Reading comprehension and writing skills are two sides of the same coin.
Studying literature is about learning to identify and analyze ideas; studying writing means learning how to use the understanding of literary tools to develop one's own ideas or express oneself. Whether developed for the purpose of creative writing, technical and business writing, or test score improvement, these tools improve a student's ability to engage with the world. That includes everything from acing tests and achieving academic success to understanding why a song's lyrics are catchy (or not). Good writing often appears so natural that it creates an illusion of flowing seamlessly from the author. When we can't replicate that painless process, we often believe we're just not talented enough. This is an odd tendency: no one would expect a mathematician to be able to solve complex equations without training, practice, and inevitable mistakes. Literature is one of the most complex arts we have! By drawing on my tutoring experience, professional writing and copyediting history, and my education at Columbia University's MFA program, I'm confident that I can help students to develop their capacity to read and write at higher levels, and better still, to enjoy doing so.