I created a newsletter!
I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, because social media always feels a little bit like shouting into the void to me. (So does posting on my blog, to be honest. Sometimes I feel like I’m posting more for SEO than for actual readers, though I still do my best to make all my posts useful to you!)
I love the idea of connecting directly with authors who want to hear from me, and I love how easy it will be for you to get direct access to me, too—you’ll be right in my inbox!
I’ve named it the Story Sanctum.
“Why?” I hear you asking.
A sanctum is a safe place where you can go to be unbothered. I thought this was the perfect way to describe my philosophy toward editing: I always want the authors I work with to feel their stories are safe with me. I don’t believe in following rules just for the sake of following them, and I don’t believe in giving barbed or unkind feedback.
What I do believe in is seeing your story for what it is and helping you enhance it. That doesn’t mean I’m the perfect editor for every novel—of course not. There will be stories I don’t get, for sure. But when that happens, rather than muscling through and damaging your story in the process, I vow to redirect you to an editor who does get your story, so you can have the best experience and your book can be in good hands.
That’s what I strive to do in my newsletter, too. I want you to feel recognized, safe, and tranquil in the Story Sanctum. Yeah, not all of my advice or pep talks will work for you, but that’s okay! That’s the point, even! The tips and anecdotes and tough love I deliver in the Story Sanctum will always be sent to you with a sense of understanding—an acknowledgment that no two stories and no two authors are exactly alike. You won’t see me disparaging certain writing methods, tropes, or conventions in the Story Sanctum. You’ll never see me claim that there’s only one way to write a good novel. All types of writing are welcome there.
So what will you actually find in the newsletter?
writing- and revision-related pep talks and occasional tough love
revision and self-editing tips
anecdotes from my own writing and revision experiences
free downloads to help you in your writing journey
some exclusive content (like Q&As, novel analyses, and personal updates)
extra thoughts on blog posts and other content
sneak peeks into upcoming services or products, plus a chance to beta test some of them at a reduced price
special pricing on those upcoming services/products I mentioned above once they’re complete
…and more stuff as I think of it!
Ultimately, I want the Story Sanctum to become my main way of communicating with authors. It’ll take a long while to get there, I think, but that’s where I’m headed. If you’d like to come along for the ride, I’d love to have you!
Scroll to the bottom of this page to get a free download when you join the Story Sanctum: a draft-by-draft novel revision guide. Or, if you’re not interested in a free download at the moment, you can just join from my contact page.
Also, feel free to reply to any of the newsletter emails at any time with questions, comments, requests, or whatever! I really do want to communicate with you, not just lecture you about writing and revising all the time.
Anyway, I look forward to seeing you there!
