Private writing consultations.
A specific writing problem.
A focused next step.
Work with Tom Fernicola, a working New York City litigation reporter and the author of BREVITY. He reviews your short sample before the appointment so you can spend your time together examining your writing and deciding what to practice next.
Two ways to work with Tom.
Personal service is separate from book and tool access.
Process
Start with the problem.
- Agree the scope. Describe the problem without sending confidential material. Tom confirms the service and, for a meeting, a time.
- Prepare for the work. Review the scope and terms before payment. For a writing appointment, send the agreed sample through the confirmed private route at least two business days beforehand.
- Work through it. Tom reviews the sample before meeting privately with you, or prepares a focused written response.
- Take the next step. Receive the assignment or answer within the agreed window.
After purchase, Tom confirms availability and the private submission route. Larger work requires separate agreement before it begins. Assignment text is usable on its own; Woodshedder access is not included.
Writing experience.
Direct conversation.
Tom has 37 years of reporting experience, including extensive New York City complex litigation, and continues to work as a reporter.
He is the author of BREVITY: Write Simply for existing writers, The Science of Steno, and BREVITY: The Theory for beginners. He also created the BREVITY Woodshedder.
Bring a recurring difficulty, a question about a lesson, or an idea for focused practice. The conversation stays with your example. Notes alone may not explain every error; suspected causes can be explored during the appointment.
What might
that look like?
Illustrative example: a phrase keeps giving you trouble. You send a short sample showing how you wrote it. Tom reviews the sample, discusses the difficult part with you during the appointment, and identifies a small set of words and transitions to practice afterward.
Questions before
you choose.
Must I switch theories?
The appointment focuses on the problem you bring. A broader change is something to discuss, not an assumed commitment.
Are the books or the BREVITY Woodshedder included?
Consultation fees cover the stated personal service. No book or tool purchase is required. BREVITY: Write Simply and The Science of Steno are separate products.
BREVITY: The Theory and the BREVITY Woodshedder are a separate access package: six months $498 or one year $748, paid once with no automatic renewal. Those are separate purchases with their own access terms.
Is personal support included with Theory access?
Private consultation is a separate service. Existing book and tool access does not change, and a consultation is not required to use them.
What should I send?
The appointment limit is one take up to three minutes with matching audio, readable notes and translation, plus up to three related questions; a short troublesome-word list is an alternative. Formats are MP3, WAV or M4A for audio and PDF or TXT for readable notes and translation. Do not send a complete deposition or dictionary. The written option covers one question, without a full take.
Can I send confidential case material?
Prefer practice dictation. Remove confidential and identifying information from any work-derived example. Do not send samples through the general contact form. A private submission route must be confirmed before samples are accepted.
When are appointments and responses available?
Appointments are agreed individually around Tom's reporting schedule. The assignment window is two business days after the meeting. The written answer would arrive within five business days after Tom accepts the question and payment is received. One related clarification may be requested within seven calendar days of the response and would be answered within five business days.
Review the consultation options or contact Tom with a general question. After purchase, Tom will confirm the service, scheduling, and private submission route. Please wait for that confirmation before sending any sample.