Editing and Workshops

‘Karen was a warm and knowledgeable tutor who guided us through verse novel techniques, provided constructive feedback on our work and, perhaps most importantly, gently motivated us to persist with our projects and view ourselves as verse novelists.’

‘Karen Comer is human SUNSHINE! Her verse novel online course is pure poetry in motion.’

‘Karen is such a generous teacher and her passion for verse novels is infectious. Not only does this course offer a thorough and thoughtful introduction to writing verse novels, it means you get your work edited by Karen herself – something that all on its own is so, so valuable.’

‘I absolutely loved every part of this course, from the weekly catch ups, to the insights into verse novel techniques, as well as Karen’s thoughtful feedback on our work. The small learning group environment was supportive and encouraging, allowing us to brave, vulnerable and to try new things.’

‘Karen is an engaging, experienced presenter and her comments on the participants’ own verse novel pieces were practical and insightful. The course work was instructive and I came away motivated (and with thousands of words I didn’t have before the course). Karen’s personal feedback is gold.’

‘The detailed, actionable and uplifting editorial feedback we received from Karen after each submission was an absolute bonus, as was the opportunity to discuss the feedback in the following week’s session. Her comments and suggestions were insightful and on-point; an encouraging blend of positivity and critique. Karen Comer is a generous presenter with a wealth of knowledge.’

‘Karen was pivotal for me as a debut author establishing my writing career. Her eagle-eye editing, thoughtful guidance, and ability to truly get to know my voice helped steer my work with clarity and confidence. What Karen offers is next level compared to other online writing programs. Karen’s editing and mentoring are highly personalised, flexible, and deeply generous — she meets you exactly where you are so you can thrive and achieve your goals.’

‘Karen was warm, approachable, and truly inspiring, capturing the students’ attention throughout. Karen thoughtfully answered their questions and motivated them to explore their creativity in writing. Additionally, she provided valuable follow-up teaching materials that have been helpful in supporting our curriculum.’

‘Karen was absolutely wonderful as our guest speaker for a literary event for students and parents. She shared stories full of warmth and humour, of her writing process, her publishing journey, and the inspirtion for her books. Her friendly manner easily engaged the audience, who asked lots of questions after her talk.’

‘What a wonderful visit from Karen to our primary school! Our grade 5 & 6 students (about 150 students) were interested & captivated with Karen’s interactive sessions about her verse novel ‘Sunshine on Vinegar Street’ & her creative writing process. Both teachers and students left with their writing creativity inspired and with projects in mind. Karen has opened up a whole lot of new possibilities!’

‘Based on our love of the book Grace Notes, we invited Karen Comer to be the guest author for our Read with your Dad event, a student parent book-centred evening. karen was incredible, Her presentation broadened our thinking, extended our love of literature and her response to students’ questions was thughtful and generous. Engaging with Karen was a joyful experience, and we hope life affords us the opportunity to work with her again.’

‘We were thrilled to have Karen come and speak to our Year 3-6 students about her novels! Her passion for writing and love for language truly inspired the children, sparking their creativity and enthusiasm for storytelling. Karen’s engaging presentation and the way she shared her journey as an author left a lasting impression, encouraging our students to explore the world of words with excitement and confidence. We are so grateful for the joy and inspiration she brought to our school.’

‘What a delight it was to have Karen present to our school during Book Week 2024. Having just been awarded the Winner of the CBCA Older Readers category for Grace Notes, our school was super excited to have the privilege of listening to Karen discuss her award-winning novel and the story behind it.

Our students listened attentively and asked many questions, of which Karen answered with patience, honesty and a sense of humor. We are now planning to invite Karen back for a writing workshop session.

I would not hesitate in recommending Karen to any school (primary or secondary). ‘

‘Karen was warm and cheerful and students felt at ease to share their knowledge on poetry techniques which they had been studying in class. Karen used a range of presentation methods to keep the students engaged throughout the whole talk and wanting to look through her art journals and have a conversation with her at the end. Teachers who attended the sessions were also enthralled and excited to go back to the classroom and expand upon the ideas explored in the session.’

‘Karen has been editing and proofreading for us for a number of years now. She’s a joy to work with, and our authors love her. Her editing is excellent, and she is always reliable. Editorial quality is our #1 priority, which is why we have Karen on the team.’

‘I have loved my Stewardship experience and am excited by the encouragement and expertise Karen brings to the table and so generously shares. I know my writing has benefited immeasurably from my involvement.’