About Us
Understory Writers was co-founded by Liza Cochran and Clare McFadden. We are both writers and teachers. We developed Understory Writers for everyone who loves the world and has ever had an inkling to write. We hope that writing together will provide agency and hope as we engage with the environmental crisis of our lifetime: the changing climate. Now more than ever - the world needs your voice! We welcome all writers: from absolute beginners to those with a regular practice. All our workshops are online so please join us, wherever you are in the world.
Liza Cochran
Liza Cochran is a writer and educator. Her work has appeared in the The Iowa Review, Gettysburg Review, Colorado Review, and elsewhere. “Mother Moose” was a notable essay in The Best American Essays 2023. She has worked with students and writers across the US and beyond, in nonprofit and school settings, including at Emerson College, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Columbia University, and Grub Street Writing Center. She lives in Vermont, USA.
Clare McFadden
Clare McFadden is a writer, artist and educator. She has worked in arts education with children, young people, and communities in both Australia and the United States. Her first book, The Flying Orchestra, was awarded the Children's Book Council of Australia’s Crichton Award, was selected as one of the "50 Books You Can't Put Down", and was adapted for the stage as the headlining work at the “Out of the Box” Festival. Her new book, Book of Hours, is out now. Clare holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University.