I have over 10 years of experience as a writer and editor, and have extensive knowledge of a wide range of writing and editing styles. I have ghostwritten memoirs, edited novels, worked as a quality assurance editor for a university, founded and edited an online literary journal, published poetry and creative nonfiction, and written a monograph-length academic essay.
I hold both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in English literature from San Diego State University. I wrote a creative undergraduate thesis and a critical graduate thesis. I have extensive knowledge of Latin, European, and American literature, with a specialization in Anglo-Irish literature and the poetry of W. B. Yeats. I have also studied at New College, Oxford.
I have taught writing courses for freshman and transfer students at San Diego State University.
For more information on my creative projects, please visit and explore my personal website at www.chrisgorrie.net
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I ask new literature and writing students to write a short introduction about themselves as well as a brief reflection how they feel about themselves as readers and writers. The purpose of this is to familiarize myself with them and assess their prior knowledge. After this I like to have a conversation about what students can expect from me and what they specifically want to gain from our sessions.
For creative writers, I generally schedule a preliminary consultation to discuss their creative vision, the scope of my involvement in their work, and what they expect of me, among other pertinent details.
How did you get started teaching?
I started teaching after finishing my undergraduate degree, primarily tutoring high school students. I also started creative writing consultation and ghostwriting, primarily helping seniors write memoirs. In graduate school I began teaching college level rhetoric and writing courses.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with all types of students, including middle school, high school,and college age, non-native English speakers, and seniors.