For anyone who follows me here and is also interested in my editing services, I thought I should share the news about my new editing website. I’ve upgraded my editing website from WordPress to Squarespace. The address, however, is the same: https://www.kendraolsoneditorial.com/. I’m still in the process of migrating my editing blog posts over, so those won’t appear just yet. Otherwise, I’m hoping to post more to this (WordPress) blog again, in the new year.
Thanks for reading!
This post originally appeared on my editing website: https://kendraolsoneditorial.com/blog/
Image by Pexel at Pixabay
Have you written a mystery/suspense, dark fantasy or ghost story? If you have and you’re in need of developmental editing, then you could be in luck.
To celebrate Halloween, I’m offering a limited discount on my editing services for writers of mysteries/suspense, dark fantasy and ghost stories, or any story that contains a creepy element to it. The discount is ten percent off the cost of any full developmental edit, critique or outline review (see my Editorial Services page on my editing website for definitions of these services). The offer is available now and lasts until midnight on November 1st. The discount applies to any edit booked prior to then (even if the editing doesn’t take place until after the offer finishes). If you’re interested in taking advantage of this offer, get in touch with me via email: kendraroseolson@gmail.com with details of your project or visit my editing website’s Get A Quote page.
I look forward to discovering your stories!
Over on my editing website I’m sharing part two of my Adventures in Book Mapping series and a #FREE book mapping template. If you’re a writer you might be interested in learning more about this helpful revision tool. Here’s the link: https://kendraolsoneditorial.com/2017/09/06/adventures-in-book-mapping-part-2/
Over on my editorial website, I have a new blog post about my experience with book mapping. https://kendraolsoneditorial.com/blog/
Being a big fan of the Selkie Moon Mystery series, I was delighted when Virginia offered to let me be involved with the editing of book 3, The Third Note. Of course, I said I’d love to. One of the great pleasures of editing is being able to appreciate a book on a deeper level. Watching the story develop and take flight was a privilege. Getting to read it again later, as a regular reader would, only enhanced the experience.
My Review
There’s a pattern here—the losing and the finding take me on incredible journeys of discovery. Things I need to know about myself. It’s what happened when I lost my memory and had to travel across the world to get it back. I mustn’t forget what I discovered then: that the answers are in my own heart.
Virginia King weaves a mystical web of suspense, psychic intuition and self-discovery in The Third Note. With Selkie now attempting to settle in Hawaii, her great-grandmother Bridie’s much delayed parcel comes as a huge surprise to her. Why did Bridie wait until 35 years after her death to send it to her, and what is the significance of her mysterious gift? While Selkie knows that Bridie was Irish, she doesn’t know why she left Ireland nor why she chose Selkie as the recipient.
When Selkie meets up with her old friend Davina, she asks Selkie to accompany her on a trip to Ireland—Davina’s birthplace. Davina has secrets of her own which need investigating. Selkie figures it’s the perfect opportunity to do some research into her own family history. What she finds will both shock her and have far reaching repercussions.
Exploring the idea that our past affects our present far more than we realise, The Third Note is a chilling, yet thoughtful, page turner with a good dose of humour thrown in to lighten things up.
If you enjoyed the first two books in the Selkie Moon Mystery series, then you’ll love The Third Note. In fact, even if you didn’t read the first two books in the series, chances are you’ll be fascinated enough by book 3 that you’ll want to go back and read them too. Oh yes, and, did I mention there’s a free prequel available on Virginia’s website?
The Third Note is available from Amazon.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XT31XD3/
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XT31XD3/
You can purchase the first two novels in the Selkie Moon Mystery series from Amazon.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Virginia-King/e/B00K2N9AGK/
US: https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-King/e/B00K2N9AGK/
Download Laying Ghosts, the free prequel to the Selkie Moon Mystery series here: http://www.selkiemoon.com/laying-ghosts/
Check out Virginia’s website to learn more about the series and Virginia’s writing: http://www.selkiemoon.com/
Like her page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selkiemoonmysteries/
Follow her on Twitter: @selkiemoonbooks
Some of you may have noticed that my Developmental Editing Service page has now moved. I’ve decided to give it a home of its own and to keep this blog as a space dedicated to my writing and book reviewing.
