Need an experienced editor to help you shape a poem, short story, creative nonfiction essay or magazine article? How about a second set of eyes to make sure you’ve caught an embarrassing typo? Or maybe you just need advice (and encouragement) on where to submit your work for publication.

If the answer to any of the above is yes, I hope you’ll consider hiring me. I’m a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee who has twice earned the Doris Betts Fiction Prize, among other awards, with over 100 bylines in newspapers, magazines and websites. As a long-time creative writing teacher, I’m also honored to serve as a critique editor and judge for the internationally renowned Women on Writing community, and I’m proud to say that one of my favorite things to do is helping other writers make their publishing dreams come true.

And I would love to work with you! See below for a list of reasonable fees, which could be tailored to a variety of projects.

General Review (proofreading + editing suggestions): $30 per double-spaced page)
Submission Recommendations: $20 each or 3 for $50 (if purchased with a general review)
Special: General review of 8 double-spaced pages + 3 submission recommendations: $250
Poetry Special: Review of one poem (up to 1 double-spaced page) + 2 submission recommendations: $60

Interested in working together? If so, please contact me through the form below and I promise to get back you very soon.

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What Other Writers Say

Thank you SO MUCH for a wonderful poetry workshop. I’d been in a funk with my writing for various reasons and I needed to snap out of it. When I saw the dare of your workshop – 5 poems in 2 hours – I did not believe I could do it, but I wanted to try anyway. I hoped it would shock me out of my funk and onto the page. It did. Thank you.  I’m so grateful for your enthusiastic response to my poem. And count me in for Poetry Express II in the fall! Can’t wait. —Wendy Kagan (May 14, 2025)

I enjoyed and learned a lot during the [Poetry Express] webinar! I found Ashley’s feedback useful, constructive, and insightful. Figuring out where to submit can be so hard when you’re starting out! Having the suggestions from Ashley gives me more confidence that I am submitting to places that are more likely to publish my work. – Angela Shaw-Thornburg (May 14, 2025)

I have taken multiple classes with Ashley and have also worked with her one-on-one. She is a generous teacher, a thoughtful editor, and heck of a lot of fun to be around. As an often published writer herself, she has a knack for knowing what readers want. And as a “submission queen,” she was my first call as I finished my MFA and sought homes for my essays. Thanks Ashley! —Cathia Friou (February 19, 2025)

This is a giant candy-coated “Thank You” for your lovely and generous critique of my story “The Wanderer” in the Summer 2024 WOW! Women On Writing contest. My story was selected as a finalist (in a huge field of finalists). Your kind words and comments were a true prize to me! Again, thank you for giving me a real boost and inspiration to keep on scribbling. 🙂 —Anna “A.K.” McCutcheon (November 24, 2024)

Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful critique of my short story, “I Dropped the Turkey.” As you suggested, I gave more of a backstory for Blina and her family and filled in the history of Joe Montero. I always appreciate your spot-on input.—Susan Strauss (October 20, 2024)

Thank you, again, for your encouraging words. You gave me such great feedback when you edited my essay ”Mother Nature has her way with Father Time” for a WOW contest submission. I wish you the best. —Cindy (February 8, 2023)

You recently critiqued a piece I wrote about my stay in the hospital (Life in the Storage Closet) for the WOW creative nonfiction contest. I want to thank you for your wonderful comments and the time it took to prepare them. It is a big motivator to me to know I’ve hit the mark in some way. I appreciated the thoroughness and clarity of your critique. It helped me understand how my writing comes across to someone else.”—Suzanne Cushman (September 9, 2022)

This is a big thanks for the lovely critique you did for my piece, “Roller Skates,” in the WOW! contest. I am thrilled someone of your caliber was able to offer advice! I appreciate your time and expertise.
—Lizzie Brooks (December 7, 2021)

I’ve been a hobby writer for the last twenty-five years with so many starts and stops I was beginning to question why I enjoyed writing if I could never finish stories and share them with others. Ashley’s online class—Let’s Write a Short Story—has been the best investment in my writing life and writing future. This four-week class gave me confidence in my writing voice as it forced me to stick to one story and watch it develop over a specific span of time without getting distracted. For the first time, I felt as if I was actually learning something and making progress instead of just setting words down on a page with no direction. Additionally, I now have a repeatable, structured path for thinking about my characters, their conflicts and how to help them move along through a story to a new place in their lives. Ashley is an encouraging, patient teacher, and she is quick to respond to questions with suggestions and advice.  —Shannon Reichard (October 12, 2020)