Overview

I'm an author and editor with an undergraduate degree in creative writing (short stories primarily) and a master's in literature and have been teaching writing for more than three decades. I work with each writer according to his or her needs, making the most of each one's strengths and following or leading according to each client's direction. Because I am an author myself, my first novel and short story published in 2016, I know you are looking for what an editor can do to enhance your own writing, to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.

Are you a confident writer and self-editor and just want that final pair of fresh eyes on your manuscript? I can provide that in proofreading and copy editing, helping you clear away any snags that might keep you from providing your reader the smoothest reading experience possible. As one recent client prospect commented, I showed how my editing could take her modern romance "from garage band to gold record."

Do you have a draft and a dream, but you know your work is not up to the high standard you want? Are you struggling with the big-picture issues of consistent characterization, story arc, style, and overall impression? I can work with you in developmental editing, drawing on my thirty-odd years of teaching writing to come alongside and coach you in the things you can do that will make the most difference the fastest. In even more streamlined help, I can give you an editorial assessment, a true overview of what is most promising and what needs most work from you before you come to closer editing work.

As a lover of beautiful writing and as a novelist and short story writer myself, I have a deep commitment to beautiful fiction, and I am active in online groups of independent authors and historical fiction writers and editors. But as a long-time educator and writer and editor of curriculum and organizational documents, I bring the savvy of long experience to the needs of non-fiction writers as well. I have provided editorial services in the last year for a sweeping novel of African history, individual titles in a fantasy series, a developing private detective novel, the English translation of an Italian novel, and individual essays in anthologies of inspiring memoir and entertaining mystery author anecdotes - for both independent authors and small presses. I am also an active volunteer reviewer both privately and for reviewing organizations--particularly historical fiction, thrillers and suspense, literary fiction, and short stories. Over previous years I have developed writing, literature, history, and other curriculum for high school and college students and curriculum plans for schools in several U.S. states, and I've written and edited documents and procedure manuals in many venues of business, education, churches, charities, and government. Everywhere I go I find my writing and editing in demand.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with you on whatever your writing dream might be!

Note: Although I am open to some sensuality, violence, and strong language, I prefer not to edit extensive erotic content, graphic violent content, gratuitous strong language, nor occult material.

Cindy Marsch

"Highly Recommended! . . . Her attention to typographic and grammatical detail proved to be exquisite." - Annie Pearson, of Jugum Press

"Scrupulous, Prompt, Knowledgeable, and Thoughtful" - Suzanne Fox, of Stories of You Books

"I have used Cindy as an editor for several books now and have been extremely happy with the service provided. I have found her extremely capable, insightful, and professional and I have no hesitation in recommending her [to take] your books to the next level." - Samuel C. Stokes, author of A Coronation of Kings

Services

Languages

Fiction

Non-Fiction

I am an author of historical, biographical, literary fiction and short stories thus far, with plans for cozy mysteries and contemporary fiction in the years to come. I have recently begun offering professional editorial services and found immediate enthusiastic acceptance from small presses and individual authors as soon as they saw what I could do for them. One special offering is what I call "instructional editing," like developmental editing but designed to be done a chapter or two at a time, the writer applying each segment's evaluation and improvements to the work of later drafts. I also offer limited free beta reading and reviews upon request.

Developed and taught Composition 1 to students in grades 8-12 for this online school, helping students learn grammar, style, and basic essay forms for description, persuasion, comparison, and narrative. In our online live class meetings I managed groups of up to 22 students, engaging them in discussion, writing exercises, peer critique, and imitation of great writing samples. Much of my instruction was in the form of individual essay evaluation in extensive comments for each student.

As a young mother watching the growth of homeschooling all around me and hearing the desires of homeschooling parents for quality writing instruction for their older children, I began teaching online when the technology allowed only exchange of simple files and emails. I developed many writing courses using the Great Books, ancient rhetoric exercises (Progymnasmata), and other high-quality resources, and in time I became a consultant for many private schools for their writing programs. It is wonderful to work with students throughout their secondary education and then watch many of them go on to become important writers, educators, and other professional in their own right.

In these different colleges, taught courses including remedial writing lab, freshman composition, freshman article and essay workshop, sophomore literature, written business communications, and business report writing part time (FSU, TCC, LPC) or full time (Auburn University) intermittently through these years.

Stories of Inspiration: Mystery Fiction Edition, Volume 1: Mystery Fiction Authors Trace Their Journeys from Starting Point to Finished Work

Suzanne Fox

With a Preface by Holly Robinson and essays by 36 authors from the across the U.S., U.K. and beyond, STORIES OF INSPIRATION: MYSTERY FICTION EDITION explores the process by which accomplished writers transform the first glimmer of a book idea into a compelling work of fiction with murder or mystery at its heart.Essays in the collection feature new and established voices and works from across t... read more

With a Preface by Holly Robinson and essays by 36 authors from the across the U.S., U.K. and beyond, STORIES OF INSPIRATION: MYSTERY FICTION EDITION explores the process by which accomplished writers transform the first glimmer of a book idea into a compelling work of fiction with murder or mystery at its heart.Essays in the collection feature new and established voices and works from across t... read more

