WE’VE BEEN IN

YOUR SHOES

KATHY’S STORY MIGHT EVEN LOOK

A LITTLE SOMETHING LIKE YOURS

WE’VE BEEN IN

YOUR SHOES

KATHY’S STORY MIGHT EVEN LOOK

A LITTLE SOMETHING LIKE YOURS

Hi, I'm Kathy

Katharine (Kathy) Derrick is a writer, writing coach and reader, and has been known to read books until they fall apart. The first book she read until it was faded and frayed was a huge volume of folktales, called Once Long Ago. Unfortunately, it was on loan; she hopes that when it was returned it to the original owners, they understood just how much that book was loved.

Once Long Ago started a life-long search for story. Her first published work was a fifty-word micro, followed by flash fiction and short stories, many of which have been long-listed and shortlisted for a number of competitions. She has had numerous pieces of flash fiction appearing online in Flash Frontier, one of which gained a Pushcart nomination. In 2019, Scoria: Short prose from the cinder cone, a collection of stories written with her sister, was published.

Kathy’s latest publication is an anthology called Ngā Ripo Wai | Swirling Waters written in English and Māori. She is one of three co-editors on this project, empowering the voices of 44 contributors. The book celebrates both current connections and the history of her local region in New Zealand. She has represented the book in a live TV interview, where she spoke about the importance of including new and experienced voices as well as voices in English and Māori. You can view the video here.

Her career in writing spans almost 30 years. During that time she has completed the NorthTec Applied Writing Diploma at Levels 5, 6 and 7, a Graduate Certificate in Children’s Literature through Edith Cowan University, and in 2017 was awarded a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh. As well as having taught creative writing for eight years, she has also held senior committee positions for her local branch of the NZ Society of Authors and organized major writing events for her region.

In 2020 she left a secure job because she cared too much about the limits academia was imposing on the writers, on their creativity and on their unique expression. Instead, she embarked on a wonderfully crazy and inspiring mission to empower and liberate the voices of ONE THOUSAND writers through her coaching business, Pen to Paper: Online coaching for writers.

Whether you are new to writing or an old hand diversifying into longer fiction, Pen to Paper: Online coaching for writers can offer a supportive space for you to develop your craft and finish your novel.

There is a free Facebook group, Pen to Paper Writing Hub and new members are welcome. If you don’t know where to start your novel, don’t know how to finish or worry that your writing isn’t “good enough” (whatever that means!) we would love for you to join our free Facebook group,
Pen to Paper Writing Hub.

Hi, I'm Kathy

Katharine (Kathy) Derrick is a writer, writing coach and reader, and has been known to read books until they fall apart. The first book she read until it was faded and frayed was a huge volume of folktales, called Once Long Ago. Unfortunately, it was on loan; she hopes that when it was returned it to the original owners, they understood just how much that book was loved.

Once Long Ago started a life-long search for story. Her first published work was a fifty-word micro, followed by flash fiction and short stories, many of which have been long-listed and shortlisted for a number of competitions. She has had numerous pieces of flash fiction appearing online in Flash Frontier, one of which gained a Pushcart nomination. In 2019, Scoria: Short prose from the cinder cone, a collection of stories written with her sister, was published.

Kathy’s latest publication is an anthology called Ngā Ripo Wai | Swirling Waters written in English and Māori. She is one of three co-editors on this project, empowering the voices of 44 contributors. The book celebrates both current connections and the history of her local region in New Zealand. She has represented the book in a live TV interview, where she spoke about the importance of including new and experienced voices as well as voices in English and Māori. You can view the video here.

Her career in writing spans almost 30 years. During that time she has completed the NorthTec Applied Writing Diploma at Levels 5, 6 and 7, a Graduate Certificate in Children’s Literature through Edith Cowan University, and in 2017 was awarded a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh. As well as having taught creative writing for eight years, she has also held senior committee positions for her local branch of the NZ Society of Authors and organized major writing events for her region.

In 2020 she left a secure job because she cared too much about the limits academia was imposing on the writers, on their creativity and on their unique expression. Instead, she embarked on a wonderfully crazy and inspiring mission to empower and liberate the voices of ONE THOUSAND writers through her coaching business, Pen to Paper: Online coaching for writers.

Whether you are new to writing or an old hand diversifying into longer fiction, Pen to Paper: Online coaching for writers can offer a supportive space for you to develop your craft and finish your novel.

There is a free Facebook group, Pen to Paper Writing Hub and new members are welcome. If you don’t know where to start your novel, don’t know how to finish or worry that your writing isn’t “good enough” (whatever that means!) we would love for you to join our free Facebook group,
Pen to Paper Writing Hub.

Meet the Team of Professionals

Kate Nash

Kate grew up in rural New Zealand. Fresh out of school, she left for the Big Smoke–searching for her place in the world–only to relocate to a small beachside town where she now raises her two young unruly children.

Mother, Playgroup President, Business owner, Garden Enthusiast.

Michelle Cumber

Michelle joined the Pen to Paper team late in 2020 and provides editing services to the business and our clients. She has diplomas in editing and creative writing. Her first novel, Salt Skin, was released in March 2017. She has recently completed her second book for young adults.

Mother, Writer, Dreamer.

Meet the Team

Kate Nash

Kate grew up in rural New Zealand. Fresh out of school, she left for the Big Smoke–searching for her place in the world–only to relocate to a small beachside town where she now raises her two young unruly children.

Mother, Playgroup President, Business owner, Garden Enthusiast.

Michelle Cumber

Michelle joined the Pen to Paper team late in 2020 and provides editing services to the business and our clients. She has diplomas in editing and creative writing. Her first novel, Salt Skin, was released in March 2017. She has recently completed her second book for young adults.