Nina Alvarez

I combine traditional publishing expertise with innovative creative approaches to help writers find and express their authentic voice.

CONTACT

With nearly 25 years of experience as an editor, publisher, and writing coach, I’ve worked with emerging and established authors to bring their creative visions to life.

My approach blends editorial expertise with hands-on coaching and mentorship, meeting writers exactly where they are in their creative journey.

Whether you need help developing your book step by step, refining a full draft, overcoming creative blocks, or navigating the publishing world, I offer structured, personalized support to help you move forward.

Dream Your Book has always been about more than just editing—it’s about helping writers claim their voice, trust their creative instincts, and build something that truly resonates. I guide writers in a way that is deep, dynamic, and tailored to their creative journey.

Not sure what’s next? Let’s talk.

📩 Schedule a Free 15-Minute Consultation

Find the Right Support for Your Writing Journey

for writers with a manuscript ready for editing

Editing & Development

for writers who want guidance as they write

Writing Roadmap

for writers ready to submit for publication

Publishing Pathfinding

Teaching & Workshops

With over two decades of experience nurturing writers of all ages, I bring a unique blend of traditional expertise and innovative approaches to my teaching practice. My workshop leadership spans multiple institutions and formats:

Institutional Teaching

  • College-level composition and literature instruction at Finger Lakes Community College and Monroe Community College

  • Award recipient of teaching fellowship for exceptional educators (MCC)

  • Writers & Books Literary Center instructor for both teens and adults

  • Creator and leader of the nationally-recognized Canvas Teen Literary Journal program, noted in the New York Times

Signature Workshops & Programs

  • Teen Intensive Fiction and Playwriting programs

  • "Wayfinding for Writers" - innovative holistic creative coaching program

  • Camp Cosmographia - founder of immersive writing workshop experience

  • Specialized workshops in self-publishing, creative development, and manuscript preparation

Recognition & Impact

  • Recipient of Writers & Books' Big Pencil Award for excellence in teaching young writers

  • Featured speaker at the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival

  • Mentor to numerous successfully published authors

  • Creator of transformative writing programs that have gained national attention

Whether working with emerging voices or established authors, my teaching approach focuses on empowering writers to express their unique genius while mastering the craft of writing.

I am a writer, editor, publisher, and cultural producer with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of literary art, independent publishing, education, and media. My work centers on storytelling as a form of meaning-making—across page, voice, and community—and on building sustainable structures that support writers and readers over the long term.

I am the founder of Cosmographia Books, an independent press established in 2015, where I have published novels, poetry collections, anthologies, and reissues by emerging and established authors. I also created and direct Dream Your Book, a long-running editorial and coaching practice through which I have guided dozens of writers from early drafts to publication, book proposals, and national media coverage. My work as an editor spans developmental, line, and copyediting, as well as book design, author platform development, and publicity strategy.

As a writer, my essays, fiction, poetry, and hybrid work have appeared in a wide range of literary journals and magazines. My work often explores longing, place, memory, spirituality, and the unseen forces that shape inner and outer lives. I have been awarded residencies at Vermont Studio Center and received an 18-month Creatives Rebuild New York grant in support of my writing and cultural work. In recent years, I have expanded my practice into audio and multimedia storytelling, creating the SPARTANS! audiofiction podcast and developing narrative-driven podcast projects that blend fiction, research, and sound design.

Education and mentorship have been central to my career. I have taught writing at the college level and through community literary organizations, including Writers & Books, where I also received the Big Pencil Award for teaching. I founded Canvas Literary Journal, training teenage editors and creating a platform for young writers, and later re-established the journal as a lasting literary institution. Through workshops, talks, and residencies, I have worked with writers of all ages to help them develop craft, confidence, and sustainable creative lives.

Across all of this work—writing, publishing, teaching, and media—I am interested in the long view: how creative lives unfold over time, how stories carry personal and cultural significance, and how independent literary ecosystems can be built with care, rigor, and imagination. My projects are united by a commitment to depth, curiosity, and the belief that storytelling and poetry are both an art form and a form of stewardship.

