About Me
Education
I have BA in English Literature from Reed College, a small liberal arts school where my love of literature and language was encouraged. I continued to develop both breadth and depth with an MA and PhD in Humanities from York University. My training, which fostered an appreciation of various ways to read and write well, ensures that I keep learning from every text I encounter.
Experience
My academic training does not end with knowledge of how texts are put together. It also includes sharing that knowledge with students. I spent many years as a teaching assistant who was responsible for not only teaching course content, but also introducing new university students to the critical reading and writing skills they would need in all their courses. As a freelance editor, writing coach, and content developer I’ve built on this experience by editing academic and popular texts, designing courses for writers at different levels, and creating stories for various audiences.
Personal
I’ve always loved reading and writing, and I count myself incredibly lucky to have been able to pursue graduate degrees in these areas. Most of it was really fun. Some of it wasn’t. At a certain point I got stuck and had a really tough time finishing my dissertation. I became my worst fear: a person who was actively not doing what she thought she should be doing, who dreaded being asked about her work, and who was pretty unhappy with herself. This experience taught me how fraught even (especially!) a beloved writing project can become. It also helped me learn some of the tools I now teach others to move their writing forward even when it feels impossible. My technical skills saw me through my degree, but the personal challenge of finishing it is what motivates me to help others get out of their own way so that they can write.