About Me

I’m a writer, editor, critic, blogger, reporter, essayist, white-paper-ist. I’ve written short and long pieces for publications like The New York Times and Washington Post, published two books, and provided editorial assistance from basic proofreading to deeper guidance on book-length projects. I’ve taught, consulted, and generally helped people tell their stories better. My particular expertise is in association/nonprofit content and literary criticism, but I deliver professional work in a variety of contexts.

Want to know more? Click on the links above for more about my work and drop me a line if you’d like to discuss.

Four Fictions

January 3, 2013 by Mark Athitakis, posted in Anca L. Szilagyi, Arnebya Herndon, David A. Taylor, Eugenia Kim

The feature well of this week’s issue of Washington City Paper is dedicated to fiction for the first time in a long time. I sifted through the 50-odd submissions to pick three short stories, and also invited a pro, Eugenia Kim, to contribute—happily, she took me up on the offer. Here’s a bit from my … Continue reading Four Fictions

Ten 2012 Books I Wish Received More Attention in 2012

January 2, 2013 by Mark Athitakis, posted in David Shields, Graham Swift, Jeff Gomez, Joshua Cohen, Lia Purpura, Lucy Ferriss, Matthew Vollmer, Patrick Somerville, Shalom Auslander, Steve Stern, Tania James

I hesitate to say something simpler, like “Ten Overlooked 2012 Books”—these days even the books that dominate chatter about literary fiction generate such little attention in the wider world that even the award winners qualify as overlooked. Why the books books were less noticed or lauded escapes me—roughly a decade of steady book reviewing hasn’t … Continue reading Ten 2012 Books I Wish Received More Attention in 2012

New Yorker Magazine; Fiction; Keywording

May 7, 2012May 7, 2012 by Mark Athitakis, posted in Alice Munro, James Thurber, Jeffrey Eugenides, John Updike, Jonthan Lethem, Marisha Pessl, Saul Bellow, Shirley Jackson, Vladimir Nabokov

You’re reading a novel. “What’s it about?” somebody asks. What do you say? The question grates; there’s no good answer for it, no easy way to address it. Book reviewers who are trained to avoid all but the briefest sketch of plot summary know that talking about the storyline is a poor way to register … Continue reading New Yorker Magazine; Fiction; Keywording

Seven Things I Think I Think About Book Reviews

April 24, 2012 by Mark Athitakis, posted in Book Reviews

Last Sunday I took part in a panel at the Writer’s Center titled “The Future of the Book Review,” joined by the Washington Post‘s Dennis Drabelle and the Washington Independent Review of Books‘ David O. Stewart. In advance of the panel, moderator Mia Cortez sent along some questions for discussion. With Cortez’ permission, I’m sharing … Continue reading Seven Things I Think I Think About Book Reviews

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