About Me

Writing, Publishing, and Media Projects

2025

  • Launched SPARTANS! audiofiction podcast (Writing, sound design, and producing)

  • My essay “The Darkness One Sees By: A Meditation on Longing and Wonder in the Finger Lakes” published in These Wilds (Writing)

  • Self-publishing services for author publishing second book in a series of political thrillers (Dream Your Book)

  • Submission services for poet submitting to 25 literary journals (Dream Your Book)

  • Writing Roadmap for author working on book about OCD (Dream Your Book)

  • Created Legends of the Lost podcast (podcasting)

  • Published After Color by Malaika Favorite (Cosmographia Books)

  • Fiction residency at Vermont Studio Center, May 2025 (Writing)

2024

  • Trained in Unity Field Healing modality

  • Began writing “Legends of the Lost” at ninaalvarezwrites.substack.com

  • Published eBook reprint of Lesbian Love by Eve Adams (Cosmographia Books)

2023

  • Created Camp Cosmographia (Teaching, Mentoring, Webcopy, Web Design)

  • Gave online multimedia talks on topics of lesser known historical interest (writing, video editing)

  • Created WKOZ Camp Cosmographia Radio, a hybrid fiction/teaching podcast (podcasting)

2022

  • Received 18-month Creatives Rebuild New York grant for writers and culture creators

  • Publication of After the Enchantment by Fran Tepper (Dream Your Book)

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2021

  • Launched Wayfinding for Writers: my signature approach to holistic creative, spiritual, and career coaching for aspiring authors (Dream Your Book)

  • Wrote press release that landed articles for TV interview on "Good Day Rochester" (WHAM-13), and written interviews in Democrat & Chronicle and 55+. (Cosmographia Books)

  • Spearheaded campaign and got Fair Lady on the ballot for City Newspaper's Best of Rochester

  • Published Fair Lady (Cosmographia Books)

  • In-depth research on the Keuka Lake Bluff Point Ruins (Writing)

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2020

  • Published Canvas Winter 2020 (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • Publication of Witness to Two Worlds by Giovanna Campomizzi May (Dream Your Book)

  • Audiobook of Another Notch in the Beltway published on audible (Dream Your Book)

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2019

  • Publication of Tire Mom by Diana Hubner (Dream Your Book)

  • Publication of So Many Homelands by Berdjouhi Esmerian (Dream Your Book)

  • Compiled and Published The Spirit It Travels: An Anthology of Transcendent Poetry (multiple authors) (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Trees Of Life And Shade by Ron Searls (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Journeys With Fortune by Elizabeth Bodien (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Salt Water by Laura Johanna Braverman (Cosmographia Books)

  • Created and hosted CosmoCon 2019, a reading for all my Cosmographia authors (Cosmographia)

  • Published Canvas Spring 2019 (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • Published Canvas Summer 2019 (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • Published Canvas Autumn 2019 (Canvas Literary Journal)

2018

  • Published Poems For The Camel by John Barrale (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published There Is Only Lampyridae by Holly M. Hill (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published The Umbilical Universe by Sharon Whitehall (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Letters To My Lover From Behind Asylum Walls  by Robin Sinclair (Cosmographia Books)

  • Edited and Published Early American Gothic (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Island Chains by Patti Lavell (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Canvas Autumn 2018  (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • Re-Established Canvas Literary Journal

  • Publication of So Many Homelands by Berdjouhi Esmerian (Dream Your Book)

  • Publication of The Lonely Child by Susan Moyer (Dream Your Book)

  • Editing and Marketing for A Better, Not Bitter Divorce: The Fair And Affordable Way To End Your Marriage by BJ Mann (Dream Your Book)

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2017

  • Published Saving Faith by Elizabeth Osta (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Blissful And Other Stories by Steven Huff (Cosmographia Books)

  • Publication of Finding Other Countries by Alan Hilfiker (Dream Your Book)

  • Published my review "Honesty and Orientation: A Review of Proxies: Essays Near Knowing, by Brian Blanchfield" in Tupelo Quarterly (Writing)

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2016

  • Taught "Teen Intensive Fiction" for Summerwrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Taught "Teen Intensive Playwriting" for Summerwrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Publication of Sources of the Morning by Alan Hilfiker (Dream Your Book)

  • Wrote "Water of Life," a profile of Jim DeCaro and his scotch collection for 55+ Magazine. (Writing)

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2015

  • Published print version of The Best of Follow Your Bliss (Cosmographia Books)

  • Published Dimitri House Stories by Fran Morse (Cosmographia Books)

  • Taught Teen Intensive Fiction for Summerwrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Opened The Aurora Center For Creative And Spiritual Arts (Coaching)

  • Taught "Order Of The Phoenix" for Summerwrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • My hybrid nonfiction "Eighth Grade Bio" Published In Split Lip Magazine, April  2, 2015 (Writing)

  • Launch of "Lit Up! With Nina Alvarez," Weekly Radio Show About Writing And Spirituality. March 14, 2015. (Podcasting)

  • "The Questions Is What To Do About The Question" Published in The Sonder Review, Jan 2015 (Writing)

  • My Hybrid (Cross-Genre) Piece "Copywriting For Your Business Blog" Published in Prick Of The Spindle, April 2015 (Writing)

