"Katie Reilly's Writing through Grief class was a transformative experience. Her thoughtful curriculum and supportive approach provided the perfect environment for exploring writing as a healing tool. The readings offered valuable insights into craft elements, while the Zoom discussions fostered a sense of community and shared understanding. Overall, this class exceeded my expectations and left me feeling energized and inspired. I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with talented participants and learn from Katie's expertise." -former student

"Katie's approach to teaching is very tailored to the students -- she goes out of her way to find readings that align with the topics and styles that students express interest in. Her feedback is encouraging, constructive, and candid, and always very applicable and actionable. She's very motivating and being able to look forward to submitting a draft to her (and getting her feedback on it) has really helped me overcome my perfectionistic-anxiety-barrier to starting a piece. My experiences in her classes have been very generative and helpful in getting words on the page! What I found most valuable: Being able to ask Katie off-the-cuff questions during/after class and over email. Workshopping essay ideas with her and the other class members. Hearing from guest speakers (editors). Hearing from other people about how their own experience with grief informed their responses to the assigned readings."

“Katie C. Reilly's writing distills the beauty, fragility, difficulty and wonder of what it means to be alive at this moment in history into clear-eyed, evocative and poignant essays. She tells personal stories that simultaneously feel both intimate and universal and thereby offer the rare gift of allowing the reader to learn about themselves while learning about her.”

-Noah Michelson Editorial Director at HuffPost

“Katie deftly wove together her personal family history with ALS with that of another woman experiencing a similar diagnosis. She seamlessly alternated between her own story and the other woman’s, while incorporating statistics and important context for readers, resulting in a well-crafted, cohesive, and satisfying read. I admire Katie’s ability to mine such a deeply personal story in her professional writing. Readers will surely benefit from and relate to her important work.”

-Kayla Adler Deputy Editor at Elle Magazine

“Katie Reilly has that elusive ability to write about the particulars of her own life in ways that feel universal. Her generosity and openness, combined with journalistic skill, is something all editors wish for in a writer. The idea of Katie passing this rare skill down makes me very happy!”

Meaghan O’Connell Features editor at Romper

“Katie Reilly has a generous approach to editing, always searching for ways to strengthen the writer’s voice and the reader’s experience. She has a keen eye for finding the sweet spot where personal essay and research intersect—a skill that makes a writer’s work stand out. As an editor, Katie offers valuable feedback rich with specificity and direction. She is not one to waste words or time and approaches a story with intention, pushing other writers to get to the heartbeat of their story.”

-Jessica Ciencin Henriquez writer and author of the forthcoming memoir IF YOU LOVED ME YOU WOULD KNOW

“Katie asks thoughtful probative questions and provides honest feedback that helps me to effectively focus my writing. She recommends additional nonfiction readings that inspire deeper connections in my own work. Most importantly, as an effective listener she creates a safe writing community that encourages sharing, risk taking and is fun!”

-Tara Van de Mark Writer & editor