She was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1872, the daughter of Thomas O'Connor and Bridget Nash.

She came from a big family (which included a sister, Loyola O'Connor, who became an actress), and grew up in Minnesota, Oregon, and New York.

[1] She began her career as a magazine and newspaper journalist in New York before Hollywood came calling.

[2][3] By 1913, she was living in Santa Monica and churning out scripts at a rapid pace under contract at Vitagraph.

[4] Eventually, she was named chief of Triangle-Fine Arts' scenario department.