I’m the scholar’s “book doula,” guiding the writing journey from idea to publication. I help academic writers find their direction, stay focused on the path, and deal with roadblocks they encounter along the way — until they reach their writing destination.

What do I know about that? I’m an academic who has a PhD (UC Berkeley, History, 2009); an author who’s published my own scholarly book, several journal articles, and a couple book chapters; and a developmental editor who’s worked with both scholarly clients and academic journals. Like most academics, I was never taught how to write academic prose. I managed to crank out my dissertation and adapt it into book form before I had any idea what I was doing — other than trying to make it “readable.” But a few years of managing the editing process at an academic journal transformed how I understood scholarly writing. Once I discovered that developmental editing was a thing, the proverbial lightbulb turned on for me. I learned how to look deeply beneath a text’s surface — its argument, structure, evidence, and authorial tone — to get a “big picture” view of what’s working and what’s not. I also discovered that I love engaging with other academics about their research, and talking through their ideas to help them get clearer on what they really want to say.

I’m a true believer in the value and power of our scholarly work: We really need more smart people to get their ideas “out there” in the world. But writing is hard, and good writing takes time to develop. In this era of “move fast and break things,” good writing comes from engaging deeply with our data over time. I’m committed to helping academics find direction on their writing journey, and staying on the road with them until they reach their destination.

If you’re ready to start making meaningful headway on your writing project, don’t hesitate to reach out — I’d love to help you get further down the road toward your goal!