Guy Duran

Biography

Born and raised in the Bay Area, I’ve wanted to be a science fiction writer since sixth grade, when I discovered Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot and proceeded to read virtually all of his published works. Then, in high school, I read Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 and, like the first lines of the book, I “fell in love at first sight.” I became fascinated by the way Heller used language to create a novel that was both hilarious and haunting while exploring bureaucracy and the meaning of life. I wanted to understand how writers could create that kind of experience for readers—and eventually, I wanted to teach others to do the same. I earned my degree in Creative Writing from UC Riverside before going on to earn my M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Saint Mary’s College of California.

While earning my M.F.A., I became part of CWAC (Creative Writing Across Curriculums), a group of graduate creative writers who helped Saint Mary’s undergraduates from a variety of disciplines workshop and revise their essays. I also took courses in pedagogy, further developing my understanding of how students learn and how to support them as writers. I discovered that I really enjoyed training cashiers and cooks. I especially liked seeing how different people approached new information: how they thought, reached conclusions, and drew on their own experiences to understand the world.

After earning my M.F.A., I spent about eight years working in education, helping students throughout the Tri-Valley area with English and SAT preparation before joining AJ Tutoring. My experience as a writer, educator, and tutor has reinforced my belief that strong teaching starts with understanding how an individual student thinks. I enjoy helping students find their own voice, develop their ideas, and gain the skills and confidence to communicate those ideas clearly.

Outside of tutoring, I remain an avid reader and writer, especially when it comes to science fiction and literature. I’m always excited to share that enthusiasm for language and storytelling with my students and to see how I can contribute to their education and my local community.