Learning the Art of writing through Editing
During her time at Harvard, Janie began her writing journey while serving as a member of the Harvard Educational Review. As she received manuscripts from renowned authors, she began reviewing, editing, and helping shape their ideas into clear, structured work.
She often remembers the classic advice she learned in middle school: “Writing is rewriting.” The process of reviewing and editing deepened her passion for writing, and her breakthrough came when a professor invited her to co-edit a compilation of essays from a research study. Through strengthening other people’s words, her own writing was transformed.
The power of written words
Janie remembers that time and says, “That era taught me that the written word holds an intoxicating power. Scholars began reading and following my work. Ideas I published in book chapters eventually led to my very first single-authored book deal. Decades later, those peer-reviewed journals are still in circulation. It taught me a vital lesson: if you write it well enough, your thoughts can resonate far into the future.”
Balancing Life & Literature
Being a college professor is a massive juggling act of teaching, committee work, research, and speaking engagements. I did all of this while navigating life as a single parent and managing tenants as a homeowner.
Finding open blocks of time to write was never easy, but I learned that
Small pieces add up.
Writing groups kept me motivated.
Organizational skills kept me focused.
Eventually, I published several more co-edited books. My final collaborative project launched during the COVID pandemic, just as I neared the end of my teaching career.
What's Next !
I recently stepped away from full-time teaching to pour my energy into finishing my latest book, Crooked in Cambridge.
This project is a major stretch for me because, for the first time, I am telling my own story. The book explores the house I grew up in and uncovers the erased history of Black people—including my own family—who lived in historic Cambridge, Massachusetts. Its story reaches back to the Revolutionary War and the centuries of enslavement.
Writing this book has been an incredibly insightful and emotional journey, and I cannot wait to share it with you.
Stay tuned for the official publication announcement.