About Verena Hunter, Academic Writing Coach & Editor, PhD

From overextended academic to the work that matters

Before I became a writing coach, I was trying to find my place in academia. I was teaching, researching, publishing, checking all the boxes, but feeling increasingly stuck and overextended.

Deep down, I was quietly terrified that my own book would never see the light of day. The ironic part? The only thing that brought me real joy was helping other people with their writing.

Editing articles, shaping manuscripts, bringing confusing course content into a clear structure, and coaching students through their arguments. That work felt alive. It was the hint I should've paid attention to sooner.

I've lived with Crohn's disease since I was four, so I've always had an early-warning system for burnout. But I ignored it, because things needed to get done.

While working as a visiting assistant professor, I pushed too hard. I lost so much weight that a student offered to carry my books for me.

A few months later, I ended up in the hospital with a hole in my stomach. Nine months of healing. Nine months of no publications, no progress, no catching up.

I had a choice: work myself into the ground again, or figure out what I actually wanted to do.

That's Why I Do This Work Now

I help academic writers who are brilliant, overcommitted, and tired of feeling stuck, because we need their voices.

My work is especially committed to writers whose perspectives have been overlooked or undervalued, the ones whose insights challenge established narratives.
I've seen scholars on the verge of giving up because they have to explain one more time why their work matters. I wrote a dissertation on a topic people made fun of for not being "intellectual enough."

I'm here to be the person in your corner saying, "People want to read this book. They need it."