Testimonials
“There is no greater agaony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
— Maya Angelou
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must right it.”
— Toni Morrison
“Over many years, I’ve seen Amanda foster an incredibly personal and intimate relationship with her creative writing students. She brings out some of the best in the writers that work with her!”
“Amanda was my colleague for nine happy years. I miss this college-awarded Distinguished Teacher! She has a clear sense of boundaries: she knows how and when to say no—this enables her to fully commit to whatever she’s doing without sweating the other stuff. And she can adapt to the unforeseen: I remember the semester when her class size doubled out of the blue: “I know I can make this work,” she said. And she did. I would hire her in a heartbeat.”
- Valerie Allen, Professor, Department of English, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
“Amanda is a gifted and highly experienced writing coach. I have seen her guide undergraduate students— whose understanding of the writing process is only in the development stage—to a much greater awareness of their abilities. She is not only able to work with beginning writers but also with those who come to her with a much higher level of expertise. In all cases, she is sensitive to the writer’s intentions and singular voice—a key quality.”
- Bettina Carbonell, Associate Professor, Department of English, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
“Professor Amanda Harris has undoubtedly been the most inspiring, driven, compassionate, and selfless professor I have yet to encounter. She never failed to keep class both educational and creative, and she most certainly never failed as a professor. During workshops, she was able to turn the ugly into beautiful, she was able to find the light in the dark, and she was able to encourage writers, who perhaps did not have the gifts of writing at all, to still write and write and face defeat with a future victory.”
“I loved all the writing exercises and prompts that we were given. Professor Harris became a mentor in my writing program. The constant feedback on both my grammar and structure prepared me for the tough and the tiring English classes that would come after. The paper critiques were refreshing and organic, and helped me develop my voice and style as a writer and reader.”
“Professor Harris is truly one of a kind. She stands alone. She is so thoughtful, kind-hearted, and respectful, which I thank her for. Also I thank her for writing such extensive responses to our writing assignments. I only wish all professors could learn from her!”