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what authors say
Anna Adams, author of the bestselling French Girl series
“Fresh Ink really helped me so much, especially when I was starting out with A French Girl in New York, and I was relying on your criticism and comments. You were very honest and made the whole process really easy.”
Allison Morgan, author of The Someday Jar
“Thank you, Fresh Ink, for your incredibly detailed critique. I had several ‘a-ha’ moments while reading your feedback. I also appreciate your affable, yet professional approach. I highly recommend your services.”
Maya's years of experience both as an agent and as an avid, lifelong lover of books have given her an invaluable sense for what publishers and agents look for in a book proposal. She has a quick eye for spotting exactly what should stay, what should go, and what should be reorganized in any written work, and more importantly, knows how to break the news gently when you have to, say, cut 50 pages from your baby. She has been an indispensable friend, editor, and guide in my own writing career, and I highly recommend her services to others as well.
Eveline Chao, author of NIUBI! The Real Chinese You Were Never Taught in School
In the years I have known Maya, my work has benefited tremendously from her razor sharp skill as an editor. She has an eye for what works in both novels and nonfiction. - TJ MacGregor, author of The Seven Secrets of Synchonicity (Adams 2010) and Esperanza (Tor 2010)
As two college students with zero knowledge of the book publishing industry, we were taught how to put together a nonfiction proposal, which Maya edited for us and landed us with Penguin's Perigee Books. She consistently goes above and beyond in her work: On top of her strong editorial skill, she's professional, flexible, and an all-around pleasure to work with.
-Serena Wu and Teresa Wu , authors of My Mom is a Fob (Perigee 2010)
Maya’s greatest strength as a writer and editor (and former agent) is her honesty. This comes through in her prose and in her editing. Her judgment is solid and her writer’s voice is strong, compelling, and clear. I have worked with Maya in both an agent-client and fellow writer capacity, and I was unequivocally impressed with her skills in both arenas – a rare combination.
As an editor and agent Maya is a pro who cares deeply about the work, whether it be a finished proposal, a manuscript, or a half-baked book idea. She’s adept at refining writing, tightening and strengthening concepts, and catching inconsistencies that have escaped the author’s attention.
As a writer, Maya is, as stated above, deeply honest with a well-honed observational acumen. She’s immediately relatable and balances the poetic and the hilarious, both in her national magazine features and her fiction work. In short, I feel very lucky to work with her.
Heather Wagner, author, Happiness on $10 a Day and Friend or Faux.