The Worst Part of Editing

I told ya'll this was going to be a rant blog right? 😂 Well today is my least favorite part of the editing process—the media kit. This involves bringing all the interview material, the bios, the website, all of it together in one place and making a cover copy for the book. I'm never sure why I dislike this part so much. It doesn't make sense, but I do.

Maybe it's the feeling that I'm always missing something. Maybe its the pressure to summarize and sell the book in a few short paragraphs to the point where people will want to read this story. Most likely it's because I'm super lazy and don't want to have to pull it all together.

Either way, it's my least favorite part, and now you know. Thanks for reading! I'll try not to be so rant-y next week!

NEVER Edit When Upset/Tired/Brain Dead

For all of you aspiring editors, writers who have yet to go through a good editing process, and just the world, NEVER, not EVER, edit when you are upset/tired/your brain has turned to mush.

I know what you are thinking, "Isn't that obvious, Kylee? Duh you shouldn't work during any of those circumstances!" Well, let me tell you, the world doesn't always conspire with you so that you are 100% while working on a deadline (self-imposed or otherwise). Sometimes you'll start with the best of intentions, or you think you'll use editing to clear your head. It's just reading after all, right? All you have to do is watch out for minor errors. WRONG. Very WRONG. Which I will explain in another paragraph because this is going to get long.

Editing is keeping the plot line, character descriptions, the whole grammar book, and the entire English language in your head at all times while reading. It requires focus, and effort, and is like a little mind war, which is exhausting in and of itself. I feel drained about twenty pages in, and I had to work up to that. The more I edit, the longer I can edit. It's like long distance running for the brain. So if you are already tired, you will miss things. If you are upset or distracted, you will miss things. Really, the world does not need another poorly edited book on its hands.

The worst part of editing while not in the mood, is that when you go back to edit again, you'll feel the remnant of that mood in your comments and edits. You'll begin to feel tired/upset the moment you open the Word doc. The more you do this, the more you'll hate editing, until it becomes a chore and you just can't even deal. Then you quit.

Editing isn't for the stupid, or the faint of heart. If you can't spell most words, don't bother going into editing. If you don't know at least 75% of the rules for commas, don't go into editing. I could care less if you have the creativity to write ten books, but if you can't use proper sentence structure, you should definitely not go into editing.

There's my rant for the day. It's been a long one. Good luck out there fellow editors, and have a drink when you get home. You've earned it.

Hello!

Hi, my name is Kylee and I'm currently an editor at Literary Wanderlust, LLC. I have had a passion for books since before I could read, and when I grew up, I knew I wanted to work somewhere that my heart would feel happy. Since nobody pays just to read books, editing was my compromise. I currently have three books out that I've edited myself (yes, I'm still a newbie), one collaboration edit with my publisher, Susan, and one more book coming out April 1st. Of which, I'll list them below so you can see what's I've done (if you want), and possibly purchase them (please support starving editors).

This blog is mainly going to be for the purpose of connecting with authors, probably only for the authors I edit with. I will write rants disguised as writing tips because I have to spew that bleh somewhere. I'll try to keep things short, but the length will highly depend on how frustrated I am at the moment. On second thought, I won't write them in the moment. LOL!

I'm going to try to figure out how to put a progress bar on here so my authors know where I'm at. Just remember—I AM HUMAN. Some days I don't feel like editing. Never edit when you really don't feel it. You will always make more mistakes. Speaking of mistakes, this is a learning process, no matter if you've edited four books or four hundred. I'm always open to owning my mistakes, so all my authors, please point them out! I'd rather you did and I be wrong than to put out a book and have it there for everyone to see.

Well, that was my long schpeel. Don't look at my Google picture, it's old. I'm going to be making updates to this blog for the next week or so, so keep an eye out. Happy days everyone (Mom) who reads this!

This was my first official, all-by-myself, edited book. I thought the story was super cute, and I loved how, even though there was a ghost, it wasn't scary. It has the feel good of a Hallmark movie, with a good laugh every now and then. Honestly, I still recommend it to anyone and everyone. Especially if you've lost a loved one because a lot of the book is the main character dealing with her feelings on that.

Back Cover Blurb:

Hannah wants to relocate herself and her cat, Jimi, to the countryside of Calgary. So, when she finds a turn-of-the-century home in a small town at a good price she jumps at the opportunity.

Shortly after she moves in, strange noises, disturbances, and slamming doors hamper her efforts to make any changes in the house. Jimi starts acting odd, and the disturbances only increase in intensity. But Hannah is no quitter. By talking with long-time residents of her town, and with the help of a psychic, Hannah pieces together the tragic story of her resident ghost.

Will this new home and its non-corporeal occupant be exactly what Hannah needs to move on and find new love?
Available on Amazon, the LWL Website, and at Barnes & Noble.

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This was my second book, and wowza it was a hot one. I'm a sucker for a good pirate romance, and this is a great one if I do say so myself. I love how real the development of the main character's relationship is. I also love that the main female isn't shy, retiring, or kidnapped (although I'm not against those things either). Highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction and/or pirates.

