Writing Short Stories/Expert Profile

Expertise

I have a bachelor of arts degree in English and a master of fine arts degree in creative writing (fiction). I have over 15 years of experience as an editor and writer in magazine and book publishing. I currently work as a freelance editor and writer.

Experience in the area

I grew up on the Sisseton/Wahpeton Sioux Tribe Indian Reservation in Sisseton, South Dakota. After high school I attended college at Minnesota State University in Fargo/Moorhead. After receiving my BA in English, I stayed in Fargo/Moorhead for two years, working as a proofreader, a librarian assistant, a cocktail waitress, and in customer service. I then moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State University, where I worked as Associate Editor for The Colorado Review while pursuing my master's degree. After I graduated, I was able to stay in Colorado when I got a job as an editor and writer for Cottonwood Press, a small publisher specializing in supplemental books for teachers of English and language arts.

Organizations

Member of The Colorado Authors' League

Publications

I am the author of "A Sentence a Day: Short, Playful Proofreading Exercises" (Prufrock Press, 2007).

Education/Credentials

BA, English, Minnesota State University, 1995; MFA, Creative Writing, Colorado State University, 1999

What do you like about this subject?

I like the fact that good stories simultaneously teach and entertain.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

I hope to further develop and refine my writing style and publish my own work.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

Don't let what you don't know inhibit your writing. After all, one of the most beloved writers of children's books--Dr. Suess--never had children.