developmental editing for essays
Offering gentle and encouraging developmental editing feedback, I can help you revise your creative nonfiction essays for submission to literary journals and other outlets. I’m adept and familiar with traditional, hybrid, and lyric narratives such as flash, hermit crab, and segmented essays.
My first essay was published in an anthology in 2008. Since then, I’ve published in literary journals such as PRISM international, Joyland Magazine, Hippocampus Magazine, and Entropy, and my #metoo essay is forthcoming in The Rumpus. For the last six years, I have honed my skills with online writing courses, including four with Creative Nonfiction magazine.
- Specific, constructive comments
- Feedback on big-picture things like focus, theme, structure
- Gentle handling of sensitive topics
- In-depth written feedback
- Gentle encouragement
- Clear steps forward to take the piece to the next level
COACHING & CONSULTING FOR WRITERS
If you’re looking for tools to work through personal trauma and grief, a supporter who understands the trials of the writing life or guidance on how you can balance your writing practice with your mental and physical help, I can help you formulate a path forward.
I also offer PR consulting for writers with books or courses to promote. My background in journalism and public relations as well as the literary world enable me to come up with creative ways to market your masterpieces. I hold a journalism degree from Carleton University and gained experience in PR with the Government of New Brunswick.
- Gentle support & encouragement
- Guidance from a fellow survivor
- Healthier methods for integrating challenging emotions
- Tools to work through personal trauma & grief
- Public relations consultation
- Coaching on how authors can best work with media outlets
- Written publicity plan for your business or book
WORKSHOP LEADER
I can lead workshops online or in-person on writing about trauma in a safe(r) way, self-care for writers, memoir writing and creative nonfiction, and related topics. My current workshop is based on my Hippocampus article, “How to Write About Trauma in a Safe(r) Way,” where I model a healthier kind of writing session full of self-care and empathy. I would be happy to develop related workshops based on your organization or group’s needs.
- Patient, encouraging, skilled workshop leader
- Sessions on self-care, writing about trauma in a safe(r) way
- Model how to write about painful subjects
- Guided meditation to prepare for and then close a session where participants write about trauma
- Opportunity to ask questions of an experienced writer on a healing journey
Reiki for Writers & creatives
One of my first experiences with distance reiki ended with me in tears, feeling an energy shift that had me running to my computer to write. This became the first draft of an essay about sexual assault. “Thank You” was subsequently published in the literary journal Paragon.
Clients have reported feeling relaxed, clear-headed and focused after a reiki session with me. It’s best to relax while receiving, but clients have also had good results while writing!
“Reiki” is healing energy and has been used in U.S. hospitals to aid relaxation and speed patient recovery. I was initiated and trained in Level I and II “Rainbow” and “Usui”
- Help you relax & speeds recovery
- Process difficult experiences
- Help prepare for a writing session
- Can be sent to you from anywhere
- Receive healing energy while you’re resting or writing
- Can be sent to you from anywhere
SET UP A DISCOVERY CALL
Your first hour with me is free!
Let’s talk about your goals and whether we’d be a good fit to work together.