A Coronation of Kings

Samuel Stokes

Tyranny. Desperation. Rebellion.While Tristan may be the heir to the House of Listar, at heart he’s more a lad than a lord.Mad with power, the ruthless and scheming Baron of Belnair will stop at nothing to gain the crown. In the dead of night, the Baron massacres Tristan’s family and burns their home to the ground. Desperate and alone, Tristan must fight for his life and his people.With everyt... read more

Tyranny. Desperation. Rebellion.While Tristan may be the heir to the House of Listar, at heart he’s more a lad than a lord.Mad with power, the ruthless and scheming Baron of Belnair will stop at nothing to gain the crown. In the dead of night, the Baron massacres Tristan’s family and burns their home to the ground. Desperate and alone, Tristan must fight for his life and his people.With everyt... read more

Nzinga: African Warrior Queen

Moses L. Howard

Across the savannah and into the green mountains, people shouted her name: “Nzinga, Nzinga, Child of the Flame!” “Nzinga, Daughter of the Old Ngola, Savior of Ndongo!” In the governor’s palace Luanda, the Portuguese courtiers whisper in shock: A woman! Sent to make a treaty with the invaders, Nzinga of Angola is swept into world history, a generation after Elizabeth I ruled England. For forty ... read more

Across the savannah and into the green mountains, people shouted her name: “Nzinga, Nzinga, Child of the Flame!” “Nzinga, Daughter of the Old Ngola, Savior of Ndongo!” In the governor’s palace Luanda, the Portuguese courtiers whisper in shock: A woman! Sent to make a treaty with the invaders, Nzinga of Angola is swept into world history, a generation after Elizabeth I ruled England. For forty ... read more

Stories of Inspiration: Historical Fiction Edition, Volume 1: Historical Fiction Writers Trace Their Journeys from Starting Point to Finished Work

Suzanne Fox

Writers of historical fiction face a daunting creative challenge: that of shaping fresh and original stories from a verifiable and sometimes familiar past. Again and again, today's gifted historical fiction authors meet that challenge brilliantly. But readers rarely get to see how they tackle such an intricate task, or what happens to transform the first glimmer of an idea and a set of histori... read more

Writers of historical fiction face a daunting creative challenge: that of shaping fresh and original stories from a verifiable and sometimes familiar past. Again and again, today's gifted historical fiction authors meet that challenge brilliantly. But readers rarely get to see how they tackle such an intricate task, or what happens to transform the first glimmer of an idea and a set of histori... read more

Blizzard: A Story of Dakota Territory

Cindy Rinaman Marsch

A homesteading farmer, his pregnant wife, their daughter, and the grandmother wake to a beautiful winter morning on the prairie. And then it descends upon them - the infamous Children's Blizzard of 1888. Who will survive?With characters from Rosette: A Novel of Pioneer Michigan, "Blizzard: A Story of Dakota Territory" captures in one sod shanty the dramatic effects of a storm on the bodies and... read more

A homesteading farmer, his pregnant wife, their daughter, and the grandmother wake to a beautiful winter morning on the prairie. And then it descends upon them - the infamous Children's Blizzard of 1888. Who will survive?With characters from Rosette: A Novel of Pioneer Michigan, "Blizzard: A Story of Dakota Territory" captures in one sod shanty the dramatic effects of a storm on the bodies and... read more

Rosette: A Novel of Pioneer Michigan

Cindy Rinaman Marsch

Why did she edit her wedding-day journal? Almost-spinster schoolteacher Rosette Cordelia Ramsdell married Otis Churchill on a Michigan farm in 1857. Her real-life journal recounts two years of homesteading, history hints at the next six decades, and the novel explores the truth. We meet Rosette in 1888 as she revises the wedding-day page of her journal. In lush detail, in the voices of Rosette... read more

Why did she edit her wedding-day journal? Almost-spinster schoolteacher Rosette Cordelia Ramsdell married Otis Churchill on a Michigan farm in 1857. Her real-life journal recounts two years of homesteading, history hints at the next six decades, and the novel explores the truth. We meet Rosette in 1888 as she revises the wedding-day page of her journal. In lush detail, in the voices of Rosette... read more

1 Photo 50 Authors 100 Words: Flash Fiction

Madison Woods

100-word flash fiction stories by 50 authors from around the globe, all based on one photo prompt. Compiled by Madison Woods. Authors include Stephanie Ayers, Holly Suzanne Beckman-Filbert, Sarah Paige Berling, Vincent J Bracco, JK Bradley, Jan Brown, Michelle Bunt, Sandra Crook, Marilyn Kay Dennis, Phyllis Anne Duncan, Sean Fallon, Nathan Filbert, Michael B. Fishman, Abraham Gumba, Sarah Ann ... read more

100-word flash fiction stories by 50 authors from around the globe, all based on one photo prompt. Compiled by Madison Woods. Authors include Stephanie Ayers, Holly Suzanne Beckman-Filbert, Sarah Paige Berling, Vincent J Bracco, JK Bradley, Jan Brown, Michelle Bunt, Sandra Crook, Marilyn Kay Dennis, Phyllis Anne Duncan, Sean Fallon, Nathan Filbert, Michael B. Fishman, Abraham Gumba, Sarah Ann ... read more