LET'S BRING YOUR STORY TO LIFE
I’m a published writer with nearly a decade of experience helping other writers sharpen their stories and get their work out into the world. From fiction (both short and long) to copywriting, newsletters, blogs, and websites, I’ll help you find your voice, craft your message, and make sure your writing gets noticed by agents, publishers, and readers.
IN-DEPTH EDITING
Line and developmental edits to address issues with flow, pacing, and character and plot development.
PROOFREADING
I catch the stuff that always slips through the cracks. Typos? Grammatical errors? Formatting issues? Consider it handled.
SENSITIVITY READINGS
I carefully read your story to ensure it authentically and respectfully engages the marginalized communities depicted.
Peek at some past projects . . .
It's hard to provide a price without knowing the scope of your project, but I work on a sliding scale and aim to accommodate most budget restrictions when time allows and our values align. Take a look at some of the work I've done for clients and let's schedule a free 30-minute consultation where you tell me about your project, budget, and goals and I give you an idea of what I can do for you along with an estimate.
I provided developmental editing on an early draft of The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila. My feedback focused on pacing and character development, and the author credits these edits as instrumental in securing her book deal.
Primary writer, researcher, and editor for Fodor's 2022 Dominican Republic Guidebook, with a focus on correcting stereotypes and excluding businesses known for mistreating locals.
I translated La Formación de Yolanda la bruja. This first-of-its-kind translation attempts to capture the spoken Dominican dialect through the written word. Purchase the book.
I provided edits on the Spanish language contributions to Quislaona: A Dominican Fantasy Anthology.
CLIPS
You can find my writing and content across a range of media—from articles and blog posts to a podcast. While I cover a variety of topics, my primary focus is Dominican history and culture.
BLOG: They Lied then, They Lie Now: A Native Perspective on Columbus and Current Events (Folger Shakespeare Library)
A reflection resulting from my reading of Columbus' diary during my yearlong artistic research fellowship at the Folger. Read More.
ARTICLE: The Pain of Gentrification Knows No Borders (The Establishment)
A personal essay exploring the generational displacement shaping my family’s history, from colonialism to gentrification, in both New York and the Dominican Republic. Read More.
ARTICLE: One Local Guide Tells us 7 Things Every Traveler Should Avoid Saying (Fodor's)
A listicle highlighting 7 things every traveler should avoid saying, based on real-life examples of oppressive, racist, and problematic comments I've overheard from tourists. Read More.
COLLABORATIVE ARTICLE: Sing, Together, as Long as We’re Alive (The Paris Review)
A collaborative article discussing the reimagined opera ¡Figaro! 90210, blending Mozart’s work with contemporary issues like immigration, racism, and power dynamics in modern America. Read More.
ARTICLE: How ‘OITNB’ Season Four Failed the Dominican Community (Remezcla)
An opinion piece critiquing Orange Is the New Black season four’s portrayal of Dominican characters, focusing on missed opportunities to explore cultural nuances and avoid stereotypes. Read More.
ARTICLE: What I learned about the Diaspora since I’ve Moved to RD (La Galería Mag)
This personal essay reflects on the early years of my return to the Dominican Republic, grappling with identity, privilege, and the complexities of grassroots work as diaspora. Read More.
ARTICLE: When Tourism Erases Instead of Elevating (La Galería Mag)
An early critique of the erasure of Dominican people in tourism narratives, advocating for socially responsible travel that centers local voices, cultures, and sovereignty. Read More.
PODCAST: Mechi Annaís Estévez Cruz on Dominican History and Resisting White Supremacy (The Movements: A Podcast History of the Masses)
On The Movements podcast, I discuss Rafael Trujillo's legacy, anti-fascist struggles, liberation movements, and Lil Wayne—an early example of my oral history dissemination. Listen Here.
LORRAINE AVILA / CLIENT
"Mercedes Annaís Estévez Cruz has played a crucial role in shaping and refining my fiction work in order to captivate publishing editors and get readers to invest in my stories. Prior to Estévez Cruz’s editorial work on The Making of Yolanda La Bruja’s initial manuscript many were cautious about a story of a queer, deaf teenage witch from the Bronx attempting to stop a school shooting; however, Estévez Cruz understood the vision. Through her keen editorial insight, she motivated me to address major pacing and development issues."
