Everyone has a story. Happy, sad, hilarious, or cringe-worthy—the stories we tell and the way we tell them reflect more than just a single incident or insight. They give the reader a sense of who we are: how we see ourselves and the world around us.
Whether it’s a college essay, personal statement, cover letter, op-ed, or creative nonfiction piece, I can help you tell your story.
I am passionate about the power of words—to inform, inspire, persuade, provoke, help, and heal. I was trained as a journalist and have worked in nonprofit and higher education communications for 20 years. I have written news articles for global wire services, personal essays for popular websites, a chapter in a travel writing anthology, and every professional communication vehicle you can name, from tweets to newsletters to annual reports. While some people like to knit and others like to windsurf, I like to edit.
Throughout my life, I’ve consistently been approached by friends, neighbors, colleagues, and even bosses for help with their personal writing projects. As much as I like to wordsmith my own pieces, I get special satisfaction from the collaborative process of helping another person find, shape, and share his or her own story.
For the nitty-gritty on my qualifications, click here.
The process will differ, depending on the project. Some folks come to me with a draft in hand and want help refining it. Others may have a nebulous idea and want to work through how to turn that fluffy cloud of creativity in a piece of rock-solid writing. Still others might have the list of Common App questions in hand and a look of sheer dread on their face. Don’t worry! I can help with all of those.
Wherever we start, I can assure you that the final product will be your story, not mine. Calling on my training as a journalist, I will ask questions about your project goals and motivations. We’ll identify what actions or emotions we are trying to coax from the reader, as well as what you want the reader to know about you when they finish the last sentence.
We will work as a team. In the end, I will have had the good fortune to meet someone new and interesting, and you just might have learned a thing or two about yourself.
Concept creation and shaping, structure/organization, and proofreading and editing of:
My Golden Scribe 