comprehensive, personalized, professional editing services
to polish your prose and let your message shine
“Mara is an extraordinary editor. . . . Her expertise and enthusiasm were invaluable!”
— David Allen Parker, Jr.
Ever wish someone could tell you exactly how to make your writing better?
I can make all your wishes come true!
(or at least that one)
Maybe you want to get that manuscript ready to submit to agents, or maybe you just want to feel more confident in your skills. Either way, I can help.
If you want an editor who is . . .
trained
I have a graduate certificate in Publishing and Editing and a Master’s degree in American literature from Florida State University.
experienced
I’ve spent 16+ years working as a freelance editor, teaching writing at the high school and college level, and working one-on-one with students to craft their college application essays. More recently, I’ve been leading online writing courses focused on the craft of nonfiction and personal narrative (memoir). I’ve edited academic nonfiction, conversational nonfiction (self-help, personal development), novels, short stories, personal essays, devotionals, and news/journalism.
approachable
Sharing your work with a stranger can be scary. But let me assure you, I am the opposite of scary. I’ve been practicing with teenagers for years, so I’ve learned a few things about helping writers to feel safe, understood, and encouraged, even as I edit without mercy. It’s kind of my superpower.
. . . you’ve come to the right place.
Nothing beats a fresh pair of eyes on your words
. . . except maybe a highly trained pair of eyes.
Testimonials
“Mara is an extraordinary editor. She is a joy to work with and was so easy to collaborate with during my editing project; Mara is patient, responsive, caring, insightful, creative, fun, and productive. I have worked with other strong editors on past projects, but Mara brought something unique and special to the editing process. She understood me, my brand, my message, and my goals, and she cared about both my book and my reputation. We were always on the same page, which made the editing process smooth and efficient. She also understood my audience and was astute at ensuring nothing was confusing or unclear to the reader. Her suggestions and changes always added significant value to the manuscript and the reader's experience, and her expertise and enthusiasm were invaluable. Thanks in large part to her, my first book received an ‘excellent’ review on Kirkus. I could not have asked for a better editor, and I look forward to working with Mara on many more projects.”
David Allen Parker, Jr., author of the forthcoming Slam Dunk Job Search
“Mara was handed a book manuscript in need of lifesaving treatment; the raw material was there, but it needed a heavy round of edits to make it work. She did so much to transform it: structural notes to make it flow, meticulous line-by-line edits, and research into the material we were covering to help us bolster and strengthen our arguments. We got a manuscript back that was ready to print, and we couldn’t have arrived there without her diligence.”
Bethany Mandel, columnist and co-author of the forthcoming Stolen Youth
“I have benefitted from Mara Eller’s editing services for my last several books, each with slightly different needs. Whether she did basic proof reading and grammar checking or provided more substantive advice on better flow and communication, or even on how to rearrange material more effectively, her suggestions—as well as her “catches” of infelicitous prose on my part—have always been extremely helpful. I have used other editing services that did not have this kind of range or sense of partnership: they were more wooden and mechanical, less thorough, and did not “think” their way into the substance of what I was saying in order to come alongside the project. However, Mara grasps what the writing is about and works on its best prose presentation. It’s amazing how she can improve a manuscript. I hope that Mara can work with me on many more books in the future. I highly recommend her to all authors.”
Michael Peterson, PhD., author of C. S. Lewis and the Christian Worldview and numerous others
"Mara is such a talented and thoughtful writing teacher! I've learned so many excellent techniques for improving my writing craft. I trust her implicitly as an editor and thought partner for anyone who wants to improve her skills and build her confidence as a writer."
Ariel Curry, Book Coach and Editor, Ariel Curry Editorial
“I hired four different editors for a project I was working on, and Mara was my favorite. The pieces she edited came back nicely cleaned up with the clear direction they didn’t have before she worked her magic on them. She was so helpful that I decided to work with her for the rest of my project. Mara is a kind, reliable, trustworthy person with a natural talent for editing and story development. I loved how she could figure out what I was trying to say but couldn’t seem to articulate myself. When you work with Mara, you aren’t getting only editing services but your own individual writing education. Mara works one-to-one with you, and when she sends your piece back edited, she gives you detailed comments telling you what would work better and why. She is always available to answer any questions you might have. I have learned so much from her. Working with her has been a priceless experience for me. She truly is a godsend.”
Jessica H.
“Your advice to add more personal content was greatly valued! It was HARD for me to go deeper and share these things, and I needed the push. I know added those details will make the book more relatable. I wish I had known about you for my first edit!! You were thorough and speedy. Thank you!”
Christa S.
Let’s do this!
I specialize in the nuts and bolts of writing craft (certified grammar nerd here!) but also love helping with organization, argument, flow, story arc, character development, and more. Fiction or nonfiction, short or long, still refining your ideas or just needing that final polish—I’m here to help with it all.
My approach is to provide comments and suggestions to improve your writing immediately but also to help you learn how to edit your own writing more effectively in the future. (You know what they say about teaching a man to fish . . .)
When you hire me, you get the best of both worlds: a competent, experienced editor AND a skilled writing teacher. (And if you want to talk Enneagram or MBTI personality stuff on the side, I am SO in!)
find out your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and exactly what you need to do next to make progress with a
diagnostic review
Here’s how it works.
You’ll send me a sample of your writing, up to 2000 words (I'd recommend at least 1000) and tell me a bit about your goals as a writer (or your business) and what this sample material would be for (website copy, a lead magnet, blog post, personal essay, book, etc.).
After reviewing your submission, I will send you a 3-page evaluation of your writing strengths and weaknesses with tips and strategies to help you improve, along with an annotated version of your document containing specific edits and examples.
You’ll walk away with a clearer sense of where you shine, where you need to take a bit more care, and whether you might want to seek professional help with your writing in order to reach your goals.
Plus, you'll have a polished piece of writing to put to use right away!
Sign up now for only $149. You’ll have up to six months to use your review.
“I submitted a short story memoir to Mara for the Diagnostic Review. I'd been working on it for almost a year and was stuck. Mara helped me see that my overall theme was not clear and the steps I needed to take to bring it forward. It was an essential piece I was missing that helped me understand where I needed to go, and I'm happy to say, I'm almost ready to publish it! Thank you, Mara, for your the clarity you brought to my writing and the push I needed to get it done.”
-Tanya D.
PROJECT FEES
I offer competitive rates based on the word count and project scope. For each contract, we’ll discuss what kind of editing you need and determine the best approach to take your manuscript to the next level.
Project types include
manuscript review (approx. $.05 per word)
developmental edit (approx. $.07 per word)
line edit (approx. $.05 per word)
HOURLY RATES
I also charge by the hour so that you can get help at any price point and stay within your budget, and I adjust the process based on what I think will be most effective and efficient for your project.
$95/hour for independent editing
(asynchronous, using email and Google docs or the like)
$95/hour for live coaching using Zoom
(so we can dialog about your work, answer your questions, and dig deep)