Category: Blog

By Terri Edmund

When I decided to go back to college as I rapidly approach seventy, most friends and family questioned my sanity. Why would I put myself through that torture again? Wasn’t the whole point of higher education to get a better job, work hard and retire in forty years or so? Why go back now when I’m enjoying a comfortable retirement?

My stock answer is to protect my brain from memory loss. Alzheimer’s Disease lurks in my family tree, and I’m not taking any chances. It’s the same reason I joined community band. Learning, like playing music and doing crosswords, keeps memory loss at bay. And that’s just one of the many benefits of lifelong learning.

My ex and I used to go for cocktails almost everyday after work; our socialization, we called it. Getting retired and divorced at about the same time, my socialization vanished. I wasn’t just bored; I was lonely. But going back to school now doesn’t feel like it did fifty years ago. How could it? That was before mortgages and marriages, sicknesses, and storms.

Even if I can’t find that carefree vibe I enjoyed as a teenager, I revel in the accomplishment. My young nephew reminds me the S in the name brand of my sneakers stands for “senior.” Then he shows me a couple keyboard shortcuts, hugs me, and says, “I’m proud of you, Aunt Terri.” Just the gold star I need to keep climbing that learning ladder.

The biggest awakening is that I was born a generation or two too soon. I love editing and designing on a computer, though I’m a novice at what most my classmates were exposed to in early grades. The first time I walked into the Graphic Design Laboratory on campus, I was wowed by the equipment I am privileged to use.

But the learning curve is slippery. Digital Publishing didn’t exist when I went to college the first time. We used scissors and glue to mockup type for the student newspaper. Employed as an editorial assistant out of college, I worked with a whole team of writers, artists, photographers, and typesetters to put together the first corporate magazine I worked on. It was a beautiful, four-color monthly, and I was enormously proud of my first byline. The magazine still exists. But it is digital and delivered by email. It’s not a dinosaur because it has adapted, another incredibly good reason for lifelong learning. If we don’t adapt, we atrophy.

One dear friend, a devout Christian, didn’t question my why of returning to college. Instead, he suggested a motive that I’d never considered, and it keeps me plugging away at my homework. What if, when we get to Heaven, our assigned “job” is based on the knowledge we’ve gotten here on Earth?

“You don’t just get to float around in the clouds,” he told me. “You’ll probably have to play flute in the heavenly band.”

Thanks, Mom, for the music lessons. That early education might yield big spiritual benefits.

Then it occurred to me. If computer lab on a college campus is so impressive, imagine what the Big Guy J.C.’s got cranking in his computer lab Upstairs.

One can dream.

By Sydney Swallow

Growing up, I loved reading. But as high school years approached, I became too occupied in my social life and the other responsibilities young teens deal with during that period. It wasn’t until later in life that I realized how much I missed that feeling of reading. It was a breath of fresh air from my everyday life of what I consumed on social media. Whether it be timing or a long-lost passion, I became an avid reader: someone who wanted to pursue their hobbies. 

In pursuing a career in the publishing industry, I questioned how I can fit into it with the growth of AI? Will there still be jobs for the younger generation, and if not, what can we do to save it? 

I think the answer is in how we embrace AI and its’ impact.  

After becoming more familiar with what AI is, I learned that the changes can be beneficial to editors. It was relieving to read from multiple sources that the industry doesn’t plan on replacing humans with AI but rather using it to enhance their jobs.  

For example, editors can use it to minimize grammatical and proofreading tasks. With “booktok” and other media offering a platform for the reading community, it can also be used to predict marketing trends and personalized content for people to create sales and know what consumers want to read. I personally benefit a lot from this to get new book recommendations! Another feature of AI is that it can generate ideas for authors experiencing roadblock and illustrations for book covers.  

Some of these examples can be controversial. But from what I’ve learned, it seems that keeping an open mind to these enhancements is the best way to keep humans at the forefront of creativity in this industry. While there is concern in AI being trained to create stories without people; their generated stories are coherent, but they don’t impact readers the same way. AI lacks the emotional depth that only a human can bring to life in a story.  

If the publishing industry and consumers continue seeing the value and protecting the integrity that humans bring to a story, then AI will be an advantageous tool. There will be setbacks and learning curves. A prime example is the AI company, Anthropic, which recently settled a lawsuit against an author, Andrea Bartz, and others for pirating authors’ stories to train their AI. With eBooks becoming a popular way to consume books, it’s so important to protect an author’s work while we continue to develop with the tools we use.  

In the end, it’s not asking whether AI will replace humans in the publishing industry, but how humans will evolve with AI and how we use it to our advantage.  

