Welcome to the practice
As a developmental editor, I work with authors to transform their brilliant research into big, bold, beautiful books
as a writing coach, i work with writers to remove obstacles, Ignite passion, and get it done
as a yoga teacher, i work with wordsmiths to reconnect with their bodies and quiet the mind
Hello! My name is Marissa Mika and I am so very glad you are here. I am a writer, editor, yoga teacher, and recovering academic currently based in Berkeley, California.
As a developmental editor, I have a knack for moving between fine grained details and the bigger take aways of a project with empathy, clarity, and practicality. I offer a range of developmental editing, manuscript review, and coaching services to meet you where you are at in the book writing process.
The editorial practice is built on the principle that every book is as unique as the author who writes it. Different authors need different kinds of editorial, intellectual, empathetic, and artistic support to complete their writing projects and so our work together is tailored accordingly.
As a scholar who blends history and ethnography in my own writing and research, I am interested in how to bring interdisciplinary work to life on the page. I particularly enjoy working with early career scholars who are making the challenging but exhilarating transition from dissertation to first book. Subject area specialties include the history and anthropology of science, medicine, and technology, critical global health, and African history. I would love to work with you on bringing your big, bold, brilliant, beautiful book into the world.
Before starting my editorial practice in 2023, I worked in global health and academia for two decades. Most recently, I was the founding director of the medical humanities program at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda.
My first book, Africanizing Oncology: Creativity, Crisis, and Cancer in Uganda, was a finalist for both the ASA Best Book Prize and the Bethwell A. Ogot Award for Best Book in East African Studies in 2022.
Trained as a historian and anthropologist of medicine, science, and technology in Africa, I have a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in the History and Sociology of Science and a MHS in International Health from Johns Hopkins.