Roy Peter Clark has taught writing at Poynter since 1979. Over three decades he has served the institute as dean, vice president, senior scholar, and member of the Board of Trustees. Clark has written or edited 15 books on writing and journalism, the most popular and influential being “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer.” Podcasts of the book have been downloaded more than a million times. The New York Times Book Review praised Clark’s latest book, “The Glamour of Grammar,” as a “a manual for the 21st century.”

Born in New York City, Clark attended Catholic schools through his graduation from Providence College in 1970. He earned a Ph.D. in English from Stony Brook University. He began his teaching career in Montgomery, Ala., where he became interested in journalism. He was hired by the St. Petersburg Times as one of America’s first writing coaches in 1977. He is the founding director of the National Writers Workshops. His work has been featured by NPR, “Today,” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” He was selected as a distinguished service member of the American Society of News Editors, and was inducted into the Features Hall of Fame.