MFA Writer & Former HS English Teacher | Essays, Lit, Creative Writing

Robin D.

I'm a fiction writer and English teacher in the Chicago area, with an M.F.A. in Fiction from the University of Oregon and a B.F.A. from Baylor.

I've taught Freshman Composition and Intro to Fiction at the university level, high school English and Drama in public schools, and I've built lesson plans for every grade in between. I've also raised three daughters through the college application process, and attended Dartmouth, Wellesley, and DePaul. Together they were awarded millions of dollars in scholarships. I've also helped my Wellesley daughter navigate the grad school world. She's a PhD student at Yale. So, I've been on both sides of that desk.

I also read submissions professionally, stage and screenplays for Austin and Cincinnati Film Festivals. I spend part of every week doing exactly what an admissions officer does, working through a tall stack of essays and deciding fast which voices and stories stand out. This is the part most essay advice misses. Your essay isn't being graded. It's being read by a tired but eager someone hoping to get to know you on the page. My job is making sure your essay is the one they remember.

Writing about yourself is genuinely hard, and most students have a bit of difficulty finding that starting spot. The real essay is almost always smaller and stranger than the first idea. I help students find it, then shape it so it earns its ending.

I also work as a developmental editor with adults on short stories, novels, and screenplays, at any stage from a vague idea to a full draft. My style is down to earth and direct. I have a big personality but I read the room. No worries introverts. Looking forward to working together to achieve your goals.