My name is Lizz Schumer and I’m a writer, journalist, and educator from Buffalo, N.Y., currently based in Brooklyn, N.Y. I primarily work as a journalist, covering books, podcasts, food and drink, culture, service journalism, features, and trending news. As a creative writer, I work in creative nonfiction, fiction, prose poetry and sometimes throw all of them in a blender and see what comes out.

My work can be found in a variety of both online and traditional print journals and magazines (see my clips in the menu above). My first book, Buffalo Steel, came out from Black Rose Writing in 2013 and my second, Biography of a Body, came out from Unsolicited Press in January, 2021. It’s currently available wherever books are sold (although I strongly suggest your favorite local bookseller!) I have a B.A. in journalism/mass communications from St. Bonaventure University and an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College.

I currently work as the senior books editor at People Magazine, where I oversee all print and digital books content. That includes writing for and editing our print People Picks books page and print-first books features, as well as directing the digital strategy for all things books online. Because we’re a small team, I assign, edit and/or write all of our digital book review galleries, personal essays from authors, book-related news stories, and other bookish content we can dream up. You can see some of my People books content on my author page.   

Prior to joining People in January 2024, I spent six years as a senior editor at Good Housekeeping. While there, I managed the GH Book Club (which I created and launched in 2020) and directed strategy for books coverage, which included both writing and editing essays, longform features, and culture content for print and digital platforms.

And before that, I also contributed to Woman’s Day and Prevention magazines and have freelanced for The New York Times, and VinePair, among others.

As an educator, I work as an adjunct instructor for New York University School of Professional Studies, teaching courses on magazine copyediting, newswriting and reporting, freelance writing, and a course introducing students to the media industry structure and terminology.

I’m also a writing coach with the New York Writing Room, offering individual coaching on all genres of creative and professional writing. I previously served a one-year appointment as a visiting professor of journalism and communications at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. where my courses focused on introductions to the field of journalism in print, digital and multimedia forms; narrative journalism; reporting and news-gathering. I also oversaw the senior portfolio class. I’ve also taught creative nonfiction at The Muse and creative and travel writing with National Geographic Student Expeditions.

Before that, I worked as the editor of two small community newspapers in upstate New York. For my work at The Springville Journal, I won two Local Media Association awards, one for Editorial Writing and one for Investigative Reporting for my breaking news coverage of a string of pharmacy robberies in the area. For my work on The Sun, I was named one of Editor & Publisher’s “25 Under 35”  after I revolutionized the paper’s social and digital media presence.

In a past life as a marketer and social media strategist, I ran social media, marketing, public relations, and content creation for Resurgence Brewing Company out of Buffalo, N.Y. I like to say that I made everything there except the beer itself. For my work as a marketer for RBC, Target Marketing named me a “Marketer of Tomorrow” in 2016.