Creative Marketplace + Community
Be A Light Collective is not just a company; we are a community.
We create a space (virtually and in-person) where you can receive genuine services, support, and encouragement as you share the deepest and most vulnerable parts of yourself—creatively, personally, professionally, and academically.
We offer in-person services in the Southern California area and remote/online services anywhere else in the world!
The ‘Be A Light’ difference means that we aren’t just a professional service here to assist you. We aren’t just an editor behind a screen ready to point out your flaws or mark up your drafts.
We want to get to know you, build a relationship with you. We aren’t just your coach — we’re your friend.
With so much darkness and negativity in the world, our goal is to create a place where you are encouraged and welcomed, where you feel comfortable sharing your work, and where you are greeted and given genuine support, instruction, and the tools to continue to grow.
“I’m a writer and have been for many years. When I jumped into my professional writing career, however, I had so many terrible experiences—working with editors who were only seeking a paycheck, connecting with people who were nit-picky and judgmental, facing rejections without explanations or areas to improve upon, and being matched with people who didn’t actually care about me or my writing—this left me disheartened and ready to give up.
I didn’t, though, because writing is my passion. But I’ve always wondered how many people do, simply because of their terrible experiences.
My goal with this company is to change that.
After what I went through, I decided to build, from the ground up, a company that would push back against the negative experiences and be a positive and empowering change for writers, creators, and humans.
The truth about writing, in any form—from resumes and cover letters, to poetry and narrative essays and everything in-between—is that it’s vulnerable. Self-love work and relationship-work is the same: it’s scary, it’s open, and it’s raw. And when you’re searching for a writing or empowerment coach, editor, or tutor, you want someone you can trust. You want someone who will not only foster growth within you, but build a relationship.
That’s why I created Be A Light Collective.
You can find an editor with a click of a button. You can pick anyone from any company in the world just by browsing the internet for a few minutes. But will this person genuinely get to know you? Will they care about you beyond a paycheck? Develop a connection? Be invested in you, your voice, and what you create?
Be A Light Collective is not only a company, but a community. It’s a place where you can work with someone who will give genuine feedback, support, and encouragement as you share the deepest and most vulnerable parts of yourself—creatively, personally, professionally, academically, etc.
I have a background in creative writing, English/Reading, and Secondary Education, so I wanted to use my knowledge and creativity to help people who may have experienced what I did when I first started writing—that frustration, discouragement, and emptiness. I wanted to put my teaching license into practice and not only coach people on what I’ve learned, messed up on, and grown from, but to also give them the necessary tools and resources for success.
Be A Light Collective is a writing and empowerment coaching/tutoring/editing services company, yes, but it’s far more than that. It’s a network of creative people looking to build themselves. It’s a place you can come (virtually or in-person) and grow tremendously. And it’s unlike anything you’ve experienced when you think of the words ‘tutor’ or ‘coach.’ This is a place where you’re welcomed with open arms. I’m happy to have you—now let’s build your light.”
— Marisa Donnelly