Hi! I’m Jana, and I’m glad you’re here.
I believe that stories are the cornerstone of culture, and I believe that there is a much greater diversity of stories to be told than current publishing reflects. I believe We Need Diverse Books, especially for children and young adults, who gain so much from seeing people like them represented as fully realized human beings. I strive to work with all writers in a sensitive and thoughtful way, focusing on craft to bring out your unique story, rather than a cookie-cutter approach. With a background in TESOL, I’m also happy to work with ESL writers.
Culture and story are my jam: My whole career has been split between the intercultural relations field and writing. I have my M.A. in Intercultural Relations and my M.F.A. in Writing for Young People, and have lived in Japan, England, and France and traveled to over 30 other countries. My own stories reflect the challenges of exploring cultures and identities.
I’ve spent pretty much all of my life writing in one form or another, and I have a passion for teaching and coaching. I’m a Certified Creativity Coach and a Certified Book Coach through Author Accelerator. The writers who work with me write for a variety of reasons: to commercially publish, to self-publish, or simply for the joy of putting words to paper. So many of them struggle alone, or have been damaged by unhelpful or cruel critique, or keep taking classes or attending a workshop here and there, hoping to make progress but never quite achieving their goals.
It doesn’t have to be that way!
My job as a coach is to be a cheerleader and accountability partner, and to help you with strategies to enable you to finally finish that book your heart is calling you to write. Sometimes this requires tough love, but it’s all about making you a better writer, and to develop your own instincts and writing process. I’ll always be honest, but leaven that with a healthy dose of laughter along the way.
Interested in learning more?
Contact me via the form on the Contact page.
