mission: to craft stories that change the world, one life at a time

Ever find yourself longing for something *more*? something *deeper*? a life of meaning and beauty that is profoundly and authentically yours?

me too
I’m Mara, writer, teacher, editor, coach, and professional cuddle-giver to three little girls. I write and teach for women who desire deeper self-acceptance, who seek clearer insight into the world and their own souls, and who yearn to create and discover beauty amidst the ashes of this broken, burning world.
Stories—both those we tell ourselves and those we tell others—are immensely powerful. They are one of the ways we are able to participate in the co-creation of the world, to change the emotional charge and ultimate meaning of events. Harnessing this power is my passion, both through my own writing and by teaching others to become confident, courageous co-authors of their own lives.

my story

Growing up, I always had a sense that we were created for more but didn’t know what that meant or where to start looking. Through years of personal and spiritual blundering, often-painful self-reflection, and a burgeoning understanding of God, I’ve gained a lot of scars and a little wisdom. Now, I believe I’m called to share that journey with others—and to help them take that next step down their own path of discovery.

Born in San Francisco, I spent my formative years in rural Utah (near Moab) after my mom packed us up and plopped us down in a 21-foot travel trailer on a lot decorated with sagebrush, tumbleweed, and not a manmade structure to be seen. As an only child with only one living parent, solitude became my companion—that and the horse I bought with my savings before we left California.

Somehow, I survived middle and high school (gathered quiiiiiite a bit of writing material . . . ), and I flew off to college at Vassar in New York state (a much-welcome culture shock). I thought that being in college (and not in Utah) would solve all my problems and that I would instantly become desired, respected, admired, and as a result, deliciously confident. Oh, and also my talent(s) would unfurl before me like golden tickets to captivate and thrill the world. Or something like that.

I was ever so slightly mistaken. Just a tiiiiny bit off. Instead, I spent about a decade searching, both internally and externally, for . . . what? Purpose, maybe. Meaning. Self-understanding and self-acceptance.

In my teens and twenties, I was lucky enough to travel fairly extensively, mostly in Latin America, where I became fluent in Spanish and satisfied (most of) my wanderlust.

I grew up thinking that religion was a tool of oppression and that Christians were a bunch of unintellectual, self-righteous hypocrites, so my spiritual journey was a complicated one, to say the least. I became a reluctant Christian the year after I graduated from college while spending four months in Spain, which included completing the 550-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. God made himself known to me one blustery day, and my path was forever changed.

I moved to Tallahassee, FL, the following year to begin a Master’s program at FSU and to pursue the man I thought was my soulmate. The relationship was a disaster (the blend of certainty and ignorance I possessed at 23 was . . . impressive), but my graduate work led me down a circuitous path to finally discover my calling as a teacher, which has been bringing home at least a little bacon for the last decade and a half (apart from a brief hiatus when I tried to abandon teaching after having my soul trampled by some influential parents). The failed relationship also brought me to the man I did marry, who has struggled and grown alongside me in ways I could never have imagined.

Meanwhile, I continued wrestling with my faith, trying to reconcile what I knew about myself and the world with what the Bible said and, more problematically, how people who call themselves Christian interpret that holy book. Along the way, I’ve learned to lean in to the hard questions, that frustration and sadness are part of the journey, and to find beauty in the broken.

In 2015, I tremulously added “Mama” to my list of titles, which has challenged and shaped me more than I could have imagined. My girls show me daily where I need to grow—mostly in patience, emotional stability, and precision of language (who knew that parenting well would be so much about words?).

Motherhood, I find, is a powerful crucible through which I am continually, if painfully, refined. It’s a lens through which I see the world in stark contrast and sharp detail, making me keenly aware of the messages my girls receive and the stories I tell them with my life.

Somewhere in there I decided to become a college guidance consultant, specializing in the personal statement (aka mini memoir), and began working with high school students to discern their callings. This, I realized, had always been my life’s quest: to understand how I am put together, what I have to offer, and how my life is meant to contribute to true human flourishing on this side of heaven. I quickly became obsessed with asking and attempting to answer these questions of calling, both for myself and for others.

Behind it all, the call to write has simmered, bursting forth in frantic fits now and then, but largely being forced to wait.

Now, I seek to use my writing and communication skills paired with my deep empathy and emotional insight to share my story and to help others craft theirs. Through this process, **I hope to pursue a life of radical purpose, profound courage, and deep fulfillment—and to empower others to do the same.**

**writer**
I write to make sense of the world. Like Hemingway, I believe that good writing is writing that is honest and true, unafraid to dive into the depths of shared human struggle. (Isn’t it interesting that real struggle is always at once both universal and intensely personal?)
My topics include spiritual insight, raw glimpses of motherhood, purpose and calling, literature and film reviews, writing craft, the creative life, personality and temperament, and the meaning of life (totes nbd).
**teacher**
I teach to help others make sense of their worlds, whether through figuring out their “why” or through developing the skill and confidence with words to write their way to a better life. I offer online writing classes on the personal essay and the nuts and bolts of writing craft. I also provide one-on-one career and calling coaching based on a process of self-discovery.

word on the street

“Mara’s writing has changed my life. It makes me think back on how I felt as a young mom and gives me permission to be ok with not being perfect, with not loving motherhood beyond anything I could have imagined but in fact struggling with it far more than I could have imagined. Your writing reconnects me to those struggles in a way that’s gentle and accepting. Thank you!”

— Elise

“Today was so good!! This was my number one missing link to my skill set as a writer. Can you tell I’m absoLUTEly thrilled?”

— Aimee

“When I began working with Mara, I didn’t have a concise view on what my essay should be. Mara was patient with me and listened to everything I had to say before guiding me in the right direction. She encouraged me to talk about things that were impactful to my life. Then she helped me form a cohesive essay that told the message I wanted to get across in a professional and personal way.”