ABOUT THE WORDCRAFT COLLECTIVE

The story is familiar… I was writing, and then I wasn’t.

I received an MFA for creative fiction, wildly writing during my overnight shifts, and published short stories in journals like The Brooklyn Rail, Tin House online, Cake Train, and more. I began teaching writing workshops, secured grants from Minnesota State Arts Board and the Jerome Foundation via the Loft Literary center. I wrote hundreds, maybe thousands, of pages. 

Then life happened: career change, baby, pandemic, health discoveries. Those forces that carve new tributaries in the torrential waters of life.

After nine years away from writing (with very little writing and no submissions to show for it), I quit a job to return to do what I love most—write fiction and teach.

I picked up where I left off, wading through 400+ pages of an abandoned novel draft. I organized my process—spreadsheets for residency applications, expense tracking, craft one-pagers for my incarcerated students. Every tool and resource I created haunted me. How many other writers were building these same systems? How many creative hours were lost to administrative hell?

I talked with overwhelmed independent writers floundering in back-end work. I saw talented writers teaching in institutions getting paid pennies on the dollars of institutional profit.

But what if writers could access mentorship, coaching, and critique from accomplished writers at a fraction of MFA costs? What if those brilliant mentors could charge what they’re worth & keep their fair share?

The Wordcraft Collective is my answer. Rooted in mutual benefit, TWC provides exceptional and accessible creative support from wildly accomplished mentors who set their own rates and are paid fairly.

Here’s my dirty secret: I don’t mind making spreadsheets. I don’t mind automating workflows, sending invoices, processing payments, battling tech support tickets, or handling that client who wants to “pick your brain” on just a few more pages. What I do mind is the endless hours creative writers waste on these tasks—precious creative time and psychic space to focus on what you love too.

I’m deeply gratified by giving you back those hours. You know that satisfying feeling when a hole punch bites through a stack of papers? That’s how I feel about streamlining administrative processes.

Your vocation is my business. If you’re an experienced writer interested in mentoring, coaching, or offering manuscript critique on your own terms, I’d love to hear from you.