Meet the Editor
Hi! I'm Meg. I like to think of myself as a storyteller, but if you want to get more specific, I'm a writer, editor and journalist with more than six years of experience wrangling words. I’ve worked with publications, businesses, authors and individuals, always with the goal of producing engaging, well-written content.
If you're reading this, you've stumbled on my little blog. Isn’t that neat? Since you're here, let me tell you about my editorial business and my goals for this page.
Why I'm Here
To sum it up: I'm a fan of words.
My love affair with language started early, in fact. The family legend goes that at two or three, I sat in the doctor's waiting room with my mom and flipped the pages of Hop on Pop, cheerfully reciting the lines and pointing to the pictures. Astonished, the receptionist asked how I'd learned to read at such a young age.
"Oh, she can't read yet," my mom told her. "She just has the entire story memorized, and she's showing off."
It's safe to say my obsession with books had already begun. By first grade, I declared I’d someday be an author and illustrator. Sixteen years later, I set off cross-country for my first reporting job, with my bachelor's degrees and my grandmother's heirloom typewriter (pictured here) in tow.
Not to drop any spoilers, but I've yet to become an author. I have, however, worked consistently as a writer and editor, working for magazines and newspapers for five years before I decided to branch out and start my own business.
Becoming a self-employed creative allowed me to hone my writing while also exploring new markets. After landing my first book coaching client by chance, I fell in love with the teaching aspect of editing work, and soon began taking courses to build my skills.
Now, I’ve taken the leap to expand the editing side of my business, offering developmental editing, line editing and copy editing for fiction and nonfiction manuscripts.
Why You're Here
I’d make an educated guess that you’re probably a fan of words, too. There are a few reasons you might have landed on this page specifically. Perhaps you’re a writer looking for help with, well, writing — tips on how to write better dialogue, or ways to improve descriptive passages. It could be that you’re an editor searching for resources to share with authors, or resources for running your business. Or maybe you’re an author shopping for a good editor.
In any case, I’m glad you’re here, because my hope is that this blog can be a source for this kind of information and more.
My Editing Philosophy
For a lot of people, the thought of someone editing and critiquing your personal work is scary. Like, really scary. And I know, because I've been there.
I still remember how sweaty my palms were as I read aloud in my first college writing workshop, timidly waiting for my peers (or my professor) to rip me to shreds. And when I worked under a newspaper editor known for heavy line editing, getting back a draft marked-up with lots — and I meant lots — of comments felt like utter failure at first.
Basically, I've spent a lot of time being edited. And I believe that makes me a better editor, because I understand how vulnerable it is to be on the receiving end of the red pen. I also know that well-meaning feedback delivered in the wrong way can do more harm than good. But clear, constructive feedback delivered in the right way? Man, it can work wonders.
Providing this type of feedback is my goal with every client I book. I approach editing as a collaborative project, and that means I don’t have the final say. Ultimately, you are in charge of your words and any cut or change is yours to approve or deny. Make no mistake, I don’t sugarcoat my opinions — I will tell you when I think something is not working. But I will always focus on what can be improved and how, not on tearing you down.
I see my most important role as that of a cheerleader. I do this work because I want to see authors succeed, get published and become better writers. To do that, every writer needs someone in their corner, helping them celebrate the wins and move on from the disappointments. This blog is part of that — a way for me to encourage you and give you the tools you need to reach your publication goals.
What to Expect
My goal is for this blog to act as a resource for independent authors to find information about self-publishing, writing craft, working with an editor and more. I'll also share some of my tips and tricks for workflow systems, productivity and organization, which I hope will be useful both to writers and to other freelance book editors in the field. Think of this space as a library of content to help jumpstart your publishing journey.
Some topics you might see covered here include:
How the different types of editing are defined
Understanding literary concepts such as scene dynamics and point of view
Tips for selecting an editor — or working with one for the first time
How I outline and organize my personal writing projects
Interviews or guest posts from other professionals
Book recommendations and reviews
…and more!
To that end, I'd love to hear from anyone whose eyes happen to land on this post. Feel free to reach out with questions or suggestions for future topics to discuss.
Fun Facts
If you’ve held on this long, I salute you. Since we’ve gotten the nitty gritty business details out of the way, I thought I’d share a few tidbits about me that fall more in the realm of fun. And so I present: An incomplete summary of my bookish inclinations.
Childhood Favorites: Magic Tree House series, Nancy Drew mysteries, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Ella Enchanted, Redwall, Children of the Red King series, Inheritance Cycle, Goosebumps books
Literary Favorites: Macbeth, 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Le Petit Prince, In Cold Blood, Stranger Things Happen
Favorite Mysteries and Thrillers: Crooked House, Conviction, The Guest List, The Missing Hours, In a Dark, Dark, Wood, A Murder is Announced, The Witch Elm, Still Life, Magpie Murders, The Push
Favorite Recent Reads: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Payback's a Witch, The Vanishing Half, Daisy Jones & the Six, Such a Fun Age
Favorite (Non-Literary) Hobbies: Embroidery, Kayaking, Singing/Playing Instruments, Cooking and Baking, Board Games
Until next time,
Meg
