As a professional writer I know how to maximize language’s power to craft a voice, tell a story, and evoke an emotion. My writing is greatly informed by my background in studio and performance arts, and I also love working with graphic design and front-end computer code.

My second intellectual home is film studies and I received an MFA from Boston University for my thesis on the interplay of aesthetics and political commentary in the work of Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda. I have written extensively about movies: covering events, reviewing documentaries, and penning in-depth critiques. In 2021, I launched the online film journal Reinvent the Lens and its companion Instagram account @reinventthelens.

I am also skilled at crafting concise blog posts, website content, brochures, and social media posts.

Grammar & spelling-wise, I give everything I pen the white-glove inspection before hitting post, publish, or send. Its/It’s infractions peeve me to no end and I have little patience for then/than flubs. I am ardently pro-Oxford Comma, but I am flexible enough to omit it should your style guide dictate otherwise.

In short, I respect words and I know how to use them to CONNECT with readers, to COMMUNICATE ideas, and to CELEBRATE feelings and experiences.

Testimonial

“Mary Bowen is one of those rare cases that represent the best of both worlds: a smart, organized, highly efficient pro with wizard-like computer skills and great personality who also happens to be a really talented writer. I’ve cherished her fiction, and I have called on her many times for non-fiction pieces. I’ve commissioned many reviews from her for a page of documentary criticism I edit for Cineaste–a magazine that is highly selective when it comes to picking its authors. In my view, Mary’s writing makes her an heir to New Journalism. She is a poet of facts, and her work is mesmerizing. Too many riches!”

—Roy Grundmann
Contributing Editor, Cineaste Magazine

Services & Contact

My freelance rates for editing/proofreading and content writing services typically start at $50 USD per hour; prospective clients will be provided with a custom quote based on the scope and complexity of the project.

I will also consider long-term contract and salaried opportunities. Anyone interested in retaining my services can connect with me via LinkedIn.