Whether you're just getting started on that magazine article or have already completed your third novel, you need an editor to help make it happen. I've been working in this field for more than ten years, and so I know what's compelling, what makes sense, and what sells. Here's what some of my clients have to say:

Maria Scala is the kind of editor every writer wants to work with—someone who gets the project, sees where it is going, and helps guide you there. She edits with a light hand, but whenever I wandered off-course or was uncertain of my voice Maria was there to help. I started with a draft that was like the Blob That Ate Chicago and ended with a Governor General’s nomination. I couldn’t have done it without Maria.                                                                                                                                                         —Ted Bishop, author of Riding with Rilke

Maria is a terrific and careful editor, very attentive to the writers and editors she works with at Literary Mama. She's always timely and organized, so I never have to worry about deadlines on her work: she tends to meet them before I even realize they have arrived! She's perfectly professional, cheerful, and a true pleasure to correspond with. I trust her work implicitly."
—Caroline Grant, Editor-in-Chief of Literary Mama

Being edited by Maria is like having a literary massage. She is wonderful to work with—insightful and wise, incredibly supportive, Maria's always able to steer me in the best possible direction with my Literary Mama columns. I wish Maria would edit all of my writing!"                                                            —Jessica Berger Gross, Creative Writing teacher at UBC, author of enLIGHTened, and "Mama’s Boy" columnist

I hired Maria to edit my manuscript because I wanted a trained professional to read and evaluate it. Her input has given me the confidence to send it out to publishers for consideration. I will hire her again.    —Greg Randall, author

The company I run—Scala Editorial Services—offers the following: manuscript reading and evaluations; substantive/structural editing; stylistic/line editing; copy editing; proofreading; fact checking/reference checking; permissions research; and copy writing/ghost writing.

Rates are from $30 to $50 an hour, depending on the level of work required. 

To request a quote, contact me at  info (at) mariascala (dot) com  [Replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]      Please tell me a little about your project, and feel free to attach a few sample chapters along with your query.