Back Cover Blurb:

All Sophie Bellard wants is her freedom, freedom to sail the seven seas, and freedom to be her own person without interference from some controlling husband. But an arranged marriage to handsome and dangerous Captain Andre Dubois derails all her hopes. After a disastrous wedding night where a ruinous secret is discovered, the two go their separate ways with hopes of never meeting again.

Sophie becomes a pirate, while Andre sets off for the Orient where he makes a murderous enemy. After escaping with his life, Andre returns to home waters, and in an unexpected twist of pirate fate, reunites with his estranged and unwilling wife.

When Andre’s murderous enemy threatens Sophie’s life, he vows to protect what is his, and attempts to win his wife’s forgiveness and love, once and for all.

Available on Amazon, the LWL Website, and at Barnes & Noble.

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I was thrilled, to say the least, when I got to edit a follow up story for Pirate's Bride. You don't always get a second chance with your favorite characters, and it was nice to see them happy and to tie up a few loose ends from the first book. This is a novella, but well worth a read if you liked the first book.

Back Cover Blurb:

Pirate captains Sophie and Andre Dubois have finally reunited and are enjoying marital bliss. However, their good fortune wanes when Sophie contracts a mysterious illness. Andre is at a loss for how to help his wife, so when she asks to return to La Nouvelle-Orléans to throw a ball for Christmas, he doesn’t hesitate to acquiesce.

Once on land, Sophie regains her strength, and preparations for the party begin. Those plans take a dark turn when an old enemy appears. Sophie is left to make the choice between her honor and her husband’s life. Will she have the strength to make the right decision?

Available on Amazon, and the LWL Website.

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This was the collaboration edit I did with the publisher, Susan. In other words, I bit off more than I could chew and ran for help. Not in this book, the book itself is amazing. It has suspense, romance, and the details about South Africa are so real, you feel like you could be there. I was just working the day job too much, trying to edit multiple books at a time, and just not spreading myself out wisely. Lesson #1 for editors: only take as many books on as you can handle. Honestly though, if you like a good romantic suspense I really hope you'll pick this one!

Back Cover Blurb:

Left with a huge debt by her runaway ex-husband, Lexi Taylor is out of money and out of luck. In search of a new beginning and determined to be on her own, she moves back home to sleepy Graaff Reinet to run the inn at Apricot Farm. Free of the problems of her old life, Lexi finally feels she’s getting back on track—until American Carter O’Brien arrives in town.

South Africa is a long way from his home in Texas, but it’s the fresh start Carter needs—and his last chance. A former musician and the wayward son of an oil industry tycoon, he has been sent to the Karoo Basin to search for shale gas, and is expected to succeed. Harboring some serious mistakes in his past with his work and his ex, Carter can’t afford any distractions, no matter how beautiful.

Carter was prepared for potential problems—fracking protests, angry farmers, violent resistance to his presence—but fighting his attraction to Lexi wasn’t one of them. But as Lexi gets drawn in to Carter’s work and his life, the pair must confront danger from an unknown enemy in the Karoo . . . and from their own hearts.
Available on Amazon, the LWL Website, and at Barnes & Noble.

~*~

This is the latest book, coming to shelves and ereaders April 1st! I loved this contemporary romance with the element of fantasy. I actually read another, similar book recently, Daughters of the Lake, and if you know that one and you like it I would highly recommend this book. The writing style in this novel is unique, and really caught my eye in the submission process. I had to be careful as an editor not to cross the line of letting the author get away with things because that was the style. I think Nicole and I worked really well together, and I can't wait to see how much everyone else loves this story.

Back Cover Blurb: 

Only by looking into the past can Audrey save her future.

Audrey Eames is happy living the wanderer’s life. After a near-death experience in her teens, Audrey can see people’s past lives whenever her skin touches theirs, and afraid of being labeled delusional, she’s never stayed in one place too long or made any deep connections.

So, when Audrey’s estranged aunt dies and leaves her the historic Soberly Inn and Public House on the scenic Oregon coast, Audrey wants nothing to do with it. She is determined to sell the inn and leave town before someone discovers the power she’s been hiding from the world, but clauses in her aunt’s will seem to block her at every turn.

Yet once ensconced in Soberly’s small town life, the people—particularly the bartender, Kellen Greene—start to grow on her, and she begins to feel that maybe she’s finally found a place of her own. As accepting as the townspeople seem, Audrey fears their reactions—and Kellen’s rejection—and decides to keep her visions a secret. But all is not well in Soberly. Soon after Audrey arrives, people in town start dying in the same manner as in their past lives—but in this lifetime it’s murder. When suspicion starts to fall on Audrey and her new beau Kellen, Audrey vows to use her gift to find the murderer and protect the people she loves—before it’s too late.
Available for preorder on the LWL Website, and at Barnes & Noble.

Future Books in the Works:
Origins - A historical fiction about a rebellion in Ancient Egypt
Dirty Cooking - A sexy contemporary romance about a chef who falls for her employer
Blood and Chaos - Book 2 to Origins book 1, and the middle of the Songs of the King's Heart trilogy
Make War - A contemporary rom-com about competing lovers
Alaska Bound - Romantic suspense for days. This really reminds me of the movie Wind River.