What people are saying . . .
Should you work with Lee? Big YES! I am writing a memoir and have been working with Lee for six months as my book editor and coach. She is a skilled and insightful editor who consistently helps me strengthen and deepen my writing. Her belief in my work, my vision for the book, and my ability to get it done is invaluable. Our monthly meetings keep me on track, motivated, and inspired to keep going. She is grounded, unpretentious, and wise and her no-BS style is a perfect fit for me. I am so grateful to have found such a high-quality, experienced editor that I can trust. I recommend her to anyone who wants help on a writing project of any scope. I can say without reservation that your work will be better for it.
—Karen Gordon
I have taken two of Lee’s classes—a workshop on the personal essay, and a generative writing class—and both of those experiences brought me great writing, some of which published in reputable journals. More importantly, Lee’s classes taught me about my story, my writing, and my voice, and introduced to me many writers I still read and think about years later.
I take all my drafts to Lee for her incisive and direct feedback. Lee is great at balancing constructive criticism and support. Lee poses wise questions that probe my writing process and my drafts, enlarging my stories by making me reflect on my subject matter in new ways that lead me to draw associations I did not see before.
-Matt Chelf
Lee is a sublime teacher—supportive while insightful; incisive and exacting while both witty and kind. Under her tutelage, I blossomed as a writer, grew empowered and ready to submit my work (successfully!), and thoroughly enjoyed class. Thank you Lee!
—Diane Solomon
I had never written a personal essay before taking Lee Montgomery's workshop. Lee is a great facilitator. We workshopped our pieces, read other writers' essays, and did writing exercises to prompts.
The class gave me the confidence to sit down at the computer and write. I haven't stopped, 10 months later. It kind of saved me during the pandemic...
- Abbie Fields, Personal Essay, Fall 2020
I can't recommend Lee Montgomery enough, as mentor, teacher, writer, and critic. She comes well equipped with the wide-ranging resume of a seasoned pro. Her workshop approach is serious and sensitive, fair, and generous, humorous, and supportive. The assigned readings brilliantly compliment the students' work. She emphasizes all the positives in the student's submissions and judiciously steers them to go deeper and truly align with their talents as well as suggest what is not working with the encouragement to try it a different way and see for themselves what happens. Lee is an excellent teacher. Avail yourself of the opportunity to learn from a real pro.
- Jodi Lorimer, Personal Essay, Winter 2021
Lee is a wonderfully perceptive and curious instructor. She is an astute reader with an ear not only for language, but also for narrative, and for the underlying mysteries we can't fully express. Lee's class helped me to envision the next steps for a series of linked essays.
- Deborah Dombrowski, Personal Essay, Winter 2021
What I appreciated most about the essay class with Lee was the wide variety of essay styles she introduced. I learned that one needs not stick to a format. 'Alternative' styles can be attention grabbers. The critiques of our work included discussion and questions that prompted ideas for expanding and deepening the writing. Lee is supportive, fun to work with, and smart in her writing. I'm grateful to have taken the essay workshop with her!
- Cathryn Vogeley, Personal Essay, Spring 2021
Lee Montgomery’s editorial critique of my novel manuscript was everything I had hoped for, and more. She read with insight and clarity, offering me a detailed picture of what was working and what wasn’t—exactly the things I couldn’t discern for myself. Her comments were an energizing mix of enthusiasm for the elements she found effective and constructive suggestions of ways to address what remained unclear or underdeveloped. Her critique carried me deep into the meat of my work; with her help, I saw again what I loved about the project and gained new momentum to take it to the next level.
My book is profoundly better for her help. I whole-heartedly recommend her services.
- Megan Benton, Relative Fortunes and Passing Fancies
After wrestling with the structure of my novel for more time than I ever want to admit, I consulted Lee Montgomery. She zoomed in on the storyline and sorted out the arrangement of my structure, chapter by chapter, even excerpt by excerpt. She also gave insightful critique in the margins regarding the efficacy of certain scenes. Lee did this in a couple of weeks! My only regret is that I had not come to her sooner.
- Eileen Cronin, Mermaid, a Memoir of Resilience
“Lee Montgomery brings a breadth of editing, writing and publishing experience to her coaching and teaching. She manages to cut straight to the point with criticism that is frank. Yet at the same time, she is encouraging and supportive. I learned a great deal from her suggested readings and also her ideas on writing. My work improved greatly under her tutelage.”
- Bryan Brumley, Atheneum, 2021
"Working with Lee was a gift. This woman is magic the way she sees inside a story and what needs to be written or cut. Her approach is so loving, funny, sensitive, and joyful. Lee loves the work, the writing, the editing, writers, the whole thing. She is a no-nonsense, straight shooter. Her wisdom and insights are powerful. She seems to know just what the story wants, and she is just so darn fun! Working with Lee felt like I gained an ally, someone who gave me the courage and confidence I needed. I will forever be grateful to her."
- Michele Matheson, Saving Angelfish
Lee Montgomery is unfailingly generous in sharing not only her knowledge but the wisdom that comes from her vast experience in writing, teaching, and editing. She is honest in pointing out strengths as well as weaknesses in my writing. She is genuinely curious and asks insightful questions that help me dig deeper into my work. She brings writing samples to class that evoke lively discussion. She creates a strong sense of community in her classes. Above all, she is compassionate, and I will always be grateful she is my teacher.
- Janie Mae Cohen, Personal Essay, Spring 2021