Maria Scala – Editor

Early on in my career at Penguin Books Canada, award-winning and bestselling author Ted Bishop (Riding with Rilke: Reflections on Motorcycles and Books) told me, “You're 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.” Seventeen years later, I’m still holding fast to that standard, regardless of the job at hand. Whether your first draft needs a thorough assessment and developmental edit or is at the copy editing and proofreading stage, I am “all in,” offering expertise and guidance, support and collaboration, and a healthy dose of curiosity.

Along with working in the genres of memoir, travel, and architecture, I have extensive experience in the field of mother-centric writing, having spent nearly nine years editing columns for Literary Mama, as well as serving as its Editor-in-Chief for almost two years. Being part of that community made me a more compassionate and flexible editor, since I was engaging with writers at various stages of their careers, who were juggling multiple responsibilities. Former Literary Mama EIC, Caroline M. Grant said, “Maria is perfectly professional, cheerful, and a true pleasure to correspond with. I trust her work implicitly.”

I am also a published poet and arts and culture writer, with my work appearing in Canadian and international magazines, literary journals, and anthologies. My love of poetry has led me to edit chapbooks with the University of Ottawa's Friday Circle series.