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The Value of Author-Editor Interaction

7/2/2019

I am happy to say that the reason my blog has been empty for a year and a half is because I have simply been too busy to write a new post! I have taken on several new publishing clients within the last year, but I am eager to continue to connect with independent authors. Through several discussions with editing colleagues recently, I've realized that although there are certainly pros and cons to working with both publishing houses and indie authors, there is one thing that publishing houses just cannot provide--a direct relationship with the author.

When I work with indie clients, I'm not only interacting with their story, I'm interacting with them as a human being; there is a rewarding feeling to that relationship that I want to make sure I don't lose. So I'm going to try to make sure I leave some open time in my schedule to continue to work with indie authors and further develop those valuable relationships that make me love what I do.

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2017 Year in Review

1/4/2018

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It's been far too long since I have updated my blog, and this is indicative of how busy this last year was for me. But busy in a very good way.

In 2017, I completed my final year as a member on the Northwest Independent Editors Guild board, serving on the Programming Committee to organize bimonthly member meetings and annual workshops. Serving on the EdsGuild board has been an immensely gratifying experience these past two years, allowing me to contribute to the editing community, and most importantly, establish relationships with my editing colleagues, which have developed into friendships that I know will last. Although part of me is sad to end my term, I feel proud of everything we were able to accomplish, and I am looking forward to continue my involvement with the editing community and focus my energy on other projects.

One of the projects I am excited to spend more time on in 2018 is my own writing. I once again participated in NaNoWriMo (www.nanowrimo.org) in 2017 and ended the month with 50,021 words of a superhero romance novel that I had a blast working on. Now that the dust of the holidays is settling, I am excited to read through my zero draft, get back to outlining, and start the rewrite.

I am also looking forward to expanding my client base in 2018. Last year I continued my work with Little, Brown and Macmillan Children's, with Daughter of the Siren Queen and Fireblood being some of my favorite proofreading projects, and I also began working with Orbit, where I had the pleasure of copyediting Jade City. And, of course, I continued to work with some amazing independent clients, whose projects I am excited to see come to fruition in 2018.

Overall, 2017 was a great year, filled to the brim with editing, writing, community, and personal growth. I can't say it wasn't stressful and at times overwhelming (I doubt anyone could), but I have also experienced and witnessed some tremendous acts of heart, courage, and creativity. I know the same will continue in 2018, and I am looking forward to another great year.

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Beta Readers

1/25/2017

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One of the questions I often ask writers before we begin working together is whether or not they have utilized beta readers. Sometimes, writers don't realize this is an option, and sometimes they don't have access to readers who can provide constructive feedback (exchanging critique for critique with other writers is a great way to achieve this). And while beta readers aren't necessary before working with an editor, they can be very beneficial.

If you have another critical reader take a look at your manuscript, you can often fix some big-picture problems on your own, which allows the editor to spend more time fine-tuning and focusing on smaller (but still important) issues and areas to polish. Essentially, getting as many eyes on your manuscript as possible will allow you to gauge most effectively how a wide range of readers will respond to your story.

A professional editor is often the last step toward ensuring your story is at its best before putting it into the hands of readers at large. But if you have a critique partner, who can help you spot holes in the narrative or point out unconvincing character motivation, you can present a more complete version of your manuscript to your editor. This, in turn, will make the editing process more efficient (and cost less money, in the long run), because the editor will be able to tighten up the manuscript much more smoothly without working through major rewrites.

I have found my best resources for beta readers are through the friends I have met at local writing conventions. Often, writing workshops will include a roundtable critique of your first chapter (or short story), and in reading the work of others and hearing their feedback on your own writing, you can gauge who might be a good fit for a critique partner. The one thing to keep in mind is that some writers read a story and see it playing out their way instead of your way. This feedback will be easy to spot and must be taken with a grain of salt. No one knows your story better than you, and if the feedback you are getting tries to take your story in an entirely different direction, it is completely OK to disregard it--just keep in mind that the reader may have misinterpreted your intent because it is not clear enough in the manuscript, and that can be more productive to focus on.

Having a few beta readers can also help to give you the thick skin that is so essential for every writer. Working with an editor for the first time can be difficult. While I try to make every writer understand what I like in the manuscript and what is working, it can be hard to see the praise through all the red "ink." Finding an understanding that feedback is something you can use to improve your story (or something you can ignore for the sake of your story) is a critical tool for all writers, and this is an area where beta readers can also be very helpful.

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