The Backstory

When it comes to words, I take things personally: circuitous phrasing, syntactical blunders, grammatical fails, punctuation flops. No human triumph is more elusive than clear, concise expression; no work is nobler than wrestling to achieve it. Whether sharpening CTAs to sweat out ambiguity, condensing text while retaining meaning, or crafting intuitive onboarding, I treat writing as a process—not a product. 

Earning a Certificate in UX Writing unearthed new language for my well-worn sensibilities. Earlier, as an MFA student in Nonfiction Writing, my favorite class conversations scrutinized trees as much as forests. This knack for microcopy assumed new dimension with a fellowship in Children’s Book Writing—wherein conflicts are introduced, explored and resolved in just a handful of pages.

“Only ideas are perfect," my undergrad writing professor once cooed into his coffee. "Language is the imperfect medium of thought.”

I jotted this down, attuned to its brilliance but unaware it would go on to thrum in me till the first grays appeared in my hair. My professional roles have been linked by a drive to do right by this challenge—to translate ideas into words with focus and grit.

Whether teaching adult literacy classes, tutoring teenagers in college admission essays or writing curriculum, my work has hinged on shrinking the inevitable gap between intention and execution. My students know that their chosen words must speak for themselves, and speak accurately. I apply equal precision as a UX Writer to create user experiences that seamlessly guide and delight. As is often said, “Easy reading is hard writing.”