Oksana Marafioti - Editor
I'm a bestselling and award-winning author, teacher, and editor. I love books and writers!
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Overview
I'm a bestselling and award-winning memoirist, teacher, and editor. I love books and writers!
Although I write full-time, my true calling has always been teaching. In this capacity, I've helped hundreds of writers to improve their craft, reach their goals, and really fall in love with their narratives. I think this experience makes me the perfect editing partner for writers.
I'm an experienced editor with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry, skilled in developmental/copy editing and proofreading, as well as in web content and journalism. I speak three languages, which makes me quite comfortable working with non-native English speakers. Need a ghostwriter? I can do that, too. I'm very punctual and always meet my deadlines. I think staying on task with things comes from my experience homeschooling my two kids, one of whom started college at sixteen. Writing projects are exciting, no matter the stage. Where most writers shrink away from editing, I embrace it. There's nothing better than helping bring a story to life, and most of the time, the journey of getting there takes more than one person.
I work hard for my writers because I believe that if you've come this far in your writing it means you have something important to say and that you need to be heard.
I'm a college English/Literature professor and I love helping other writers reach their potential so much that I also teach creative writing courses and host professional writer talks at a writing studio I founded in 2016.
Drop me a line and let's talk!
Although I write full-time, my true calling has always been teaching. In this capacity, I've helped hundreds of writers to improve their craft, reach their goals, and really fall in love with their narratives. I think this experience makes me the perfect editing partner for writers.
I'm an experienced editor with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry, skilled in developmental/copy editing and proofreading, as well as in web content and journalism. I speak three languages, which makes me quite comfortable working with non-native English speakers. Need a ghostwriter? I can do that, too. I'm very punctual and always meet my deadlines. I think staying on task with things comes from my experience homeschooling my two kids, one of whom started college at sixteen. Writing projects are exciting, no matter the stage. Where most writers shrink away from editing, I embrace it. There's nothing better than helping bring a story to life, and most of the time, the journey of getting there takes more than one person.
I work hard for my writers because I believe that if you've come this far in your writing it means you have something important to say and that you need to be heard.
I'm a college English/Literature professor and I love helping other writers reach their potential so much that I also teach creative writing courses and host professional writer talks at a writing studio I founded in 2016.
Drop me a line and let's talk!
Languages
English (US)
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Fiction
Cultural & Ethnic
Literary Fiction
Romance
Short Story
Urban Fantasy
Young Adult
Certifications
- MFA in Creative Writing
Awards
- Library of Congress Kluge Center Research Fellowship
- Picador Professorship Award for Distinguished Writing
- Nevada Arts Council Grant
Work experience
Writer
Netflix
January, 2022
–
Present
(about 1 year)
Literary Chair of Literature
University of Leipzig, Germany
August, 2020
–
May, 2021
(9 months)
Guest Professorship for Literature Award.
Founder
Self-employed
May, 2016
–
Present
(almost 7 years)
Lounge Writers is a creative writing studio where writers of all levels can come together to enhance their craft. I believe that meaningful interactions with like-minded people enrich the story-telling process and help creativity thrive. Our workshops, lectures, classes, and panels are led by professional and award-winning writers. I personally design and teach some of the classes, focusing on every aspect of the craft, from outlining to polishing. As part of our services, I also provide multi-level editing services to writers in various genres. I work closely with my clients to help them reach their goals. You can find us at loungewriters dot com.
Visiting Guest Lecturer
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
August, 2015
–
May, 2017
(over 1 year)
Co-Editor
Central European University, Critical Romani Studies Journal
May, 2015
–
Present
(almost 8 years)
My task as a co-editor of the special issue of the Critical Romani Studies Journal is to compile a list of short stories written by authors (many of them also academics) from all over the world. To ensure the highest quality of writing, I'm personally involved in all levels of the editing process, from developmental edits to proofreading. A large number of authors aren't native English speakers. My multilingual and editorial backgrounds allow me to efficiently work on grammar, syntax, semantics, and content assessment with this group of highly accomplished professionals.
English Instructor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
May, 2013
–
Present
(almost 10 years)
Kluge Fellow
Library of Congress
August, 2012
–
May, 2013
(9 months)
A Kluge Fellowship award recipient.
