KATIE MCNEY, Ph.D.



Hi, I'm Katie!


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I’m an author and writing coach with over fifteen years of teaching experience.

A little bit about me: I earned an Honors B.A. in English and French from Brigham Young University in 2009. I then attended the University of Minnesota, where I received my Ph.D. in English with a focus in medieval and early modern literature. After moving to Los Angeles, I worked as a lecturer in the Writing Program at the University of Southern California before designing my Author's Dream Mentorship Program and launching my own coaching business. I’ve earned multiple awards for my writing and scholarship and have been published in national venues, including peer-reviewed academic journals.

I host two podcasts about writing and reading and am one of the founding members of the Humanities Podcast Network. I also write speculative fiction and am represented by Kurestin Armada at Root Literary. You can read more about my academic and creative work below and find me on Twitter and Instagram @KatieMcNey.




Author's Dream Mentorship Program



Write a book from start to finish in just one year


Have you always dreamed of becoming a published author? Maybe you have the perfect idea for a book that you’ve been dying to bring to life, but you can’t seem to figure out your process. Maybe you’ve started writing but lost your momentum along the way. Or maybe you want to share your story but don’t know where to begin. This premier mentorship program is for aspiring authors who dream of writing a book but haven’t yet found a path to that goal.

In this program, I will work with you on every step of the process to realize your dream and create a book that’s fully ready for publication.

Here's what I offer:


  • -private mentoring sessions every week
  • -concrete methods and strategies to navigate every stage of the writing process and stave off writer's block
  • -a personalized writing schedule that fits your personality and creative process along with accountability check-ins from me and coaching if you're getting stuck
  • -active workshopping and revision sessions--from big-picture story elements to sentence structure and word choice--to make your writing absolutely sing
  • -professional copyediting to get your book in tiptop shape for publication
  • -help crafting a killer query letter and book proposal (if applicable) as well as compiling a list of agents to contact or, if you prefer, a step-by-step guide to self-publishing

This program is designed to help you complete your book in just one year!


Are you ready to get started? Fill out the form below, and I’ll be in touch soon to schedule a call.



Coaching Packages



In addition to my 12-month Author's Dream Mentorship Program, I offer several other coaching packages.

Author's Jumpstart Program

2-week intensive program to jumpstart your writing process

This package includes two in-depth calls with me to build out the framework for your book along with two weeks of texting and email support as you begin the drafting process.
If you decide to opt into a larger package at the end of the two weeks, the price of this program will be applied towards the other package.

Author's Flagship Program

3-month mentorship program for serious writers

This package includes all of the benefits of the Author's Dream Mentorship in a more condensed time frame. We'll hit the ground running and power through as much of the book as we can in three months.
At the end of the three months, you will have the option to extend the program, if desired.

Comprehensive Revision Package

6-month revision and editing package

For writers who have already completed a draft of their book and are willing to do substantial revising in order to improve their work, I offer full revision notes--from big-picture feedback on content, structure, and development to final mechanical editing and proofreading.
We will work through the revision process together, refining your book to make it ready for publication.

Fundamental Revision Package

3-4-month revision and editing package

For books that have already undergone several rounds of revision, I offer line editing to help you strengthen your prose at the sentence-, paragraph-, and chapter-level.

Copyediting

1-2-month editing package

For writers who are fully confident in the soundness of their organization and prose, I offer final copyediting and proofreading to make sure their book is error-free and ready to submit to agents and publishers.

Book Proposal and Query Help

1-2-month coaching and editing package

For writers who have a fully complete and polished book and are ready to contact agents--or for writers who are writing non-fiction--I also offer coaching services for query letters and book proposals.
Please indicate which package you are interested in via the application below, and I will get back to you soon. I look forward to working with you!


Application



Ready to get started?


Please fill out the application below.


Your name


Email address


How did you hear about me?



What kind of book are you writing? Briefly describe the project and include the estimated word count, if known.



What stage of the process are you currently in?



Which package are you interested in?



Any questions for me or additional information I should know?



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Thank you for your interest in working with me! I will review your application and be in touch shortly.


Reviews





My Academic Work



Recent Talks & Publications


  • -'It's Time for Academe to Take Podcasting Seriously,' Inside Higher Education (September 2021)
  • -“From ‘Tissues of Silk and Gold’ to Fibers of the Harakeke: Re-Weaving the Medieval Past” at the International Congress of Medieval Studies (May 2021)
  • -“A Fine Mesh: Using Code-Meshing to Spark and Support Students' Critical Thinking and Writing Skills” at the Conference on College Composition & Communication (April 2021)
  • -“Scholarly Podcasting as Genre” at the MLA Annual Convention (January 2021)
  • -“Teaching with Technology: Strategies for Fostering Inclusion in the Composition Classroom” at the CCCC Regional Conference (December 2020)
  • -'The Path to Wholeness: The Therapeutic Potential of Writing in Late Medieval Dream Visions,' University of Minnesota, PhD dissertation (May 2016)
  • -“‘Blak, bloo, grenyssh, swartish red’: The Color of Speech in Chaucer’s House of Fame,” Oxford Medieval Graduate Conference, Oxford University (April 2015)
  • -“‘Thou wolt make…thyn hede to ake’: A Post-Chaucerian Treatment for Madness in Christine de Pizan’s Chemin de long estude,” The Chaucer Review, Volume 49.2 (2014)



My Creative Work



In Development

I'm currently working on a fantasy series for adults that I'm very excited about. Details coming soon!

The Windstorm Series

My debut work was a young adult contemporary fantasy trilogy called The Windstorm Series: Downburst (2012), Coiled Snake (2013), and Firestorm (2016). It is currently out of print, but I'm hoping to re-release it in the near future.




Podcasts



Writing Remix


Writing remix podcast logo

I am the founder and co-host of Writing Remix, a weekly podcast about language, art, and pedagogy sponsored by the USC Writing program.


Witches in Britches


witches in britches podcast logo

I am also the creator and co-host of Witches in Britches, a feminist podcast that analyzes portrayals of witches in pop culture once a month on the full moon.



Interviews & Media



Contact



Questions? Send me a message



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