Writing is one of those wonderful, terrible things that can feel like a heavy burden right up until it's done - then, suddenly, you're free! Believe me, I understand. I've been doing it for years: writing papers for school, articles for magazines, stories for my friends. It can feel like it's just you against the blank page. But it isn't! You have people on your side, and I'd like to be one of them.

I received my bachelor's degree from Emerson College and my master's from Clark University. Now, I'm finishing up a PhD at the University at Buffalo. Emerson called it "Writing, Literature, and Publishing"; Clark called it "Literature in English." To me, it's all of a piece - it's the craft of language.

Most of my teaching and tutoring experience is with college students. I've taught introductory writing courses, fiction and poetry workshops, an introduction to literature, and - my personal favorite - science fiction. I've also been a tutor at two university writing centers, where I worked one on one with undergraduates, visiting scholars, and alumni. (I've occasionally tutored middle-school kids on a freelance basis.)

My philosophy of teaching is simple: treat students with respect. This includes offering them challenges I think they can meet and understanding their particular circumstances. I try to make learning something they can - and have to - participate in, something engaging, with games and exercises that foreground how writing is present in the world.

We live in strange times. Reading, thinking, and writing clearly are more important than ever. I'm here to help.