Work with me

I’m a historian, writer, editor, and facilitator who’s passionate about shining light on lesser known stories from the past and present. Schedule a free 30 minute consultation or shoot me an email (natasha.varner @ gmail.com) so we can chat about how I might support your work!

Photo by Loma Smith.

Public History services

In my work as a public historian, I distill complex historical topics through accessible writing and visual aids across a range of platforms. I can work with you to research and write interpretive text; create curriculum and educational materials; activate archives through art; plan public programming; and engage diverse communities in all stages of project planning and outreach.

My community-engaged public history practice is rooted in anti-racist and creative facilitation training that I received through Oregon Humanities and the City of Seattle and that has been honed over nine years as public engagement director at the Japanese American history nonprofit, Densho. I always work with an eye towards long-term relationship building and empowering underrepresented groups and individuals to tell their own stories.

Recent projects include:

  • Omoiyari: A Songfilm by Kishi Bashi (documentary, 2022)
    Historical advisor, community engagement support
    Emmy-nominated, featured in SXSW, Woodstock Film, DisOrient, and Los Angeles Asian Pacific film festivals

  • Other: A Brief History of American Xenophobia (short film, 2020)
    Project coordinator, research, audience engagement, educational lead
    Featured in TedEd's Best of the Web

  • Campu, produced by Hana and Noah Maruyama for Densho (podcast, 2020)
    Editorial, research, and production support; audience engagement, educational lead
    Outstanding Public History Project from the National Council on Public History, honorable mention

Editorial services

With nearly a decade of experience in scholarly publishing and editing, I offer a range of services for both authors and publishers.

For publishers: I am available for developmental editing as well as copywriting and other marketing support. I am adept at translating academic writing into fluid prose that engages readers across disciplines and from a variety of academic backgrounds. I have regional expertise in the US West and Latin America, as well topic area fluency in Indigenous, Latinx, and settler colonial studies, labor, immigration, and Japanese American incarceration history.

For authors: Publishing your first book? I can help you prepare your proposal and cover letter and answer your questions about how to approach the sometimes obtuse process of revising your dissertation and publishing your first book. It’s never too early to start thinking about this! I’ve advised people at all stages of their early academic careers, from PhD candidates to junior professors. I’ll draw on experience gleaned from my work as First Peoples: New Directions in Indigenous Studies program coordinator. In that position, I assisted first time authors working in the field of Indigenous studies as they navigated the publishing process.

Writing for general audiences? As an academic-turned-public scholar, I have learned important techniques for making scholarship accessible to a wide range of readers. I offer one-on-one coaching and editorial support on essays, opinion, and reported pieces — or any other project you’d like to see reach beyond the academic world!

*I allocate a portion of my time each month to pro-bono work with BIPOC scholars and others who have been historically under represented in the academy. Please start by booking a free 30-minute consultation and indicate that you would like to make use of this pro-bono offering.