Steve Almond

Steve Almond is the author of twelve books of fiction and nonfiction, including the New York Times bestsellers Candyfreak and Against Football. You can check those out here. His recent books include the novel All the Secrets of the World, which has been optioned for television by 20th Century Fox, and William Stoner and the Battle for the Inner Life. For four years, Steve hosted the New York Times Dear Sugars podcast with his pal Cheryl Strayed. He is the recipient of a 2022 NEA grant in fiction, and his short stories have been anthologized in the Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, Best American Erotica, and Best American Mysteries series. He also publishes crazy, DIY books.

Katie Bannon

I spent a year drafting my memoir manuscript, the most healing experience of my life. I went on to graduate from GrubStreet’s Memoir Incubator and earned an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Emerson College. I currently teach writing at GrubStreet and Creative Nonfiction Magazine, and have published essays in The Rumpus, ELLE Magazine, Newsweek, and Narratively, among others. The most rewarding part of my journey has been hearing from readers touched by my story and forging connections that transcend the page.

My passion is helping writers like you bring your own vulnerable stories to life.

As a coach and developmental editor, I view writing vulnerably as a challenge, as well as an opportunity. The more vulnerable we are on the page, the more we invite readers to be vulnerable, too.

This happens in three stages. First, we “dig” in by getting words down and making a mess on the page. Next, we “shape” the story by applying craft techniques like structure, voice, narration, character development, and world-building. Finally, we “share” our work by packaging and pitching it for publication.

My job is to guide you through this journey, empowering you with the feedback, craft knowledge, and motivation to meet your goals.

Gina Barreca, Ph.D

Gina Barreca, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of English Literature, is author of ten books, including the bestselling classic on women’s humor, They Used to Call Me Snow White but I Drifted as well as Babes in Boyland: A Personal History of Coeducation in the Ivy League. You’ve seen her on PBS’s American Masters, heard her on NPR’s This American Life, and delighted in the advice she’s dispensed on the TODAY show, CNN, the BBC, Entertainment Tonight, 48 Hours, and during several appearances on Oprah. You’ve read her in the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Cosmopolitan, Forbes, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today where her blog has over 8 millions views. Her books have been translated into several languages, she has a charming assortment of honorary doctorates, and she can be found in the Library of Congress-- or the make-up aisle of Walgreens. Feel free to ask her advice about concealer. 

Polly Campbell

Polly Campbell is the award-winning author of four personal development books, including You, Recharged: How to Beat Fatigue (Mostly), Amp Up Your Energy (Usually), and Enjoy Life Again (Always) and How to Live an Awesome Life: How to Live Well, Do Good, Be Happy, among others. Her service articles have appeared in numerous online and print publications including Arthritis Today, Spirituality & Health Magazine, Psychology Today, and HuffPost.

Polly hosts the Simply Write with Polly Campbell podcast and writes the companion newsletter at SimplyWrite.substack.com about writing craft and creating a sustainable writing life. She also hosts Polly Campbell, Simply Said: How to Live Well, Do Good, and Be Happy and writes about practical personal development at pollycampbell.substack.com.

Corey Rosen

Corey Rosen is the author of “Your Story, Well Told: Creative Strategies to Develop and Perform Stories that Wow an Audience,” a laugh-out-loud, funny, practical and inspiring manual to develop true stories from concept through presentation.  He has hosted 105 live events for The Moth, The Moth StorySlam, and GrandSlams. Rosen has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour, “The Finch Files” and “20 Minutes with Bronwyn” podcasts. He is an on-air personality for Alice Radio’s “The Sarah and Vinnie Show,” the #1-rated morning show in the San Francisco area. A performer at BATS Improv, he is also a head writer at Tippett Studio. When not writing or performing, Corey works as a visual effects artist and executive producer. He is credited in movies including “Mission: Impossible,” several “Star Wars” films, and “Disney’s A Christmas Carol.” He has taught at NYU and Academy of Art University, written for Comedy Central, Jim Henson Productions, and Lucasfilm, and directed television commercials and Emmy award-winning short films.

Susan Shapiro

Susan Shapiro, an award-winning writer and professor is the bestselling author/coauthor of 18 books her family hates in 8 different genres like Unhooked, American Shield, Five Men Who Broke My Heart, The Forgiveness Tour and her inspiring writing guides, The Byline Bible and The Book Bible. She freelances for The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Slate, Salon, Oprah, New York and the New Yorker magazines online. She lives with her scriptwriter husband in Greenwich Village where she’s taught her popular “instant gratification takes too long” courses at The New School, NYU, Columbia University, and now in private classes and seminars online. You can follow her on Insta at @Profsue123 or email Profsue123@gmail.com

Hasanthika Sirisena

Hasanthika Sirisena has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and is a Rona Jaffe Writers’ Award recipient. Their short story collection The Other One won the Juniper Prize for Fiction and was released in 2016. Their essay collection Dark Tourist (The Ohio State University Press/Mad Creek Books 2021) was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award.

Kathryn Willms

The Rights Factory

Kathryn Willms (she/her) is a literary agent representing adult nonfiction. She is currently focused on narrative nonfiction, cultural and social investigations, biography, history, sports, nature/environmental topics, lifestyle, and food and drink. She is particularly interested in manuscripts with a unique voice, topic, or point of view that changes or challenges the way we see the world, and she is actively seeking authors whose voices have traditionally been under-represented in publishing. Kathryn will be critiquing memoirs.

Robert Brewer

Writer's Digest

Robert Lee Brewer is a Senior Editor with Writer's Digest and has more than 20 years of experience helping writers write better and get published. That includes editing more than 20 editions, including the most recent edition, of Writer's Market (as well as editing various editions of Guide to Literary Agents, Poet's Market, and more). Robert will be critiquing Personal Essays