TEACHING TESTIMONIALS
Student Feedback from my Literature and Creative Writing courses at UCLA
(Selected anonymous comments from end-of-quarter student evaluations.)
“I am an English major and she has helped my writing in this honors course more than any other teacher due to her teachings and essay corrections.”
“Unlike any other creative writing course I have ever participated in, this class focused on the role of community in fostering creative work […] the material we were engaging with was very relevant for me as a student of color […] It showed me that my voice, and my experiences are worthy.”
“I personally am a STEM major, so I don't have too much experience with multi ethnic storytelling […] After taking this course, I learned so much about questioning and challenging current injustices, and being a part of social movements and supporting authors”
“narrates complex ideas, making them engaging and accessible, and she listens thoughtfully to students’ perspectives. The books and articles she recommended throughout the course were meaningful, well–chosen, and deeply relevant to our own experiences and social positions.”
“one of the most meaningful academic experiences I’ve had at UCLA […] material was challenging in all the right ways—pushing us to rethink dominant narratives and to consider the power of storytelling across borders, identities, and histories.”
“reinforced the importance of respecting cultures that are different than ours and writing with a social conscience […] provided universal writing advice [...] reading assignments were superb […] provided extensive feedback on all of our stories, which really helped us to revise and improve our writing.”
“very informative in not only craft and different forms of creative nonfiction but also in how to develop myself as a critical reader and workshopper/ee. I appreciated that the professor was very conscious of the Asian American lens of the class and did not shy away from themes of culture, diaspora, and the inherent political nature of all writing.”
“masterful instructor and knowledgeable in writing matters […] allowed us to really get a sense of the different types of creative nonfiction”.
“one of my favorite class I have ever taken at UCLA […] pushed us to think beyond surface "why is this work activist or radical." The discussions were structured but class engagement was really high and we had some great conversations.”
Participant Feedback on my Professional Development Workshops for Writers
(Selected anonymous comments from participants in workshops offered through Poets & Writers and Narratively Academy)
Poets & Writers
“excellent teacher who offers academic credentials, practical experience, and a cordial learning environment to students at different stages of their writing careers”
“learning to create my author platform and to view admin tasks as part of the writing process were invaluable points”
“Actual numbers. How many copies one can hope to sell. Also web page advice [...] all very helpful”
“We received both the zoomed-out and zoomed-in views […] usually taken for granted and not fully discussed anywhere […] warm and friendly and generous with her time and knowledge.”
“The class gave me a clearer, more useful lay of the publishing landscape, which is what I wanted as I prepare to launch a new novel”
Narratively Academy
“She was a pure delight. Knowledgeable, organized, and upbeat without being cloying or patronizing. She treated everyone as valued members of the class and was patient and generous.”
“the wide range of ideas about promoting a book”