September has been a very good month! In the spring, I was talking to the CEO of Rising Action Publishing Collective (Alexandria Brown). I featured her in a Q&A session on my podcast, and we got to talking about editing. That turned into talking to the COO, Tina Beier, and eventually, it led to me becoming the contract proofreader at Rising Action! Although I don’t officially start until January, I’m SO EXCITED to be coming on board and cannot wait to be a part of bringing their incredible books into the world! Don’t worry, though—I’m still providing freelance editing services for private clients! If you’re interested in seeing all the amazing things they’re doing, reading their clients’ books, or finding out more about submitting to them, head over to their website here. (That’s me, on their team page!)
Recently, I completed line/copy edits for a client I was really excited to connect with. E. Denise Billups is an indie author who writes paranormal thrillers, and I was first introduced to her when I was doing book tours with Henry Roi PR. I read and LOVED Keepers of the Gate: Twilight Ends Book One. Her beautiful, vivid descriptions and hauntingly beautiful lines drew me right in. I then read and reviewed the first book in her Simone Doucet series, Tainted Harvest. In the spring, Denise contacted me about becoming her editor and asked if I would be available to edit the next book in the Simone Doucet series: Wicked Bleu. I was so honoured and absolutely thrilled. She just sent the manuscript to her publisher and I can’t wait for it to launch! If you enjoy paranormal mysteries and gorgeous, voice-y language, check out Denise’s website at www.edenisebillups.com. Thank you, Denise, for trusting me with your work!
I’ve recently begun providing free pitch critiques on my podcast (#badasswriters). If you’re planning on pitching your manuscript in a Twitter pitch event (like #MoodPitch!), consider submitting your pitch for critique on the show. It’s a great way to get some feedback and it also helps others learn, too. You can find the form here.
One thing I love about writing and editing is BRAINSTORMING. I get to put my creative thinking hat on and come up with ideas and my pen goes wild on the page. I’m a big proponent of “there are no dumb ideas,” so I write everything down because each thought, no matter how silly it may seem at first, can lead to something better. I do this for words, scenes, chapters, sections, and entire plots. I do this for characters. I do it for names, titles, loglines, book blurbs, short stories, beginnings, endings, and middles. What’s super fun is when I get to brainstorm with my clients! I offer 30-min and 60-min single and ongoing brainstorming sessions, which is a great way to get some developmental assistance when you’re feeling stuck on something. They can be done via Zoom meetings or chat. Contact me if you’re interested in booking a session (or a few!).
The summer was more ridiculous than it usually is, and with Covid hitting our house, a lot of plans were changed/delayed/cancelled. This meant I had a lot of things to catch up on in September, so it was an extremely busy month. At the end of September, just this past weekend, I attended the virtual writing retreat organized and hosted by the lovely ladies behind The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast. I edit audio episodes for them and even though it’s very behind the scenes, it’s an honour and a joy to get to “work” with Bianca, Cece, and Carly. I can’t recommend their podcast enough. This was the second writing retreat they’d done, and it was absolutely, mind-blowingly incredible. I highly recommend attending the next one (TBA)! In the meantime, all three talented women offer courses in various areas of writing. Also highly recommended!
Anyway, with everything being so crazy busy, I haven’t yet had a chance to get my first webinar up and running. I’ll be working on that this fall, so please stay tuned for details. I can’t wait to get it all ready!
#MoodPitch is fast approaching! If you’re a querying writer, you don’t want to miss out on this fun event! Thursday, November 3 from 8am-8pm is when it’s happening—but there are also six days of #PreMoodPitch activities on Twitter that will help you prepare your pitches and moodboards. More details can be found on our website at www.moodpitch.org. The best way to stay updated is by following us on Twitter at @moodpitchers and clicking the little notification bell at the top of our page. That way, you won’t miss out on any updates! We just sent out our invitation email to the masses (agents and publishers everywhere) and are getting replies already. Confirmed agents and publishers are being updated as we go on our Event Guidelines section of the website, so check back often to see who’s going to be perusing your pitches. Remember: not all agents and publishers confirm participation. Sometimes they float around without letting anyone know, so you never know who might see them! We can’t wait to get this second event underway. The first one in April was a huge success!
That’s all the updates I have for now! I’m hoping to keep my blog a little more regular, offering editing and writing advice for those who are writing fiction stories. Let me know if there’s anything in particular you’d like to know more about!
Signing off for now,
