Marianne Lepa

Marianne Lepa is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor with a lifelong fascination for how things work. For more than twenty-five years Marianne has written for community newspapers, corporate newsletters, magazines and not-for-profit organizations.

From Philosophy to Computing

Marianne graduated from McMaster University with a B.A. in Philosophy. She then earned a diploma in computer programming and, in 1982, began her career in the marketing department of Burroughs Canada, one of the leading high tech firms of the time.

While with Burroughs, she discovered a knack for teaching. For twelve years Marianne taught software applications and wrote the training manuals employed in her courses. During that time, she also wrote feature articles for a community paper in Ottawa.

From Computing to Organic Farming

In 1989, Marianne and her husband moved to a small farm. She gave up training five years later and became a freelance technical writer and organic farmer. In summer she sold organic vegetables and herbs at the local farmers' market, and in winter she wrote instruction manuals for clients in Toronto, Ottawa and New York.

To Urban Living and the Arts

In 1999, Marianne moved to Toronto and focused her writing in the finance and arts sectors. She was the inaugural editor of EQ, the membership magazine for the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. She is also the founder of Arts News Canada, an online news and meeting place for Canada’s arts community that ran for five years until the spring of 2008.

And Now an Avatar

In 2007, Marianne joined the virtual community of Second Life. Planning to renew her artistic skills, Marianne found herself drawn to architecture and functional design. She earns an income in Second Life creating homes and scripted objects used by other Second Life residents.