MY BACKGROUND: I have a BA in Written Arts and Spanish from Bard College and a Master's in Education from Fitchburg State, with licensure in K-6 English as a Second Language (ESL). I am fluent in Spanish, and I have seven years of teaching and tutoring experience with all ages and levels of learners. The subjects I've taught/tutored include ESL, Spanish, and special education. I have also managed a language school, which involved writing and editing curricula, as well as hiring new teachers. For more information on my experiences, please view my LinkedIn resume.
WHAT I OFFER: -Freelance writing: essays, articles, stories, poetry, etc. -Freelance editing: copy-editing of fiction, nonfiction, newsletters, advertisements, etc. -Freelance translation: English to Spanish and Spanish to English. -Resume and cover letter support. -Tutoring in the Boston area (currently online due to COVID-19).
THE SUBJECTS I TUTOR: -College essay support: I guide students in the writing and revision process. -Writing in general, from research papers to poetry. -Spanish at all levels. -English as a second language at all levels. -Homework support in any subject for elementary and middle school students.
TUTORING AND EDITING TESTIMONIALS: Spanish Tutoring "Mariel Norris' precise and varied instruction–which she bolstered with readings and visual tables and charts for learning conjugations–helped me improve my Spanish dramatically. I owe much of my facility and confidence in Spanish to her. I was even able to get around Andalusia speaking mainly Spanish after the semester I worked with Mariel. Her witty examples helped me memorize grammatical rules. My confidence has grown tremendously as a result of my work with her." -Preston Thomson, student at Holyoke Community College
ESL Tutoring "Mariel helped me a lot with my grammar and pronunciation. She explained everything so clearly and so patiently. Now I'm more confident with English." -Estela Vera, fitness instructor
Fiction/Nonfiction/Business Editing "Mariel is an impeccable and tasteful editor. I have sent her nearly everything I’ve written in the past five years, from short stories to be submitted to literary journals, to business biographies to go on websites. As a former copywriter and a literature major in college, I respect Mariel as an authority on not only precise grammar rules, but in ensuring that the messages and content in any given piece of prose are as intentional and effective as possible. Writers, businesspeople, or anyone who must put anything in print would do well to consult Mariel and send drafts over to her ASAP." -Althea Wilson-Berkowitz, real estate broker and copywriter
Senior Thesis/Description of Events Editing "Mariel did a fantastic job looking through my senior thesis to ensure everything was in order, i.e. there were no grammatical errors and all made sense. It definitely helped with the A I got for my research project. In addition, she's randomly helped me put together fun excerpts for events I was hosting. She's a playful writer and I've always enjoyed her writing and poetry." - Anjali De Zoysa, business consultant
Poetry/Nonfiction Editing "I'm a poet and non-fiction writer with a graduate degree in creative writing. I met Mariel at a writer's conference that we both attended several years ago. I consistently write and submit to literary journals, and Mariel and I have stayed in touch to offer input and guidance on each other's writing. I know I can count on Mariel to give genuine thought to my work. It's not always easy to notice points of improvement, because as writers, we are so close to our work. Mariel's suggestions have been integral to my development and growth as a writer." -Kate Schultz, poet and nonfiction writer
Essay Editing "I am a retired business executive now writing for a local publication called "The Villager." I write general info essays designed to entertain and/or inform a highly literate readership. Mariel has helped immeasurably in making my writing more readable and much more acceptable to the publisher. I am most grateful for her tremendous assistance." -Al Steiner, writer and retired business executive
Poetry Editing "Also a writer and artist, I have long known Mariel to be a careful, detail-oriented poetry editor. She pays close attention to word choice and brings a keen ear to sound. I particularly prize her ability to see how a text can be made more precise and clear through reduction. I look forward to Mariel’s feedback and am I’m motivated by her creative suggestions. " -John Keith, artist and poet
Artist Statement and Website Editing "I express myself better through visuals than words, which is why I so appreciated Mariel's edits to my artist statement and professional websites. She helped me find the words to transmit exactly what I wanted to say and aided me in organizing my thoughts in a more fluid way." -Chana Jacobson, artist and physical therapist