As a teacher and coach, I’ve spent over 20 years working closely with writers to strengthen, grow, and refine their skills in fiction and memoir writing. In addition to offering private virtual classes and workshops throughout the year, I have taught writing at numerous writing conferences, such as the prestigious Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Conference and the Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference, most chapters of the California Writers’ Club, Gavilan Community College, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, at the University of Oslo, Norway and for Brown University. I’ve written eight books on the craft of writing, including Writing Through the Pause: Mining Midlife for Powerful Writing, The Sound of Story: Developing Voice and Tone in Writing, How to Write a Page Turner, A Writer’s Guide to Persistence, Make a Scene, Writing the Intimate Character, Writing Deep Scenes (with Martha Alderson) and Write Free: Attracting the Creative Life (with Rebecca Lawton).

I’m also the author of three novels, most recently Fallout, Women in Red and Forged in Grace, and my work can be found in national publications such as The Atlantic, Mental Floss, The New York Times, Pacific Standard, The Rumpus, Scientific American, The Washington Post and many others.

If you’re looking to practice your writing craft, polish your writing for publication and/or create a meaningful writing community, you can find more info about upcoming classes and private 1:1 coaching below.