Get to Know Me
The "Who" Behind the Professional Editor
Being a lifelong learner and nerd, I find that exposure through traveling, new hobbies, new connections, and, of course, reading are the best ways to succeed at those. My passions drive my love for good stories, and I usually gravitate toward books of translated fiction, high fantasy, post-apocalyptic sci fi, and (almost) anything people personally recommend.
My travels have taken me to South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Denmark, England, and more. My favorite way to make friends is over new food and creative cocktails. While I think food is the most universal love language there is, engaging storytelling is a close second. That's likely why I also really enjoy TTRPGs like D&D, Exalted, and GURPS.
Beyond vibing with my fellow basement-game-playing geeks, I do also like getting out into nature and enjoying the fresh air. Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, I (predictably) spent a lot of time camping, hiking, bouldering, and beach combing. No matter where I live now, I always find at least one mountain to hike up in order to get my heart pumping and enjoy a spectacular view.
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When cozy and at home, I enjoy the more stereotypical hobbies of watching sci-fi shows, cross-stitching (though only rude or irreverent ones—none of that "Live, Laugh, Love" nonsense), drinking coffee, and obsessing over my cat.
The "How" of Book Editing
I start by talking with you, the author. I want to understand the goals behind your work: what is the intended takeaway, what is the desired tone, who is the target audience, and what is the ideal medium on which the work will be read. Of course, turnaround times and that big, impending "print by" deadline will also need to be discussed.
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After establishing those details, I will then read a section of the work in order to get a feel for it (for example, this could be a first chapter or a few pages of a climactic scene). I will provide you with a sample of my edits plus feedback, highlighting the different tiers of editing I can provide and the timeline I anticipate.
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Once you have reviewed this, then we discuss helpful and unhelpful edits, pricing, best way to communicate back and forth, the overall timeline, and any other needs you might have.​ When those are all agreed upon, I will provide a contract with the estimated totals and begin editing! There will be continued contact as needed, a shorter, second round of revisions after the first have been incorporated, and then, finally, you receive that beautiful, edited work, now ready for publication!
Why Be a Novel Editor?
I believe that language is flexible and evolving, and thus so is writing. I do not fall into the camp of editors who believe writing is a fixed standard that should never change, and by gosh they will die on so many hills of commas and exclamation points. I think that attitude is a disservice to the art of storytelling.
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However, that being said, there are many rules and guidelines you should be aware of because breaking those rules intentionally produces an entirely different effect than doing it naively. Specific audiences are used to a specific style of writing (especially in academic writing), so knowing what your readership expects and playing with that intentionally can make for very enjoyable, easy-on-the-eyes writing.
I work closely with you to ensure your work reflects the intended message. In all styles of writing, there is rarely a simple right-or-wrong answer, albeit some standard spelling and grammar rules (but even then... ever read The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner?), so that's why I see the author-editor dynamic as a relationship that benefits from lots of discussion and conversation. Tone, diction, and syntax are all tools to be used in different ways that allow you to convey the perfect story.​
Want to Make It an Audiobook?
Another thing I love about my work is that my husband is also in on it! Daniel works on the audio side of things as an audio narrator and voice actor—Daniel Ryder Voices. He has done a variety of works, including fantasy novels, professional books, and training videos. You can learn more about who he is here, and if you want to hear some of his (in my biased opinion) fantastic demos, go here!
If you're in the market for both an editor and an audio narrator for you book, feel free to contact either of us and we can coordinate a full package service for getting your book out there.
