About Katie

ABOUT OF KATHERINE (KATIE) PLOEGER

Hi, I’m Katherine (Katie) Ploeger.  I’m a writer, editor, publisher, writing coach and consultant.  I write books, reports, courses, articles, and blog posts about writing for writers of nonfiction, fiction, and screenplays.  I’ve also recently returned to writing adolescent novels (mystery and adventure) after writing several family film screenplays.

My primary goal while working with writers is to enable the writer to become better at the craft in order to produce high quality work that can be published, thus fulfilling the purpose of the work and writer.

I’ve been self-publishing since 1980 (as Castlee Publications, Ploeger’s Services, and now Quilliful Publications);  I’ve also had five books published by traditional publishers since 1994.  I have more than 55 book and report titles published (see the Bibliography page on this site).

In my writing, teaching, and coaching/consulting, I use my own experiences with writing and publishing (all routes), freely and honestly discussing my mistakes and lessons learned.  I use my formal education (MA in English and MFA in Screenwriting) and my informal/self-taught learning to guide readers and clients through the processes and hurdles involved with any writing project.

I am caring and compassionate as a writer and teacher, yet honest and helpful (some clients call me blunt). And I am occasionally funny and irreverent.  I focus on the client and the writing issues rather than “my expertise,” as I’ve seen some consultants do.

One of my key strengths, besides those mentioned above, is that I truly enjoy writing and the writing process. There have been times when I paced my office wondering why I ever decided to be a writer, but these times are rare. I love the moment-by-moment activities of writing, from receiving that first exciting vision of the idea to finishing the manuscript and sending it out into the world.  I even enjoy revision though editing can be tedious.

HERE ARE SOME DATES AND FACTS

Born in San Francisco, California, to Richard and Bonnie Ploeger.

Lived all around California, including South San Francisco, Redwood City (San Francisco Bay Area), San Diego, Modesto (Central Valley), Tustin (Orange County).  I also lived a short time in Portland, OR, before returning to the Bay Area in 2010.

FORMAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

AA in Business Administration, Canada Community College, Redwood City, CA, 1975.

BA in Business Administration, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 1978.

Travel Agent Certificate, Echols International Travel Training School, San Francisco, CA, 1978.

MA in English – Composition, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, 1994.

Script Supervisor Certificate, Cinema Arts Tech, Van Nuys, CA, 2004.

MFA in Screenwriter, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 2005.

WORK EXPERIENCE (in brief)

1979 – 1981 = Travel Agent and Administrative temp in the San Francisco Bay Area.

1981 – 1984 = TAB Products, Palo Alto, CA, training administrator and doing a lot of corporate writing and editing.

1984 – 1991 = Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, administrator at various schools and departments, gaining more writing and editing experience.

1994 – 2002 = Adjunct/Associate Professor of English (writing) at colleges and universities in California’s Central Valley, including California State University Stanislaus and Chapman University/Modesto center, teaching writing, business communications and technical writing, literature, and other topics.

Teaching Venues: Modesto Junior College (1994-1999); Chapman University – Modesto Center (1994-2002); San Juaquin Delta College (1994); Valley Commercial College (1995); California State University Stanislaus (1995-2002); California State University Stanislaus Extended Education (2000-2002).

2005 – 2006 = Script supervisor for various short films and two feature films.  Check out “katie ploeger” on IMDB.com for listing of some of the films worked on.

2005 – 2008 = Adjunct/Associate English professor at Saddleback College (2004-2005) and California State University Fullerton (2007-2008).

2007 = Private workshops about writing issues held at Learning Light Foundation (Anaheim, CA) and Miracle Center of California (Orange, CA).

2009 = Instructional Designer with Corinthian Colleges, Santa Ana (short term contract).

2009 – present = Full time nonfiction writer, self-publisher through Quilliful Publications (formally established 1/1/10), and working with clients through Ploeger Services.  Now writing juvenile mystery novels as of June 1010, starting with Mystery at Bear Run Lodge.  This novel starts a juvenile mystery series featuring Jessica Barnes as the 13 year old amateur sleuth in Oregon.