Carisa

I believe that the diversity of my experience and intimate familiarity with teaching, writing and editing make me an outstanding tutor, especially for high school, college, and graduate-level writing.

I have an undergraduate degree in Journalism, and spent years as a writer and copy editor at various publications, as well as teaching at the university level for the past 13 years as both a teaching assistant and the instructor of record. I love writing and narrative, have an excellent grasp of the flow, pace and "feel" of good writing, and am meticulous and conscientious about grammar, spelling, punctuation, citation and word choice as they affect the clarity and effectiveness of writing in various contexts. I would like to put these skills to work in helping others improve their writing and achieve their goals, both personal and professional.

Not only do I have both education and experience in the field of journalism, both as a writer and a copy editor, but I also have a background in academia, teaching in both an ethnic studies department and, most importantly, in an English department. The majority of my post-graduate career has been spent thinking and writing about narrative and the analysis of writing, conveying a message effectively—how to we create compelling narratives? To what purpose? What makes the communication of a particular message more effective? Less effective?

As an academic, I have developed an extensive familiarity with editing and a painstaking attention to detail, both in the production of my own work (including my dissertation) as well in the evaluation and editing of writing produced by other professionals. Additionally, as a professor of English in a university setting, part of my job has been to help guide students in improving their writing skills, which play an important part in their development both in the job market and as young adults.

I believe that words are powerful. They are our legacy. If we wish to understand, and to be understood, we must learn to read well — and we must learn to write well. I would like to be a part of that process, and help your team make reading (and writing) easier and more satisfying for everyone.

Availability: I am flexible in my schedule, and can work anytime from 8 am to 8 pm most days for several hours

Willing to travel: 15 miles

Experience: I hold a doctorate and have been a professor of English, teaching mostly freshmen, for the past 8 years at several local universities. Previous to that, I was a teaching assistant at Research 1 level university during my graduate studies.