Putting together a successful piece of writing feels like solving a puzzle. You need to look at the goal, understand who is reading and why, and devise a strategy to get there. Once you have a draft, then you need to move the puzzle pieces around and test different configurations. It’s stressful and awful until a few key pieces find their place with a satisfying click! And then it all comes together.

In this yearlong class,  I’ll share tricks I’ve learned during my 20 years as a professional writer. You will learn how to identify your audience, adjust the tone of your writing depending on the situation, and how to make sure your documents are professional and convincing. We will focus on editing, but will also talk about strategies for getting that elusive first draft on paper. This is a high school level class, and active participation is crucial. Homework exercises are designed to help you retain and strengthen your writing until these ideas become habits.