As you may know, I was
ripped off by a so-called editor back in September. I was premature in writing
about hiring her. Once bitten, twice shy, as the saying goes. When I went
looking for a new editor, I didn’t check out her editor web page exclusively,
like I did the first gal. This time, I looked at all of her social media
outlets. Had I done that with my first editor, I would have figured out she was
a crack-pot pretty quickly.
But this post isn’t about
getting burned and learning a lesson, this post is about My Editor. This time, I
hit the jackpot! Five Stars. A+.
The service I hired her for was to
provide an Editorial Letter for my manuscript. This means she reads the story
and tells me what parts work well and what needs work. I was
blown away at the thoroughness of her notations and her understanding of my
story!
The editorial letter is eight pages long. She provided an
overview of the story (spot on), talked about the setting and some things I
could do to make improvements, as well as character POV (point of view), the supernatural
elements in the story, backstory, and she also addressed the flashback scenes.
THEN, she broke it all down,
chapter-by-chapter! She answered questions I had thought of myself and she gave
me a few alternate plot ideas, as well as a load of other thoughtful
considerations.
And the best part? My story doesn’t suck.
This is how I know:My editor said, “This
is an interesting take on time/space travel, incorporating themes of love,
family, loneliness, and belonging, all around the unique setting of tattoo
artistry.”
And this: “Toward the end of the story, in
Chapter 39, there is a lovely echo to Otto’s flashbacks of his childhood, when
he tells Hazel it’s better to be adopted into a loving family than to be raised
by a hateful one.”
One more: “Overall, I think the structure of your story and the
character arcs that you explore work very well. Since the manuscript is on the
light side at 55,000 words, you do have room to explore several scenes more
deeply, to fully flesh out Otto’s and Hazel’s thoughts, and their growing
feelings for one another. It is a beautiful story about finding love and
belonging, and I enjoy the supernatural twist that keeps the mystery going
until the end.”
Remember friends, the editorial
letter is eight pages long. It is chock full of suggestions to make my story
stronger, richer. And I’m going to comb through that document and do everything
I can to make THE INK OF TIME the very best story I can.
In the New Year I envision
another run with this editor, an appointment with my awesome cover designer,
and exploring publication options. Stick with me. It’s getting real now!
Happy New Year!
Until Next Time,
Be good to yourself,
~Nadine