What People Are Saying.
"I met April in Los Angeles, and she completely changed the way I understood storytelling — not just on paper, but about myself. When I was applying to AFI, USC, and Tisch, I realized that even though I could make good films, expressing who I truly am through writing was much harder. April guided me patiently, asking sharp and thoughtful questions that pushed me to dig deeper into my experiences and emotions. She didn’t rewrite my words — she helped me discover them. Through each session, my statement became more personal, honest, and alive. April is one of the writers I respect the most."
— Bofan Wang, directing mfa applicant
“Working on my novel with April finally made me confident enough to move forward with Fiction MFA applications. She has a razor sharp sense of story, voice, and structure. With just the basis of my concept, she was able to suggest multiple beats to build out a meaningful arc for my characters. April also gave me a realistic assessment of my program readiness, which pushed me to apply to top schools. In one session together, she provided more insight than I’d received in months of other paid writing workshops. ”
— Jade Lacy, Creative writing mfa applicant
“April helped me with a short story for my MFA applications. With her guidance, I was able to reshape a dry, genre exercise with an unsatisfying ending into a lively and cathartic story which I can now submit to my applications with full confidence. Whether your story needs a total overhaul or if you just need that extra 10% of polish that puts your story above the rest, April is the person for the job!”
— Nikola Stojcic, English/Creative Writing MFA Applicant
“Working with April was such a great experience. She helped me find my voice and made sure my story actually showed my experiences instead of just telling them. There are literally over ten thousand applicants trying to make an impression, I definitely feel like my statement did due to April's guidance. I'm currently receiving offers from schools and am thankful to April for helping me reach this point!”
— Ryan Cohen, dds/dmd Dental school applicant
“Working with April Peng as a contract writer on my AFI thesis was a truly rewarding experience. She is an incredibly talented writer, highly dedicated, and consistently reliable — even when we were working across different time zones. April always met deadlines and never stopped refining the work until the story felt honest and complete. She brings a deep level of care to her process, especially through her intensive character research. April genuinely understands her characters from the inside out, which allows her writing to feel grounded and emotionally truthful. Her ability to shape story through character is one of her greatest strengths.
What truly sets April apart is her ability to localize Chinese stories within an western context, offering a unique and thoughtful perspective that bridges cultures. She brings clarity, authenticity, and heart to every story she touches. I’m incredibly grateful to have worked with her and would wholeheartedly recommend her as a collaborator and storyteller.”
— Shirley Sui, producing MFA Student
“Before I worked with April on my personal statement, I was struggling to find a throughline and to clearly articulate which elements of my life experience to show the admissions committee. However, April's insight and guidance was revelatory, not only in terms of structure, formatting, tone, and word choice, but also in terms of personal discovery. After brainstorming and editing sessions, I felt that I had a deeper understanding about my connection to filmmaking and a stronger sense of how to express myself and my goals. If you are someone who is looking for help on your personal statement, whether you have written one or are struggling to write one, I would recommend her services as a way to catalyze self-reflection and sharpen your voice.”