I am a teacher and editor with an interest in holistic approaches to writing and creativity. I guide writers in practical and intuitive ways to tell their stories.
I lead online masterclasses and workshops in creative writing. Masterclasses focus on craft and publishing, offering expert overviews and fresh perspectives for beginning as well as experienced writers. Workshops provide inspirations and departure points for new writing as well as revising works-in-progress.
I work directly with writers, offering developmental editing and mentoring tailored for each individual writer. My areas of expertise include literary fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, horror, science fiction, crime, thrillers, and popular fiction. My interests in nonfiction include memoir, history, current affairs, esoterica, and writing about nature, gardens, travel, and food.
My site includes a large library of resources on writing and publishing, including over a hundred writing experiments. My blog features a wealth of posts on craft and practice, and my DIY MA in creative writing is a free syllabus for writers building their own structured course of studies.
Follow these links for further details about my background and approach, including information on my career in book publishing as well as my studies and teaching at Naropa University and elsewhere. Subscribe for news about blog posts, future classes, and other updates.Â
Recent Blog Posts
Reader’s Report 2025
The standout books of 2025, which turned out to be a very good year of reading for me: I really, really loved these books. Any one of them would have
Suggestions For Revising and Self-Editing
Much of the work in self-editing and revising lies in tricking yourself in ways to see your work anew. In this post I outline suggestions for things to try out
Genres and Subgenres
If you are serious about being published, it makes sense to understand where your writing sits relative to readers and the marketplace. Comparison titles usually help to frame how your