Lion's Tooth Editing

I have not always intended to become a freelance editor. I do, however, firmly believe that this is what I should be doing at this time. Life is funny that way, don’t you think?

See, I have always loved words. I raised in a house where books were always around. My dad had two or three by the couch, at least one in the car, and whole stacks next to his bed. Then there were the bookshelves.

My mom read, too. Different books than my dad. Sometimes, my mom, my sister, and I would read the same books in succession, or even at the same time, keeping three different bookmarks in the same book. Sometimes my ride to school involved a full recap of what my mom had read the night before.

Somewhere around fifth grade, we had a creative writing assignment, and I wrote my first short story. I wish I still had it, but I remember it clearly. In high school, I took refuge in poetry to express my overwhelming emotions. I even had one printed in a limited magazine.

I hated diagraming sentences, but I reveled in the rules of poetry. I struggled with commas, but I went on to take advanced grammar and history of the English language courses in college as electives; for fun.

I started writing in high school. Poetry, first, but also joint storytelling, and I began my first novel. (It was predictably melodramatic, but I do hope to return to the concept someday.) I wrote on and off for years, but I started seeking publication in 2020. Not the best timing in the world. I have, however, managed to sell a few short stories.

The last few years have seen some less than favorable developments, both politically and personally. Politically, it has become increasingly difficult to find positions in my degree field: teaching English as a second language to adults. Personally, my health has seen a significant decline with my final pregnancy exacerbating hEDS and fibromyalgia followed by something (covid?) triggering POTS, all of which piled onto chronic migraines contributed to a functional neurological disorder with atypical movement.

I’ve been spending time at home with the kids while they’re young, but as the youngest approaches school age, I’ve been looking forward to working again. It’s been difficult, because I have significant and reasonable doubts about my ability to return to the workforce, to hold down even a part time job.

Having finally received a diagnosis, medication, and a treatment plan, I have reason to hope I’ll get stronger, but I’m still not sure what exactly that will look like or how long recovery will take. I’m also not interested in working evenings, which is when most adult teaching positions are scheduled, even if I could find someone interested in hiring me in a very competitive field, now that I’ve been out of the classroom for five years.

So, when a friend wrote a book, with little to no understanding of the industry, and asked for help, I was glad I was able to. I helped him understand the paths to publication and what was involved with each, and, when he asked me about editing, I was able to explain his options. Being able to offer him a substantive edit at a rate that worked for both of us fulfilled his need and also met my own.

After receiving guidance from an experienced freelance editor and doing quite a bit of research, I’m even more excited to begin this next phase of my life than I was when I first realized it was a possibility.

I am formally trained in English grammar, written communication, and teaching written communication. I am wide and well read, and have a background in literature studies as well. I know I possess the skills necessary to help authors hone their craft, now I just need to connect with them…