Marina Budhos

Marina Budhos – Editor

Experienced, award-winning author, editor, writing coach, & professor guiding writers in adult, YA, middle grade fiction & nonfiction.

Overview

As an award-winning author edited by the finest editors in the industry and a professor of creative writing, I find that sweet spot of encouragement and clear guidance, so you'll be excited to tackle your next revision. I pinpoint undeveloped scene areas and give big picture thinking to sculpt the larger work. I am intuitive, kind, and rigorous. I offer in-manuscript response, Zoom conferences, and well-organized edit letters that walk you through the revision process.


I am widely published with 7 novels, 3 nonfiction books, 2 screenplays, and many short stories, essays and articles (with more on the way), so I 'get' how a writer thinks. I know how to nurture a writer's voice, while coming up with exciting choices and improvements. I've also worked as a magazine editor, journalist, and in-house communications professional, and can help a writer locate the essence of a nascent idea.


I edit and coach adult, young adult, & middle grade fiction and nonfiction.

Services can include:

Brainstorming

Accountability structures

Generative prompts

Story mapping

Scene work

Sculpting for dramatic shape & pacing

Editorial assessment

Developmental Editing of full manuscript


"Marina is so smart and clear I found myself jazzed on her ideas, and couldn’t wait to get back to work." --Bonnie Friedman, author of Don't Stop


"If you have the opportunity to avail yourself of Marina's fantastic brain and insight, jump on it!"--Karen Essex, author of Kleopatra


"I couldn’t have published my debut novel, City Girls, without her expertise, guidance, and insight," Loretta Lopez, author of City Girls.


"Marina helped me find the structure and shape of my novel, which I had been writing for four years."--Jaime Manrique, author of Our Lives

Services
Non-Fiction
Children’s Non-Fiction
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Cultural & Ethnic Historical Fiction New Adult Social & Family Issues
Awards
  • National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
  • Fulbright Scholar
  • New Jersey Arts Fellowship
  • Rona Jaffe Award for Women Writers
  • Walter Award Honor
  • YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Honor
  • Asian Pacific Award for Literature YA Honor
  • EMMA, Exceptional Merit Media Award
  • Los Angeles Times Book Finalist
  • Kirkus Best Book
Certifications
  • We Need Diverse Books Mentor

Work experience

William Paterson University

Sep, 2004 — Jun, 2024 (almost 20 years)

I served as a professor of creative writing, leading our graduate seminar where students developed and finished their manuscripts, creative and scholarly; taught a wide range of creative writing classes, in fiction and nonfiction, beginner to advanced; and led a seminar on book and magazine publishing, teaching the nuts and bolts of the industry.

MARINA

Sep, 1996 — Present

As a professor emerita of creative writing, an award-winning author of adult and children's/YA fiction and nonfiction, and an intuitive, pragmatic coach/editor I've guided hundreds of writers, many of whom have gone on to publish. I help writers brainstorm and 'grow' their ideas into plausible projects; provide accountability and creative prompts for continuing the work; give scene and section feedback for effective writing; and offer deep, insightful developmental editing to sculpt a final manuscript. I am especially strong at giving writers very specific, clear feedback that gets them motivated and energized about the steps ahead to realize the promise of their ideas.

Portfolio

Rising Water: The Story of the Thai Cave Rescue

Aronson, Marc

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
City Girls

Lopez, Loretta

Triangle Square

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment Book Coaching
Transplanted Man

Nigam, Sanjay

William Morrow

Developmental Editing
Akmaral

Lindbergh, Judith

Regal House Publishing

Editorial Assessment
Our Lives Are the Rivers: A Novel

Manrique, Jaime

HarperCollins e-books

Developmental Editing Editorial Assessment
Pharoah: 2 (Kleopatra) by Karen Essex (2002-08-30)

Karen Essex

Grand Central Publishing

Developmental Editing Book Coaching
Developmental Editing Book Coaching

Marina has 1 review

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Alex S.

Alex S.

Nov, 2024

Marina is a true gem. She is brilliant and insightful with a calling to support and guide a writer to produce their very best work. Her feedback is clear and concise but most importantly smart! I can see how her suggested changes will transform my manuscript from a good read to a novel that will be truly gripping and inspiring.
Marina B.
Thank you, Alex. You are a delight to work with, so talented, so open to feedback, and you have a powerful story to tell. I can't wait to see what emerges.

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