"I am a university teacher, writing coach, film maker, editor, and storyteller. I have a B.A. from Georgetown University, an M.S. from UMass Amherst, and hold a Ph.D. in documentary film history from the University of Birmingham in the UK. I have directed five films for international television and my work has been seen in over twenty countries. I am also the founder, director, and curator of Tall Tales, India’s longest-running, true storytelling event series that features live performances and writing workshops of all kinds. I live in the US for six months each year and the other six in Asia, where I lead international writing retreats.

My strongest skill is understanding what separates ordinary stories from unforgettable ones. Whether it's details about your characters, plot, story question, obstacles, or reveal, my specialty is working with you to preserve your core idea but to shape and add to it in order to make it grab readers and never let them go. I also put a strong emphasis on helping writers to grasp what a story fundamentally is while detailing the particulars of the universal story structure that link all stories no matter what their final form may be. Once mastered, these tools open up infinite and profoundly meaningful story opportunities.

I love to help you find the writer inside of you--and if you're a writer already then your best possible self. I'm ready to get started when you are!" less...