Author
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
April, 2009
–
Present
(almost 14 years)
Portfolio (8 selected works)
American Gypsy: A Memoir
Oksana Marafioti
A vivid and funny memoir about growing up Gypsy and becoming AmericanFifteen-year-old Oksana Marafioti is a Gypsy. This means touring with the family band from the Mongolian deserts to the Siberian tundra. It means getting your hair cut in "the Lioness." It also means enduring sneering racism from every segment of Soviet society. Her father is determined that his girls lead a better, freer lif... read more
Donatti's Lunatics
Ana Mara
When a team of ghost hunters goes rogue, Olivia Stone, rookie federal agent, is dispatched to investigate. What starts off as a simple assignment quickly turns into a job from hell. Literally. Not only does Olivia join the ghost hunters in a battle against murderous demons, she also falls hard for James Donatti, the team's enigmatic leader who makes it clear he wants nothing to do with her. As... read more
Fairy Tale Review: The Grey Issue #8
Kate Bernheimer
When we speak of grey as a location, placing a thing into a grey area, the color represents territory where the definite becomes lost. Grey lets us know that the truth is not always clear; even the most well-known paths can turn strange when a low grey cloud of fog rolls in. Grey is an act of subtraction, the loss of sun, joy, and color. Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs, said Dic... read more
The Perpetual Engine of Hope: Short Stories Inspired by Iconic Las Vegas Photographs
K. W. Jeter, Dayvid Figler, Juan Martinez, Oksana Marafioti, Alissa Nutting, Megan Edwards
The Perpetual Engine of Hope, a collection of short stories inspired by vintage Las Vegas photographs, takes you on an epic journey from the heyday of the mob era to a dystopian future of dashed dreams. No matter the genre, from crime noir to horror, psychological drama to urban fantasy, these stories have something compelling to say about Las Vegas and its ability to inspire hope even amid th... read more
Experience the “Real Las Vegas” Through Writings About ReinventionIn a wide-ranging anthology that moves from the ancient artists of southern Nevada who carved petroglyphs into rock walls to contemporary family trauma, 10 Las Vegas essayists examine the weight of the past on the present―and, perhaps, the future. Set in and around a city with its own peculiar and complicated relationship to the... read more
Immigrant Voices, Volume 2
Gordon Hutner
A compelling collection of essays providing a comprehensive vision of immigration to the United States in the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries—the indispensable companion to Immigrant Voices.Filled with moving narratives by authors from around the world, Immigrant Voices: Volume II delivers a global and intimate look at the challenges modern immigrants confront. Their stories, told wi... read more
Only A Semester: A Memoir
Raborn, Dana S.
Devil Overlords
Murdock, Cara, Attar, Ashraf El
Oksana has 17 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Oksana delivered exactly what I was looking for, and precisely what I needed to take my book, Uncivilized, to the finish line. Working with her was an absolute pleasure and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. We found a working pattern that was amenable to us both and I was very appreciative of that flexibility on Oksana's end. Her experience with publishing her own work was very valuable.
Chris Veasey, January 2023
Working with Oksana was a dream. She started the process so kindly, delicately explaining each of her services and helping me determine which one I would need first.
She gave me exactly the feedback I was hoping for helping me find what parts were confusing to a reader, which parts were working, which weren't, were I needed to make choices about characters, and even let me give some material ...
Read more
Elaina Erola, November 2022
Oksana did a fantastic job with the developmental edits for my story. I've published nonfiction through a division of Simon and Schuster but this was my first time venturing into fiction outside of creative writing classes. She is very supportive and gives specific, actionable feedback. I can't wait to work with her again!
Agatha Noveille, September 2022
Thank you Oksana for your professional editor work, very pleased.
apple rose, May 2022
Oksana was the perfect editor for my memoir because of her experience having written a memoir, "American Gypsy," which was published by the prestigious house, Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Her professionalism was tops. Great communicator; always got back to me in a timely manner. Her edits are excellent!! A member of my author society suggested I try Reedsy. I'm so glad I did.
Bonni Brodnick, February 2022
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