“Mark is an expert. He’s not just encouraging; he’s clever, decisive, and wise in the ways of editing queries, pitches, and manuscripts. He’s helped me with all three, with incredible patience and insight. Through his guidance, I not only found an agent, but I also found a voice in my work that has since carried me through a book deal. I absolutely recommend working with him.”

—Ryan La Sala, author of Reverie (Sourcebooks Fire; Indie Next Pick, Walmart Buzz Pick; Barnes & Noble YA Book Club pick; Amazon Best Book of the Month), Be Dazzled, The Honeys (Scholastic, 2022; instant independent bestseller, set to be adapted for film), and Beholder (Scholastic, fall 2023)

“Mark is like a personal fitness trainer for words. He spots the dead weight words that need trimming, rearranges phrases for better flow, and gives great suggestions to make each sentence pop. Also, he’s incredibly positive and supportive, which is huge during the torture that is revision. He’s a total pro and I’m so thankful for his help whipping my query and first chapter into shape before querying. Two thumbs up!”

—Jessica Kim, author of Stand Up, Yumi Chung! (Kokila / Penguin Random House; Junior Library Guild selection; starred reviews in Kirkus, Booklist, and School Library Connection; winter / spring 2020 ABA Indies Introduce debut pick; an Amazon best book of the month; Kirkus Best Children’s Books 2020), Make a Move, Sunny Park! (Kokila / Penguin Random House, fall 2023), and On Thin Ice (Kokila / Penguin Random House, spring 2025)

“Mark is an incredibly knowledgeable and sharp-eyed editor. His way with voice, nuance, and prose is remarkably skilled. He has a talent for seeing what’s special about a manuscript and bringing that out in edits, as well as finding means to push characters and emotion deeper in natural and effective ways. He’s patient and always enthusiastic, cheering his clients on and providing wonderful guidance and support. Mark’s industry knowledge is extensive and allows him to steer clients away from pitfalls and boost the most marketable elements of their manuscripts. His knowledge of young adult fiction is particularly keen, and anyone who gets the chance to work with him is lucky indeed!”

—Kate Brauning, author of How We Fall (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; praised by School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews) and The Ballad of Dinah Caldwell (Page Street Kids)

“I won a critique from Mark through DVpit and his comments were so thorough and useful. He pointed out what was working in my manuscript and what wasn’t. His comment to rearrange the first chapters of my story made the pacing of my manuscript so much better. My query letter was a mess and Mark gave me really useful questions to focus on for my rewrite. Mark’s comments guided me when I polished both my query and manuscript and months later, I signed with an agent!”

—Mae Coyiuto, author of Chloe and the Kaishao Boys (Putnam / Penguin Random House, 2023; praised by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and School Library Journal)

“I found Mark after hearing glowing reviews of his work from multiple colleagues and am so glad I did! Mark was thorough, thoughtful, professional and extremely prompt. His insights were invaluable, and I highly recommend his skills for whatever project you’re working on.”

—Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of Conviction (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / Hachette; 2016 William C. Morris Award finalist), Picture Us in the Light (Little, Brown BFYR; recipient of the Stonewall Honor, the California Book Award, and five starred reviews), When We Were Infinite, and Everyone Wants to Know (Simon & Schuster BFYR)

“Mark’s sensitivity read was exactly what I needed before diving into revisions. He not only provided careful feedback pinpointing specific areas that would benefit from adjustment and why, but his overall editorial suggestions were equally helpful in determining what I needed to address in my next round of revisions. I definitely recommend Mark for writers looking for professional feedback to help guide them while reworking their manuscripts, and would happily work with him again.”

—Gabe Cole Novoa, author of the Beyond the Red trilogy, The Wicked Bargain (Random House Children’s Books, 2023; starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Booklist), and Most Ardently (Feiwel & Friends / Macmillan, 2024)

“Working with Mark was one the best choices that I made during the process of writing Hold! I originally contacted him as a sensitivity reader, and his feedback on that front was exceptional, but he also provided thoughtful suggestions about characterization and voice that were invaluable during the revision process. Hire Mark. You won’t regret it!”

—Rachel Davidson Leigh, author of Hold (Interlude Press / Chicago Review Press)