About
I have been called a "majestic, voice-preserving unicorn."
No, really. Hey, I’ll take it.
After teaching elementary school and raising three kids, I came to editing through children's literature, but it didn't take me long to find that I love the variety of working in a wide range of genres. Editorial work combines learned skills with a number of things that come naturally to me—love of language, love of story, organization, looking at things from various angles, and helping people achieve their goals. I’m a stickler for details, and I excel at straightening the crookedest of timelines. I have a background in acting that allows me to hear character voice in a unique way, and to match authorial voice where rewriting is needed. I enjoy both the big-picture work of things like plot, story structure, and character growth and the detail work of grammar, usage, and punctuation.
There are parts of what I do that are objective, and parts that are subjective, but I never take offense when my suggestions don't resonate with a client. I believe that a good editor's work is ultimately invisible, and I find it fulfilling to help others' writing reach its full potential.
I’m also a published author of children’s books, so I understand the nerve-racking nature of handing your work over to another for judgment, and I can offer some insight into how the publishing process works.
What other people have to say about me:
“I have to tell you, none of this would have been possible without you swooping in to save the day with that manuscript. I have thought of you with gratitude so many times since we worked together. ”
“Your brilliant, readable, thoughtful edits and comments are so useful. Thanks so much for a really great, easy experience! Sometimes I work with editors and it feels confrontational, sort of, where the editor is trying to prove a point or do something the One and Only Way, and I spend a lot of time erasing or ignoring comments that go against the grain of the story, or feel wrong for the voice. [The author] said he had a few things he wants to push back on, but I welcome that kind of discussion and thank YOU for allowing us to have it.
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“This is one of the best copyedits I’ve ever had. I’d say 95% of the edits are spot-on and I’m like, “Wow, yes, you’re right. Great, thank you so much for catching that.””
“God, you’re good.”
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Maya is, by far, the most valuable person on my team of freelancers. I write middle-grade novels for girls and Maya’s expertise in that genre of fiction took my story from an amateur effort to a shelf-ready, 350+ page novel that continues to get great reviews. I would recommend her to everyone, no matter what the subject matter of writing—she is prompt with her work and billing and is always forthcoming with ideas and suggestions outside of the scope of her work. Truly an amazing find—I can’t wait to work with Maya on the rest of the series.”
“Maya is a pleasure to work with. She works quickly, and regularly saves us a grammar or spelling embarrassment. She’s so important to what we do that she’s become a line item in our annual marketing budget. Maya makes sure our written communication is both correct grammatically and consistent with our brand’s tone. She’s worth every penny.”
“I hired Maya for a freelance review and proofread of a novel and was incredibly pleased with her work. She did exactly what she promised, ahead of schedule, with detailed reports along the way. Her comments and insights were invaluable, and she’s an absolute master of language and grammar. The finished work is much stronger as a result of her efforts. She was also a real pleasure to deal with and to get to know.”
“I was very skeptical at first but as I read through your suggestions in their entirety I really appreciated your rework here– thank you! You have identified and fixed, without changing the meaning of or deleting what I wanted to say, so many areas of my work that I have felt to be clumsy. I am really lucky to be working with you. ”
“I just have to tell you again how utterly thrilled I am with your work. I try really hard to self-edit and put out a clean manuscript, and I’m just so shocked at how many things you caught. I’m just so grateful. Your suggestions were perfect, and you caught some big mistakes on my part.”
Photo: Robert Webb
“I am blown away by Maya’s talent, her eye on the large and small details, ability to track so many things as she reads and also to capture what the story is about. This manuscript feels different for me from having been in her hands and under her careful eye.”
“Maya just made my book a whole lot better. I would never do it again without her. If honesty, insight, a delicate touch, and a letter-perfect but eminently flexible command of language and structure are what you are looking for, then go no further. Maya is truly a queen of her art.”
“Maya edited my novel, which I’m self-publishing. I was nervous about finding the right editor to work with, but she came on the recommendation of a trusted friend, and turned out to be absolutely perfect. She has a great eye for small problems coupled with a careful sensitivity to the work as a whole. More than anything, she *got* it, in the way every writer hopes an editor will. She appreciated the strengths of my writing and helped me tackle its weaknesses and make it shine. I would highly recommend her to any writer seeking a freelance editor.”
“I have recommended Maya to many of my clients who needed a copyeditor and proofreader. She is thorough, detail-oriented, on-time, and always makes a book better. I wholeheartedly recommend her services. She is a pleasure to work with.”
“Overall, going through the book again, it felt good to see everything looking quite tidy and professional. I’ve never used a professional editor before, and I have to say that it was wonderful to have someone as skilled as yourself tune this story up. In a very profound way, you have validated my effort here and helped bring it into being!”
“Maya worked on my latest book as a format editor and proofreader. She was a pleasure to work with: knowledgeable, detail oriented, and on time. I really felt that she was invested in the success of my book. She understood the publishing process as well. I would recommend Maya to any writer who wants to put out a professional product.”
“It is so exciting [to read your edits]; it’s like seeing a pile of flowers and leaves being beautifully organized in a vase.”