From MFA Inspiration to Industry Insight: Maria’s True Crime Writing Career and Her Desire to Guide Others Through the Gaps

Exceptional, curious, and creative minds often gravitate toward graduate programs for the intellectual freedom they offer. They're spaces where inspiration, deep thought, and experimentation can flourish, and where personal identity, career clarity, and confidence take shape. Throughout our Meet the Mentors series, we’ve seen this across disciplines: scientists, educators, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, and artists who found alignment between their values and their work through graduate study.

However, another common theme in these stories is the gap between the creative or scholarly growth graduate programs foster and the real‑world guidance students need to navigate industries beyond academia. Another Degree mentor Maria’s experience as an MFA graduate reflects that disjuncture. While her program nurtured her creativity and MFA degrees lend themselves to a variety of career paths, it offered little insight into the publishing world she would eventually enter.

Maria, MFA, offers mentorship and professional editing services through Another Degree for graduate school admissions, application review, and writing support.

Her path forward required persistence, self‑teaching, and a remarkable willingness to push through rejection - one of the quiet but essential skills many advanced‑degree holders develop. She carved out a career in one of the most daunting corners of writing: true crime, including interviewing incarcerated criminals and even notorious manipulative serial killers! None of this was mapped out for her; she built the path herself.

That hard‑won experience now fuels her commitment to helping others. Through Another Degree, Maria supports individuals navigating graduate school admissions (including whether an MFA is the right fit), and she provides structured thesis and dissertation coaching for current graduate students and professional editing services. She also offers career guidance for academics and creatives seeking writing pathways, publication strategies, and ways to bring their work to a broader audience.

You can explore Maria’s availability for booking or join her waitlist, and learn more on her biography page. Her forthcoming book, Confessions of the Green River Killer: A True Story of Manipulation, Madness, and a Search for Justice, is available for pre‑order now!

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Q1: Did you always know post-graduate studies and your career path were in your future - or did your path unfold differently?

Maria: I always knew I wanted to make writing my career, but when I first graduated, I didn't know I would begin writing true crime. That path unfolded for me when I became obsessed with a news story of murders that occurred close to where I grew up. Before I knew it, I had started researching as much info I could find, and that led to me conducting an interview with the perpetrator in a city jail. From there, I began freelancing articles in that genre, and recently finished my first book, which will be released next year.

Q2: What’s something you loved about your graduate school experience? 

Maria: I loved the secure and inspiring space my MFA program gave to me to embrace my creativity.

Q3: What’s one insight or piece of advice you wish you had before starting grad school?

Maria: I wish I knew that an MFA program typically will not help students navigate the publishing industry. These are usually self-taught lessons learned through trial and error.

Q4: What are you working on right now that excites you - whether in research, work, or creative projects? 

Maria: I just turned in the final draft of a manuscript I have spent the last five years working on - Confessions of the Green River Killer: A True Story of Manipulation, Madness, and a Search for Justice - and I am beyond excited for the fast-approaching publication date.

Q5: What’s an accomplishment you’re proud of that wouldn’t show up on your resume or CV? 

Maria: An accomplishment I'm proud of that wouldn't show up in my CV is how often I pushed past rejection and never gave up on my dream of becoming a traditionally published author.

Q6: What do you hope mentees take away from working with you?

Maria: I hope mentees are inspired, motivated, uplifted, and confident and dare to chase their dream(s) after working with me.

Q7: What’s a book, podcast, or resource you often recommend to mentees? 

Maria: I would recommend The Alchemist by Paul Coelho because of its central message of following one's dreams and maintaining the belief of achieving them. I would also recommend The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz since some of the messages include overcoming self-limiting beliefs, finding personal freedom, and experiencing true happiness.

Q8: What changes do you hope to see in graduate and professional education over the next decade? 

Maria: I hope to see more graduate programs helping students navigate their career paths. Specifically, I hope to see MFA programs provide more information and open discussions on the publishing industry.

Q9: What’s your favorite way to relax or recharge?

Maria:  Going for a long walk either outside or on my treadmill while listening to my favorite music (90s rock, punk, metal, etc.) always helps me recharge. Sometimes a glass of wine accompanied by a good book does the trick as well.

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Is Maria the right mentor for your academic or professional journey? Request to book below!

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