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Rachel Carter
She/Her/Hers
- Fiction and Young Adult Mentor
- MFA in Writing
Additional Information
Biography
Raised in rural Vermont, Rachel Carter grew up surrounded by trees and mountains. She is the author of three young adult novels published with HarperCollins: This Strange and Familiar Place, Find Me Where the Water Ends, and So Close to You, which was nominated for a Teen Choice Book Award. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in English and Women’s Studies, and she currently holds an MFA in nonfiction creative writing from Columbia University. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in The New Republic, The Faster Times, Verbicide Magazine, SevenDays, and Booktrib.com, where she was a regular contributor for over three years.
Rachel is an experienced teacher and editor who has taught undergraduate creative writing at Columbia University and Champlain College, and graduate-level courses in the MFA writing program at Southern New Hampshire University. She spent four years as a Visiting Professor of fiction at Montclair State University, where she specialized in young adult writing. For over fifteen years, she has worked as a freelance editor, helping fellow authors publish memoirs, novels, cookbooks, self-help books, and more. She recently ran the Green Mountain Book Festival as their Executive Director from 2023-2024. Rachel currently lives in Vermont where she is the Editorial Director for Onion River Press and continues to teach creative writing at Montclair State and Champlain College.
Teaching Philosophy
"As a teacher, I live in the space between the passionate and the practical. Honing your creativity and trusting your instincts is a crucial part of becoming a stronger writer, but writing is also a discipline that can’t exist without a deep understanding of craft. My goal is to help students explore their voice and their style while also helping them learn the mechanics of story, of character, and of understanding the intentions behind their work.
So often, the language around writing can feel mysterious and amorphous. In reality, there are often accessible, clear ways to help students address their writing. This means building on their working knowledge of writing and literature in a concrete way. Teaching them how and why to structure narrative and character. Helping them understand how craft elements are connected. Asking questions and encouraging more exploration. This also means showing them the possibilities of what words and stories can do, with an eye toward both creativity and craft.
The reality is that writing rarely exists in a vacuum, whether that means sharing your work with others to garner feedback or trying to bring it out into the world. Focusing on voice and craft is the foundation of what it means to be a writer, and starting to develop those skills is the first step towards creating work you’re passionate about. But understanding the industry around writing is also important, especially if your goal is to publish and share your work with the world. I want to help students become savvy readers, stronger storytellers, and thoughtful consumers who understand what it means to be a working writer in today’s climate."
Additional Information
Biography
Raised in rural Vermont, Rachel Carter grew up surrounded by trees and mountains. She is the author of three young adult novels published with HarperCollins: This Strange and Familiar Place, Find Me Where the Water Ends, and So Close to You, which was nominated for a Teen Choice Book Award. She graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in English and Women’s Studies, and she currently holds an MFA in nonfiction creative writing from Columbia University. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in The New Republic, The Faster Times, Verbicide Magazine, SevenDays, and Booktrib.com, where she was a regular contributor for over three years.
Rachel is an experienced teacher and editor who has taught undergraduate creative writing at Columbia University and Champlain College, and graduate-level courses in the MFA writing program at Southern New Hampshire University. She spent four years as a Visiting Professor of fiction at Montclair State University, where she specialized in young adult writing. For over fifteen years, she has worked as a freelance editor, helping fellow authors publish memoirs, novels, cookbooks, self-help books, and more. She recently ran the Green Mountain Book Festival as their Executive Director from 2023-2024. Rachel currently lives in Vermont where she is the Editorial Director for Onion River Press and continues to teach creative writing at Montclair State and Champlain College.
Teaching Philosophy
"As a teacher, I live in the space between the passionate and the practical. Honing your creativity and trusting your instincts is a crucial part of becoming a stronger writer, but writing is also a discipline that can’t exist without a deep understanding of craft. My goal is to help students explore their voice and their style while also helping them learn the mechanics of story, of character, and of understanding the intentions behind their work.
So often, the language around writing can feel mysterious and amorphous. In reality, there are often accessible, clear ways to help students address their writing. This means building on their working knowledge of writing and literature in a concrete way. Teaching them how and why to structure narrative and character. Helping them understand how craft elements are connected. Asking questions and encouraging more exploration. This also means showing them the possibilities of what words and stories can do, with an eye toward both creativity and craft.
The reality is that writing rarely exists in a vacuum, whether that means sharing your work with others to garner feedback or trying to bring it out into the world. Focusing on voice and craft is the foundation of what it means to be a writer, and starting to develop those skills is the first step towards creating work you’re passionate about. But understanding the industry around writing is also important, especially if your goal is to publish and share your work with the world. I want to help students become savvy readers, stronger storytellers, and thoughtful consumers who understand what it means to be a working writer in today’s climate."