Hi, I’m Mary Cummings
Have you ever bought a book for its cover, title, and blurb, only to feel let down just a few pages in?
I have. More times than I can count.
The frustrating part is that this rarely happens because the author doesn’t know their stuff. They often know their subject inside out.
It’s usually because there’s a mismatch between the journey the author promises to take you on and whether you feel they’ve earned your trust.
The author’s tone of voice, communication style, ideas, and even the book’s structure must all connect emotionally with you. If nothing resonates, you won’t continue reading.
Now imagine it’s your book in a reader’s hands.
If you lose that connection, the cost is more than just a lost reader.
It’s a potential lost client.
My Why
I’ve always been fascinated by the seemingly magical ability of the written word to evoke feelings in you.
After school or on weekends, I would while away the hours and dream.
Depending on my mood, I was either Heidi, skipping with Peter the goatherd through the Swiss Mountains, or Cassie Logan (Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry) threatening to beat someone up.
But I didn’t know the written word could move someone to action until 25 years later, in the corporate world.
My boss had asked me to draft a letter, complaining about the shabby service he felt our department had received from an external contractor.
I thought the draft was okay.
He said, “Damn, Mary. This is bloody brilliant,” and over the years, invested in me by sending me to internal and external marketing courses.
My presentations helped the team secure lucrative contracts, and that’s when I learned that the right words don’t just move people; they win business.
I had a long, rewarding 15-year career with the company until I left in 2005 after my second child was born.
My Writing and Publishing Career
I instinctively knew I wanted to continue writing. So, in 2006, I retrained as a journalist.
It was an exciting, giddy time with the rise of the “Mumpreneur” and relatively new social media sites Facebook, LinkedIn, Ecademy, Twitter (and many others), making it possible for me to juggle freelancing with kids in tow.
Within a few years, I launched a print magazine and online forum called Work Your Way, celebrating freelance, self-employed, and entrepreneurial parents.
The magazine earned my business partner and me recognition from the then-Mayor of London, who called it invaluable for forging new relationships, sparking ideas, and providing advice in an easy, accessible way.
It certainly did forge new relationships. I’ve kept in touch with many of the writers I hired for the magazine to this day. Some, I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring and seen develop into confident authors.
In 2008, freelance journalism opened the door to ghostwriting for busy entrepreneurs, followed closely by developmental editing. I’ve been doing both since, supporting authors through independent and traditional publishing.
In 2021, I began freelancing for De Gruyter (now De Gruyter Brill) and now juggle their workload with my own.
I’ve experienced both sides of the editor’s desk. I understand what keeps a reader engaged or what stops them. I also understand what a publisher wants to see most and how to get your manuscript published.
Championing writers is at the core of everything I do, but I’m still that little girl who believes in the magical power of the written word.