You can visit my new website at: https://kendraolsoneditorial.com/
Besides my own editing service, I’ve listed a few other services I recommend for new authors. I’d love it if you visited and let me know your thoughts. 🙂
Meanwhile, I’d better get back to my book reviewing–it’s been awhile!
Announcing the launch of my new developmental editing service for writers of fiction and creative non-fiction. Are you a writer who needs a bit of extra help with your manuscript? Or are you simply curious as to what developmental editing involves? You can learn more about developmental editing, and how it can help your writing, by clicking here: https://kendraolson.wordpress.com/development-editing-service/
Okay, so I know by now that if you’re in this ‘business’ of creative writing, it is highly unlikely to be for monetary reasons. Basically, if you’re not in it for the love of writing, you may as well not be in it at all. But, that’s not to say there aren’t opportunities to be had—jobwise—from writing, however contradictory that may sound. And as my Creative Writing MLitt at Glasgow University will finish in August, I just might look for some of these.
For example, I know that some people go on to teach creative writing in the community. This is how I came back to writing, through online community writing classes at writingclasses.co.uk. The personal, one-on-one attention gave me the confidence and skills I needed to keep going. This is something I’ve always valued, and which I believe is very important for a writer’s development. Many writers are introverts and so it may be difficult to take that first step towards sharing your work with others. Having people whom you trust read your work can be a tremendous help.
At the same time, it’s a huge responsibility. What if a writer you’re trying to help blames you for their work not being what they’d like it to be? What if you accidentally damage a new writer’s very fragile ego? I know how important that first round of comments can be, I’ve kept every comment I’ve received from teachers in a special folder on my computer.
Others may be lucky enough to land a job teaching creative writing at a university. In this case, it’s likely that your students will be more experienced, if not in creative writing then at least in an academic setting. That is not to say that they don’t also have fragile egos. In my MLitt programme at Glasgow University we held in depth discussions on all aspects of a piece of writing. It felt incredibly intimidating at first, especially if it was your writing which was up for discussion, but having so many people read and respond to your work could also be mind-bogglingly amazing. And it certainly left a lot for the writer to take away and work with.
I also know writers who have gone on to start their own business as a proof-reader/copyeditor and/or mentor to new writers. I can imagine this would be an enjoyable way to use your skills, especially as it’s likely that this could be done from home, in the comfort of your own living room, and you could pick and choose your clients. However, the downside (I suppose) would be having to advertise and seek out clients, as well as having to balance the independent business side of things. Although, perhaps, if you’re an independent author this is something you’re already used to. And being able to fit in a bit of proofing on the side could temporarily boost your income if done alongside other paid work.
Finally, there are those lucky enough to land a job at a publishing house, magazine or perhaps as a literary agent. These writers are lucky indeed as (one would assume) these jobs come with a regular salary, paid time off and a certain prestige in the literary world. Of course, I know that some of these jobs require a degree in publishing (as opposed to a Creative Writing degree). Lucky for me the MLitt at Glasgow University covers both the publishing side as well as creative writing.
As part of the Editorial and Publishing side of the course we had guest speakers from publishing houses, literary magazines and agents, all of whom were open to questions and very honest about what their careers involved.
However, many writers balance their non-writing day jobs alongside their writing. I understand the benefits of this as it allows time away from the writing world, which lets you return to your writing fresh, and also allows for more security perhaps than a writing related job might offer.
So, what will I do after I finish my Creative Writing MLitt? The short answer is to keep writing, keep blogging and continue trying to keep up with the literary world. However, I’ll also keep my eyes and ears open to any creative writing related jobs that may become available and put myself forward for them as and when they do. I’ll also look for any teaching opportunities that may become available, even if they are on a voluntary basis to start with. In short I will scout out any opportunities which may be lurking and try anything I can in an attempt to find a niche in a writing related field, because I love writing and would love to work in a related field. 🙂
Have I missed any writing related jobs? If so, please let me know by leaving a comment below.
Do you work in a writing related field? If so, what are the benefits of your role? Does teaching writing give you more of an eye when it comes to your own writing? If you work as a mentor do you find the balance you strike between helping other writers and your own work to be beneficial to you creatively? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks so much for reading! If you enjoyed this post you might be interested in following me. If so, just click on the ‘Follow this blog’ button on the upper right side of the screen.
Until next time!
Kendra Olson 