  • Gave talk on self-publishing at Writers & Books, May 1, 6-7 pm at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Gave Reading with Sonja Livingston And Kitty Jospe at Writers & Books, July 2015 (Writing)

  • Split Lip Magazine nominated "Eighth Grade Bio" for Sundress Publications "Best of the Net" 2015, September 2015 (Writing)

  • Gave a reading of my fiction and hybrid work at The Gennesee Reading Series at Writers & Books, December 2015 (Writing)

  • Publication of Memorial Day by Alan Hilfiker (Dream Your Book)

  • Publication of Journeys Off The Road by Alan Hilfiker (Dream Your Book)

  • Pitched and landed interview in 55+ Magazine for Jackie Mccullough (Dream Your Book)

  • Pitched and landed interview in Democrat & Chronicle for Fran Morse (Cosmographia Books)

2014

  • My short play "Type Writer," Winner In The Geva 2015 2 Pages/2 Voices Festival and Staged Reading, January 2015. (Writing)

  • Taught Teen Intensive Fiction for Summerwrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Won Writers & Books' Big Pencil Award for teacher of young writers (Teaching)

  • Solo Reading at a Different Path Gallery In Brockport, NY (Writing)

  • Brought on to talk about self-publishing with Evan Dawson on radio, WXXI 1370 Connection "How Do You Do That?" (Dream Your Book)

  • Developmental editing, ebook layout of Finer Spirits By S.J. Seymour (Dream Your Book)

  • Got article in Post Magazine For Julian Foster, spot on The Stuart Bedasso Show, articles in City and the D&C, reading At Writers & Books, August 2014 (Dream Your Book)

  • Interviews in 55+ Magazine for clients Dorothy Ferguson and Alan Hilfiker (Dream Your Book)

  • Got article for client Terry Lehr "A Health 'Massacre' in Rochester Leads One Historian Down A Curious Path" in GVhealth (Dream Your Book)

  • Published Winter 2014, Spring 2014, Summer 2014, and Autumn 2014 of Canvas (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • "The Battle Cry of Frieda" produced at the 24-Hour Plays At Writers & Books (Writing)

2013

  • Taught Teen Intensive Fiction for SummerWrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Published eBook of The Best of Follow Your Bliss (under Cordage Books which would later become Cosmographia) 

  • "Follow Your Bliss," radio interview on "The Life's Dash" with Michele Mattia, Jan. 3, 2013 (Cosmographia Books)

  • "Eager to Be a Writer's Companion," interview in the Rochester Business Journal, Feb. 1, 2013 (Dream Your Book)

  • "First-time playwright Nina Alvarez anticipates production" profile in Her Rochester, April 26, 2013

  • "Top 10 Things to do this Weekend" (#10: The Life of Leo Wool by Nina Alvarez) Democrat and Chronicle, May 9, 2013 (Writing)

  • My play "The Life Of Leo Wool" produced by the GRRC at The East End Theatre in May 2013. (Writing)

  • Developmental, line, copyedit, and self-publishing of Lost Trail by Robert Sinnott  (Dream Your Book)

  • Developmental editing, self-publishing consultation, and author platform development of Elderwriters by Sue Barocas  (Dream Your Book)

  • Layout, website, platform development for A Lone Star in the Green Mountains by Kathryn Bonnez  (Dream Your Book)

  • Layout, website, eBook for Kathy, Your Not Lost to Me by Jackie McCullough  (Dream Your Book)

  • Editing, self-publishing, and promotion for Before I Wake by Julian Foster  (Dream Your Book)

  • Copyedit and line edit of After Sunset by Mary Ann Nocero  (Dream Your Book)

  • Got article in 55+ Magazine for Kathryn Bonnez, Autumn 2013  (Dream Your Book)

  • Got profile of client Pat Ward-Baker. "Pat Ward-Baker Is Out To Change Negative Stereotypes Of Old Age," Her Rochester, June 2013.  (Dream Your Book)

  • Wrote book proposal for "Smart Prospecting: That Works Every Time!" by Michael Krause Sold to McGraw Hill (Dream Your Book)

  • Client Berdjouhi Esmerian's short memoir piece "Frog Legs" published in Blue Lyra Review (Dream Your Book)

  • An Excerpt From Kathryn Bonnez' A Lone Star In The Green Mountains published In The Wayfarer Journal December 21. The name of the piece is "Vermont's Sacred Acre: Contemplation Welcome."  (Dream Your Book)

  • Autumn 2013 issue of Canvas Teen Literary Journal comes out (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • Set up client Kathryn Bonnez's first reading of A Lone Star In The Green Mountains at Writers & Books. (Dream Your Book) 

