My name is Ava. I am a writer based in Brooklyn, New York. My background is in non-fiction and journalism, and yes, I am working on a novel. I’m looking for roles in publishing and editing.
Thanks for checking out my portfolio. I hope you stick around, and let’s be in touch!
Welcome! So happy you are here.
My writing is informed by a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative non-fiction and 3 years in the acclaimed journalism program at the University of Montana. The product is a clear, precise and observational voice in both my fiction and non-fiction. I’m drawn to publishing and editing because of experiences editing in my undergraduate courses; I loved the challenge of working the line between technically perfect and authentic to the author’s intent for the piece.
Neglected Books and Boiler House Press
“Motal Leap” by MacDonald Harris
In this copy- and line-editing internship, I worked to prepare a long-out-of-print manuscript for re-publication. I stretched editorial muscles in this role, suggesting changes to the language to modernize while still keeping the author’s voice true to the time of original publishing.
In this role, I discovered my excitement and curiosity for the industry behind books.
Hugo House Scribes Summer Sessions
I wrote with Hugo House during the summers of 2015 and 2016. My cohort of 10 peers studied poetry, fiction, and non-fiction over the course of the summer months in the heart of Seattle, Washington. We used exercises and prompts to explore these genres, and we concluded the program with a reading of our final selections for our families and the community. Highlights from the cohort were included in a zine published in the last week.
These summers helped me to conceptualize a future career in words and writing. The conversations I had with the teachers and my peers opened up a world where an artist and a writer could be a possibility rather than just a dream.
Accolades
Museum of Pop Culture (Formerly Experience Music Project) -Write Out of This World Contest Finalist: 3rd place for Short Science Fiction in 2015 and 2016.
A section of my piece from 2016, “The Buffer”, is available as an audio clip, recorded at Jack Straw Cultural Center!
Blackstone LaunchPad and Accelerate Montana Passion Challenge- 2nd Place in Writing and Poetry
After submitting a collection of my fiction and non-fiction portfolio, I was invited to read for a panel of judges. I received 2nd place among a group of 100+ participants.