Meet Your Editor and Story Coach

I’m a published and award-winning author and journalist, a certified editor and proofreader, and a compassionate story coach living in the DC area with my husband, two lovely daughters, and a demanding but lovable bunny/coeditor named Marbles.

I began my professional writing career in my early twenties with a BA in journalism and a pretty serious "I'd-rather-be-writing-fiction" problem. I’d been in love with literature my whole life, but books, I was told time and again, wouldn't pay the bills. So, I opted for what I saw as a safer and more practical way to peddle words for a living.

I spent the next ten years racking up publishing credits and building a successful career writing and editing articles for glossy magazines and web media giants. I enjoyed my work, but as I approached thirty—the first of those big birthdays that tend to make you stop and take stock of things—something deep down, something I’d thought I’d closed the door on a long time ago, began to whimper. Then it began to wail.

So, I did something brave: I answered the call and dedicated myself to my dream of writing and editing fiction.

As I worked toward my goal in the years that followed, I learned that I have a special talent—a superpower of sorts: I see stories. (It’s kind of like having my own "sixth sense" but with way fewer dead people.)

Think of it this way: Writing and editing a first draft can be something like putting together a puzzle without looking at the picture on the box. You have a good idea of what it’s supposed to be. You’ve found the corner pieces and put a frame together. A few sections look promising, but the picture is still a little fuzzy. You try to alter things, but the pieces don’t quite connect the way you hoped they would. Discouraged, you can't help but think things would be much easier if you only had the lid of the box.

I can help. I can see the big picture, the whole story. And I can help you see it too.

I’ve spent decades cultivating this instinct for storytelling. Far from being wasted, my years in journalism sharpened my edge as a fiction editor by teaching me to cut the fluff, uncover the heart of a story, and distill it down to a universal truth—a formula that has never failed to make my fiction more compelling.

I've also studied story structure and character development extensively, read for lit mags, judged literary contests, and written countless critiques for writing services and professional associations. Still, I’ve never found anything more satisfying than working one-on-one with writers to help them uncover the hidden potential in their work—and themselves.

Whether you're a new writer hoping to develop your first finished draft, a self-publishing pro in need of a quick polish, or just a fellow wordsmith looking to connect, I'd love the opportunity to know you and your story. If you're interested in working with me, please tell me more about your project by submitting an inquiry form. Just want to chat? Feel free to reach out via my contact form. You can also find me (and Marbles) being bookish on Instagram/Threads. Join us!