Roll Call: 2024 SFWC Success Stories from Mary Rakow, Ph.D.
SFWC Success Stories Shout-out
One of our longtime and beloved bloggers, Mary Rakow, Ph.D. asked her former editing clients and connections if they would like to share their success stories for 2024 as a way to encourage other writers. We’re happy to share the 5 Top Success Stories for 2024 to celebrate some of the wonderful things that happened last year.
Let’s work for the same in 2025!
(1) Roseanne Chambers
After many years of work, I’m thrilled that my book is now available: The Monumental Andes – Geology, Geography, and Ancient Cultures in the Peruvian Andes (The University of Utah Press). The knowledge I gained from helpful people I met at SFWC contributed greatly to this success!
(2) Mike Shaw
The novel Mary Rakow first edited for me, which became The Musician, published by Atlanta-based Blue Room Books, was released this December as an audiobook narrated by actor and award-winning narrator of more than 250 titles, David de Vries. The next book, a nonfiction manuscript titled What You Learn Learning Music, a podcast-style conversation between two career musicians about the life lessons that learning to play music teaches—also the subject of our bi-weekly podcast, Music Life and Times—was acquired by Histria Books this November (release date unknown at this point). In between those two, two other nonfiction titles, Understanding Economic Equilibrium (2021) and The Leadership Edge (2024), have been published by Business Expert Press. This journey started at the San Francisco Writers Conference where I met Mary Rakow and learned my first lessons about publishing, lessons I’m now sharing with beginning writers here through our Atlanta Writers Club and our semi-annual conferences.
(3) Sandy Schnakenburg
Mary Rakow and the SFWC have been instrumental in helping The Housekeeper’s Secret find its way into the world, and I’m so grateful. The reviews have been incredible, and I’m relieved and thrilled to see how well the story has been received.
(4) Douglas Peters
As a former client of Mary’s, my agent in New York is currently submitting my debut novel, House of Water, to publishers. My second book, Nine and Then: One Cat’s Story from the Afterlife, is nearing completion. I am grateful to author Garth Greenwell for connecting me with Mary Rakow.
(5) Carla King
I created a workbook and activity tracker that centralizes publishing activities all in one place: The Publishing Workbook for Independent Authors: Your Step-By-Step Guide and Activity Tracker to Professional Book Publishing, Marketing, and Promotion.
A freelance editor living in the Bay Area, Mary Rakow, Ph.D. works with local and global clients who hope to traditionally, self- or hybrid publish. She has blogged monthly for SFWC about the writing process and offers an Advanced Masterclass in Fiction at SFWC 2025 plus meeting with writers for Half-Hour Paid and 8-Minute Free editing consultations she gives a fee discount to SFWC writers.
A Mentor for PEN USA/West’s Emerging Voices program, an Instructor for UCLA Extension Writers Program, and presenter in workshops for Harvard Club of San Francisco, Rakow is rigorous and encouraging, insightful and kind.
A theologian with Masters Degree and Ph.D. from Harvard Divinity School and Boston College, Rakow’s debut novel, THE MEMORY ROOM was shortlisted for the Stanford University International Saroyan Prize in Literature, a PEN USA/West Finalist in Fiction and was listed among the Best Books of the West by The Los Angeles Times. She was awarded a $75,000 Lannan Fellowship and given two month-long Lannan Residencies in Marfa, TX.
Her second novel, THIS IS WHY I CAME earned excellent reviews in The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, Commonweal, Christian Century, O Magazine, Ploughshares. It appeared on reading lists for courses at Princeton and Yale.
Interested in the visual arts, Rakow was commissioned to write the first book-length treatment of the artist’s work, MARTINEZ CELAYA, WORKING METHODS.
Mary is a beloved editor and writing coach. Always on the look-out for serious writers, she enjoys working with those just starting out and those with publications and accolades.
For inquiries please visit maryrakow.com
© Mary Rakow, 2025
