Nice to Meet You.

Perhaps before you jump into my intrusive thoughts, let me introduce myself.

I’m Whitney McClelland, a graduate from the University of Texas in Austin. I graduated August 2021, with my bachelor’s in English and a minor in Business. (Graduated on the Dean’s list as well, but you know, I don’t like to brag.) I am also a graduate student at Stephen F. Austin State University, working towards a MA in English and Creative Writing, set to graduate Spring 2025 after writing a novel for my creative thesis. I live in the piney woods with my little family: Mungo the Bengal, Blu the Sphynx, and Ralph the Basset/Aussie Hound.

In December 2023, I began my publishing journey slush reading for the Story Society literary magazine. Due to unforeseen circumstances, this little press is on hiatus.

Desperate to continue my publishing career, I decided to start my own literary magazine, The Genre Society. I am the Managing Editor, slush reader, and graphic designer. (It’s just me doing it all, but now an old friend is joining the team!)

In April 2024, I published my first short story “Doom Scroll” with Drunk Monkeys online magazine. In October 2024, I presented an academic paper titled “"Corrupted Nostalgia in Kane Parson's The Backrooms (Found Footage): A Post-Pandemic Resurgence of Analog Horror” for the DARK ENTRIES: Rethinking the Horror in Folk Horror Symposium. Then, in November 2024, my first academic article “Grotesquely Gothic Textual Overflow: Depictions of Generational Female Trauma in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic” was published by the Forum for Contemporary Issues in Language and Literature.

Oh, and in SFA’s Piney Dark horror writing competition, my short story “Dead Weight” placed second in 2023, and “Pay Your Dues” placed third in 2024.

Last thing I’ll mention was in June 2024, I traveled to Iceland and enjoyed a week long writer’s workshop and learned from an editor from Simon & Schuster! A truly unforgettable experience where my craft and editing knowledge was further developed.

You could say 2024 was a busy year for me.

I should probably include how I’ve taught tenth grade English since 2021 and creative writing since 2024 and host the creative writing club. This supports my budding writing and editing career.

Please head over to the contact page to inquire about my editorial services. This is my passion and I want to continue to help emerging writers improve their work.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my writing, but please check out The Genre Society for some truly fantastic fiction and poetry!

-Whitney the Writer