  • Canvas Teen Literary Journal launches May 3. (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • "The Quest(Ion) Of Self-Publishing:" gave talk at the Rundel Library (Dream Your Book)

  • Gave 2 talks on writing at the Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival (Teaching)

  • L.A. Long's Operation No Coincidence  (first book I ever edited) published by Soul Mate Publishing (Dream Your Book) 

  • "Pat Ward-Baker Is Out To Change Negative Stereotypes Of Old Age," Profile Of Pat Ward-Baker in Her Rochester, June 11.  (Dream Your Book)

  • Established Canvas Teen Literary Journal and trained 12 teenage board members in how to run a literary journal. (Canvas Literary Journal)

  • Published Spring 2013, Summer 2013, and Autumn 2013 issues of Canvas 

  • My short play "A History of Bifurcations" produced at the 24-Hour Plays at Writers & Books (Writing)

2012

  • Taught Teen Intensive Fiction for SummerWrite at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Fringe staged reading of my play "The Life of the Leo Wool" (Writing)

  • Taught Teen Intensive Fiction monthly at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Newspaper profile "She Stopped Underselling Her Work and Magic Happened," in the Democrat and Chronicle's Young Entrepreneurs Section, April, 2012 (Dream Your Book)

  • Copyedit and line edit on Silent Partner by Antonio Commisso (Dream Your Book)

  • Line edit and copy edit on Slim Target by S. J. Seymour (Dream Your Book)

  • Copyedit of Holding On To Faith by Joy Argento (Dream Your Book)

  • Negotiated a profile of client Sue Barocas: "Class Teaches People Ways To Write Their Memoirs," Democrat & Chronicle (Dream Your Book)

  • My nonfiction piece “No Self at the Dinner Party" published in The Finger (Writing)

2011

  • Taught "Rewriting Your Fiction" at Writers & Books (Teaching)

  • Published my short story “The Dancing Man” in Danse Macabre, Nov. 2011 (Writing)

  • Published my poem “Death and the Maiden” in Danse Macabre, October 2011 (Writing)

  • Fiction residency at Vermont Studio Center, May 2011 (Writing)

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2010

  • Created Follow Your Bliss magazine with Sandy Farnan and Raquel Pidal (Writing)

2009

  • Edited "Operation No Coincidence" for LA Long (Dream Your Book)

  • Published my poem “October,” Electric Velocipede, September 2009 (Writing)

  • Created Dream Your Book (March 2009) 

2008

  • Published “bees,” Grasslimb Journal, March 2008 (Writing)

2007

  • My short story “Faithless” was published in Dark Reveries Magazine, Feb. 2007 (Writing)

  • My short story was published in “AC/DC,” Dark Reveries Magazine, Feb. 2007 (Writing)

  • My short story "Gravity is Weak" was published in 21 Stars Review, Feb. 2007 (Writing)

  • My prose poem "Why Do You Read Literary Theory?" was published in 21 Stars Review, Feb. 2007 (Writing)

  • My short story “Pee” was published in Swill, July 2007 (Writing)

  • My short story “If There is No One to Listen . . .” was published inTwisted Tongue Magazine, Issue 7, August 2007. (Writing)

  • My poem “Mary, Mary” was published in Contemporary Rhyme, November 2007 (Writing)

  • My poem “Nietzsche” was published in Contemporary Rhyme, November 2007 (Writing)

  • Created NinaAlvarez.net, a website sharing my favorite poetry that as of 2022 has over 500,000 views

2005-2007 

  • Worked as a freelance copy editor, copywriter, and graphic designer in Philadelphia, PA. Also ran Inconudrum Press, a small, literary publishing company.

2004

  • ​Featured reader at the 2004 Naples Land Trust Festival (Writing)

2002-2005 

  • Taught college-level composition and literature at Finger Lakes Community College and Monroe Community College, where I won a fellowship for talented teachers (Teaching)

  • Earned my MA in English from the University at Albany, 2003.

2001

  • After spending a semester at the University of Cape Town in 2001, I wrote my master’s thesis “Apocalypse is Genesis: Homi Bhabha and the Third Space of South African Culture,” combining creative nonfiction, memoir, and criticism to explore South African literature using post-colonial, materialist, and post-structuralist methodologies. (Writing)

2000

  • Worked briefly for Foreign Affairs Magazine in their customer service department while living in Brooklyn, NY. (Customer Service)

1999

  • Earned BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing

  • Won Shields Mcilwaine Award For Best Poem, University At Albany, 1999 (Writing)

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1995

  • Poem “The Shore” published in Teen Magazine (Writing)