Here’s a bit more about me!

For over three years, I worked at Author Accelerator as the Director of Coach Development. Author Accelerator is the premier book coach training and certification program, and the only accrediting organization for this profession. It was founded by book coach extraordinaire Jennie Nash, who also runs her own highly successful private book coaching business.

Working closely with Jennie and her team over the years, I learned so much about how to deliver clear, compassionate, high-level editorial comments with a project management approach and emotional support for the writer at any stage of the process. At Author Accelerator, I worked with our team of thirty founding coaches, offering mentorship and professional development training. I matched writers with founding and newly certified coaches who came through our training program, and advised writers on coaching and editing paths to move their project forward. I reviewed practicums and certification portfolios for book coaching students, offering detailed feedback on their coaching.

As a certified coach myself, with an ongoing professional connection to Author Accelerator, I have access to the coaching materials developed by Jennie Nash (such as the Blueprint for a Book planning workbook, and the Inside Outline tool). I’m happy to incorporate those tools into any coaching program I offer, and I also work eclectically, incorporating tools of my own as needed.

Prior to working at Author Accelerator, I worked at an academic coaching company. As a coach and a supervisor there, I worked with teens and adults with ADHD and other executive function issues. I enjoyed helping clients organize their ideas and words, so I specialized in coaching academic writing. I discovered many systems and tools that can make the writing process less mysterious. Helping all writers with project management and accountability is integral to my coaching approach. I’m also happy to customize programs and feedback delivery to accommodate different learning styles.

I have over two decades of professional editorial and teaching experience. I worked in educational publishing, authoring and editing many types of textbooks and online educational materials, from writing texts to videos. My clients included McGraw-Hill, Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and the University of Michigan Press. For over three years, I served as the Fiction Editor at YARN (Young Adult Review Network), an award-winning online magazine featuring short-form writing for teens.

I have also taught writing and literature at Boston University, Brandeis University, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. I periodically teach workshops at Grub Street Writers in Boston, and have led writing workshops at NESCBWI regional conferences, bookstores, and libraries. I view teaching as part of my coaching approach. My clients can transfer skills to their next book and other projects – and ideally learn how to coach themselves! I am committed to helping writers articulate their opinions, organize ideas, work through the writing process, balance research with storytelling, and write clearly with an audience in mind. While writing can be therapeutic and personal, my focus is on imagining the eventual audience reception of the work, and helping the writer to create the desired effect.

I bring my publishing industry knowledge to the page. My professional affiliations include SCBWI, Grub Street Writers, and Sisters in Crime. I’ve published four books with agent representation and sold one on my own. I understand and can advise on the various paths to publication (traditional, hybrid/indie, and self). I’ve worked as a bookseller. While I don’t believe in chasing trends, I strongly believe that all writers should be empowered and know how to sell their stories. It’s important to learn about how the publishing industry works, and stay abreast of industry news. I have many informative resources I’m happy to share with clients.

In short: my entire career has involved working with words, helping people to tell their stories.