The UC Davis English Department presents Amara Deis for the Student Profile Series! Amara is a Communication major with a Minor in Professional Writing and English.

What is your favorite memory at UC Davis?

Serving as Orientation Leader for Fall 2020 transfer students and being able to tell them why the transfer process would be worth it.

What is a must-read for an English major?

"A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel García  Márquez. An amazing introduction into defamiliarization and learning to appreciate the entire world that can be created by a  short story.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I hope to continue editing at STEM, academic, or interdisciplinary publishers, but now while also contradicting the organized side of my brain by writing creative fiction. The goal is to have produced at least one novel by that time, but I don't want to jinx it, so I'll just say "I'll still be writing."

What are you passionate about?

Editing. So many writers are phenomenal in their own right but discount the necessity of another pair of educated eyes. There are facets to the editing industry that anyone on the periphery of it would never realize, and even non-writers can benefit from understanding the mechanics of editing—and yes, I do realize how ridiculous and nonsensical English grammar can be, but it just brings me joy!

If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be?

"It’s Not About What We Deserve" You can do every right thing, work your fingers to the bone, and give everything you have waiting for recognition, and still not get anywhere. Because it’s not about what we deserve—it’s about what we’re willing to fight for.

What do you like to do in your free time to unwind?

This is going to sound the opposite of relaxing, but I find copyediting the most fulfilling thing. When I want to feel better, I go online to blogs, internet archives, anonymous publishers—basically anyone who cares about what they are writing but are inexperienced in grammar rules—and offer to copyedit their pieces. Together, I work with the author to complete a surface editing of the writing. It's not all-encompassing, and mistakes are still left behind, but both of us benefit from the process.

List 3 of your favorite English Professors.

Elizabeth Miller; Greg Glazner; Spencer Atkinson