Hiring an Editor: The One I Didn't Want

I've been touring and promoting Juliet for a couple months now.

Sorry, no I am not done yet. 

But I have heard quite a few people say - where did you come from?

First, Texas.

Second, I've been writing my whole life.

Third, I first published in 2015.

The abbreviated version goes something like this.

I have been writing since I was 5. Around 2012, I wrote a short story about this young alpha male submissive who would grow into a Dominant. His name was Salvatore Raniero.

In 2013, I almost died from a bacterial infection called campylobacter. During that time, I decided that if I made it out of that alive I would write something with the intent of publishing. 

My first novel is sitting half-finished – a science fiction/fantasy horror erotica piece.  

Half way through that and 140k in, I had this vision of this broken young woman discovering her sexuality. Iris Kettles would not shut up and sometimes when the voices start yakking – you either listen or drown them in whiskey.

I chose to listen.

And Juliet was born.

I wrote the original manuscript 150k in about ten weeks. I edited the best I could and hit the publish button, but I knew she wasn't done. So I fought with her – all the while working on her sister, Kinky Sex Magic and The SOS series. I released two more books - The Initiation and Kinky Sex Magic, doing everything I thought would grow me as an author.

Frustration and commas took a heavy toll on me during the later part of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. So much so that I was threatening to quit and then... I received an email from Goodreads – An editor!

I didn't want to hire an editor.
I mean, I REALLY didn't want to hire an editor.
I thought, "An editor will paint my picture differently. They'll change my words and rearrange my story."

I believe a lot of new authors have that same fear. But I am hear to tell you – that is your head talking and this is one time when you should ignore it. Just walk away and ignore.

A good editor can open you up not only as a writer, but as a storyteller. I sent Tea for Two off to Jenn first. I told her if she didn't piss me off too much, I'd let her have the first trio.

Well, holy shit.

Personally, I have no desire to learn about commas, but that's my thing. They are the bane of my existence, but when I am in the midst of creative flow the last thing I want to get bogged down by is – um, does this sentence need a comma? So I kind of put them where I feel they should go. Sometimes I am right, sometimes I am wrong. The beauty is I have an editor to fix my words.

I can't say what a bad editor will do. I have an excellent editor. 

Accept this fact now – Someone will always disagree with your painting.

Fuck'em.

That's what I say.

I have good number of people who got it and some that didn't.

And that is ok.

Not everyone is going to love you, like you, want to read you.

And that is ok.

But there will be one who will totally get it – I guarantee there will. 

And they will beg for more of your words. 

That one or ten or hundred or ten thousand is the reason you keep plugging on –– they are your FUEL. 

I certainly haven't been here the longest, but I always said I would impart my experiences on this journey as I went. If one writer benefits from it, I am happy.

Keep your head above the water! Keep moving forward! And keep writing!

Love & Light,

Ms. S