Frequently Asked Questions
About Emotional Intelligence and Writing
What is emotional intelligence and how does it apply to writing?
Emotional intelligence in the ability model means perceiving emotion accurately, connecting emotional features across contexts, understanding how emotions change over time, and managing them effectively. On the page those four abilities show up in character interiority, in how scenes build, and in what a reader ends up feeling.
What makes your approach different from other writing coaches?
Most craft advice works at the level of technique. I work on the psychology underneath it, using the Mayer-Salovey ability model, MSCEIT certification, and doctoral research on how novelists handle emotion while drafting. Whether that produces better outcomes than technique-first coaching is an open question, and part of what I’m researching.
The Writer’s Emotional Compass
What is the WEC?
A scenario-based assessment built around the four abilities above, written specifically for writers. It takes about 5-10 minutes and returns a profile showing where your responses fall across two dimensions, along with development suggestions.
Is it validated?
Not yet. The WEC is in development, and I’m currently collecting responses to establish its reliability and validity. Results should be read as a reflective tool rather than a measurement. That work is underway, and I’ll publish the findings when it’s complete.
What does it cost?
Free during validation. Participants receive the full profile report at no charge.
What happens to my responses?
Responses feed the validation analysis, reported only in aggregate and never in a way that identifies you. Your individual profile is yours. If you’d rather your responses stay out of the analysis, say so and I’ll exclude them.
What about the Writer’s Emotional Map?
In development. It will go deeper than the WEC once the foundational work is finished.
MSCEIT
What is it?
The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, an ability-based measure of emotional intelligence with decades of published psychometric work behind it. Unlike self-report EQ questionnaires, it scores performance on emotion-related tasks.
Can I take it through you?
Yes. I’m certified to administer and interpret the MSCEIT, which includes the test itself plus a debrief session walking through what your scores mean for your writing. Contact me for current pricing and scheduling.
Will you share my MSCEIT results with anyone?
Absolutely not. Your scores and our debrief stay between us.
Manuscript Consultation Services
What is it?
A written analysis of your manuscript’s emotional architecture: character development, emotional arcs, where connection lands and where it slips. This is structural feedback rather than line editing.
What does it cost, and how long does it take?
Pricing starts at $6 per 1,000 words, quoted by length, complexity, and timeline. Turnaround is typically two to four weeks. Availability is limited, so contact me with project details.
Coaching
Do you offer coaching?
One-to-one coaching opens in 2027. Sign up for the newsletter to be notified when it is available.
Logistics and Business
How do I get started?
Take the WEC, or send a note about a manuscript.
Do you work with writers outside the US?
Yes. Everything happens by video call and email.
Do you work in specific genres?
Across genres, with the most direct experience in science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller and suspense, mystery, and literary fiction.
About Benjamin
What are your qualifications?
MSCEIT certified in the Mayer-Salovey ability model, PhD candidate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Grand Canyon University, published novelist, and several years coaching writers and reading manuscripts one-on-one.
Why did you start this?
The psychology of emotion turned out to be the part of craft advice nobody was explaining. I wanted to work on that gap, first in my own writing, then with other writers, now as research.
Have a question not covered here? Send a note and I’ll answer it