Hate writing? You’re in luck.
My name is Melanie Brooks and I have been a professional writer for more than a decade. My experience includes writing and editing for all sorts of mediums–from daily newspapers to monthly magazines to blogs to email newsletters to grants. I understand SEO and AP Style so you don’t have to. I know what an Oxford comma is and how to use it.
My family and I live in Maine and I work part-time as the marketing manager for a nonprofit organization. I’ve worked as the editor of a few regional magazines and also have experience teaching journalism courses at the local universities. I have a BA in mass communications and an MA in journalism. My passions are traveling, reading, photography, and canning. I make the best pickles.
Articles
These are a selection of some of the published work I’m most proud of. I also sometimes write under the name Mimi Pinette. My client work for marketing content and proofreading is not included below.
Lifestyle
Artful Enclave
DownEast Magazine
This couple’s love of art and literature creates a warm and welcoming abode in Northport, Maine.
This Old New House
DownEast Magazine
A nontraditional farmhouse pays homage to the past, but is designed for today.
Nesting Habits
DownEast Magazine
A South Portland architect builds a mod dream home that feels anything but sterile.
Village Farm
DownEast Magazine
In Damariscotta, one man is carving out a country life in the heart of town.
Sun-Kissed
DownEast Magazine
A small, passive-solar home brings retirement security to a Parsonsfield couple.
Modern History
DownEast Magazine
An 18th-century home in Wiscasset is filled with contemporary design elements and textural art.
Creative Consciousness
Maine Women Magazine
From gardening to glass art, Layne Gregory is all about creation.
The Way Love Should Be
Real Maine Weddings
Jenna and Andrew’s adventurous spirit helped guide them in creating a wedding experience for their friends and family.
Love & Nature
Real Maine Weddings
Vanessa and Matt created a wedding event that was uniquely them−a summer camp celebration for their friends and family.
The Maine Event
Real Maine Weddings
Kelsy and Kevin created a magnificent Boothbay wedding filled with personal touches and traditions.
Food & Drink
Blaze
DownEast Magazine
Blaze is setting Bangor’s restaurant scene on fire.
Strong & Steady
Maine Women Magazine
Mia and Al Strong balance home and brewing.
Hey! Bartender
Dispatch Magazine
The Fiddlehead Restaurant is one part classy and two parts cool–and is one of the best spots in Downtown Bangor to get a killer cocktail.
Makin’ Whoopies
MaineAhead
Amy Bouchard whipped up a wicked whoppin’ home business in 1994, and she’s still making whoopies by the thousands.
Technology/Work/Business
Downtown Bangor Steps Into the Light
MaineBiz
Loft development helps create 24-hour life.
Born to Ride
Bangor Metro
Snowmobiling is a big industry in Maine, bringing in $350 million annually for a sport that lasts just three months.
The Making of American Loggers
Bangor Metro
Find out how the Pelletier brothers of Millinocket got their own reality show and how it’s changed their family, their work life, and their community.
The State of the Potato
Bangor Metro
A lot has changed for Maine’s potato growers over the past 50 years. Farming still isn’t easy, but it’s a way of life that a hearty remnant of farmers couldn’t live without.
3 Mistakes That Make Editors Throw Your Pitch in the Trash
The Muse
2015 Entrepreneurial Award Winner Profiles
Bangor Metro/BDN
Success stories of six of Maine’s best and brightest entrepreneurs.
Money Matters
Managing Christmas Expectations
HerMoney.com
How to explain the value (and values) to kids.
The Goodness of Gifting
HerMoney.com
A story of amazing customer service.
What to Expect (Financially) When Expecting
HerMoney.com
Here’s how to avoid pricey pregnancy spending traps.
Want to Work Remotely?
HerMoney.com
Here’s how to talk to your boss and what to consider before you make the leap.
Looking to Refinance Your Mortgage?
HerMoney.com
Mortgage rates are super low right now… but is a refinance really the right move for you?
How to Raise Financially Educated Kids and Teens
HerMoney.com
We need to help our kids learn about money before they’re expected to manage it all on their own.
When Death Happens: Planning for the Unexpected
HerMoney.com
Financial decisions made now can make all the difference should tragedy strike.
Travel/Outdoors/Sports
8 Surprising Ways to Save on Your Next Trip
HerMoney.com
Who said exploring the world had to cost you an arm and a leg? Use these tips to minimize your travel spending.
On the Water in Maine
Activity Maine
Her Hoop Dreams
Maine Women Magazine
Edniesha Curry doesn’t care what people think of her.
19 Classic Maine Theaters
TravelMidcoast.com
These Maine performing arts venues have history.
48 Hours Exploring the Best of Maine’s Central Midcoast
TravelMidcoast.com
#babehike
Maine Women Magazine
Adventures in the Woods with the Alpine Women Collective
Embrace Winter
Maine Women Magazine
Fast Track
Maine Women Magazine
Motorcycle racer Kerry Smith finds happiness on the racetrack.
Maine’s Treasure Island
Bangor Metro
It all began here, at Fernald’s Point. Protected from the elements, nestled in Somes Sound. It was where Native Americans pitched their tents and where explorers started colonies. And with a view like this, can you blame them?
Walk With the One You Love
Portland Monthly
Some Mainers Get Into Xtreme Walking the Dog
Health & Wellness
Here For You
Maine Women Magazine
Patient navigators help cancer patients move through the health care system.
Eat Well
Maine Women Magazine
Short-term diets sound appealing, but making small changes over time is a more-sustainable approach (and one that’ll won’t make you feel miserable).
Beyond the Finish Line
Maine Women Magazine
The guidance and advice Anne L’Heureux shares with her clients isn’t rocket science. But the changes they make in people’s lives can be nothing short of miraculous.
Helping Women Know Who They Are and What They Want
Maine Women Magazine
A profile of Lael Couper Jepson, Founder of SheChanges.
Photography
Photography is a passion of mine. I studied photojournalism in graduate school and my photos have appeared in a handful of regional publications.
People Gallery
Places Gallery
Contact
Think I might be a good fit for your project? Drop me a line! My rates are based on the rates suggested by the Editorial Freelancers Association.