Resources 

https://bookmachine.org/2022/11/21/the-future-of-publishing-how-technology-is-shaping-the-publishing-industry/ (Nov. 2022) 

https://spines.com/ai-in-publishing-industry/ (Nov. 2023) 

https://spines.com/ai-and-the-future-of-publishing/ (Dec. 2023) 

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2023/07/06/seven-ways-ai-will-impact-authors-and-the-publishing-industry/ (July 2023) 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/2025/01/27/ai-in-publishing-a-2025-industry-forecast/ (Jan. 2025) 

https://www.inkbotediting.com/blog/editors-and-ai-part-v-will-ai-replace-editors (March 2025) 

https://authorsguild.org/news/what-authors-need-to-know-about-the-anthropic-settlement/  (Sept. 2025) 

By: Sofia Zavala

Submitting your work for publication is exciting, but it can also be frustrating when your piece gets lost in the slush pile. While great writing is essential, presentation plays a huge role in whether an editor takes notice. A clean, professional format shows that you respect the submission process.
Stick to industry standards—12-point Times New Roman, double spacing, and clear file formatting.
Editors read through dozens (if not hundreds) of submissions, so making your work easy to read gives it a better chance. Proofreading is also key; typos and formatting inconsistencies can make your work look rushed, even if the writing itself is strong. Before submitting, take time to review the publication’s guidelines and ensure your work fits their requirements.
Beyond formatting, professionalism is crucial. A well-crafted cover letter can make all the difference. Keep it brief and polite—introduce yourself, mention the piece you’re submitting, and, if relevant, include previous publications. Avoid being overly casual or overly detailed. Editors appreciate writers who do their research and submit work that aligns with their publication’s style. Sending out the same generic letter to every magazine isn’t nearly as effective as a tailored, thoughtful introduction.

If you have a connection to the publication or admire a particular piece they’ve published, mentioning that can show you’re familiar with their work and not just blindly submitting to every outlet. Small details like addressing the editor by name rather than using a generic greeting can also make a big impact.
Finally, avoid common mistakes that can lead to an instant rejection. Ignoring submission guidelines is one of the fastest ways to get your piece dismissed, as is submitting work that isn’t fully polished. Don’t rush the process—take the time to revise, proofread, and make sure your submission is the best it can be. Standing out in a slush pile isn’t just about talent; it’s about preparation, professionalism, and attention to detail. With the right approach, you’ll give your work the best possible chance of making it to publication. Keep refining your craft, submit with confidence, and trust that persistence will pay off.

By: Alix Remick

We have all consumed a piece of media or literature that has left us dumbfounded, and some that were just alright. What separates these two types of works? Where do we draw the imaginary line between great and good? Having a strong sense of voice within your writing is a fantastic place to start that distinction.

It is important to understand that there is a difference between a character or narrators voice and the writer’s voice. When talking about a character’s voice, it is what you as the reader would be consuming as you move through the story. Their thoughts, morals, and reactions to events in the story comprise the characters voice. The writer’s voice is your own personal style in your writing. Your word choice or language, sentence structure, and tone you put in the story highlights your writing style. Essentially, the way you implement your personality in your writing is your voice.

Having a personal style of writing helps set your work apart from the countless other styles that have been done before. There are only so many things people can write about, and it is easy for certain topics or tropes to be overdone. This is where confidence come in. By implementing your perspective on a topic that may have been done before, you not only are establishing a base familiarity with your reader, but also subverting expectations in a way that keeps them intrigued. However, this is not to say that key elements of storytelling such as character arcs, nuance, or a cohesive plot with a climax and resolution are to be forgotten. It is important to consider how you can work with these factors while also ensuring your stylistic choices stand out.

“Red Clocks” by Leni Zumas perfectly encapsulates the meaning of having voice in your writing. The book has five different perspectives, each of a different woman navigating struggles that women today face. Zumas masterfully intertwines her style within each character’s section. These characters thoughts, feelings, and perspectives still feel cohesive because of the implementations of her voice into her work. Throughout the book, it is evident Zumas understands how her voice, character voice, and basic story elements all work together to create an amazing piece of literature.

Do not be afraid to stand out in your writing. You are the creator in any work you make, and you want to let your audience know you have that level of confidence in what you produce. Let your voice be heard in your pieces. Doing so will make you as a writer stand out, and take your work from good to great.

Written by Dicee Kearney

By Emma Hubley

Writing a first draft is an achievement, but the real magic happens during the editing process. Many writers find self-editing intimidating, unsure of how to refine their work without losing their unique voice. However, with the right approach, self-editing can be an empowering tool that strengthens clarity and impact. This guide will walk you through essential self-editing techniques, helping you transform your draft into a polished, publication-ready piece.

Step 1: Take a Break

One of the most effective self-editing strategies is to step away from your work before reviewing it. Distance allows you to read your writing with fresh eyes, making it easier to identify unclear sentences, redundant phrases, and structural weaknesses. While it is traditionally more effective to spend a few days or more away from your writing after completion in order to form a truly renewed viewpoint, even a short break—overnight or for a few hours—can provide valuable perspective.

Step 2: Focus on Structure First

Before diving into sentence-level edits, assess the overall structure of your piece. Does your introduction hook the reader? Do your paragraphs flow logically? Are your main points supported with clear evidence or examples? A crucial step that most people will skip is to create a true outline of your writing, this will help to gather more examples in articles or perhaps find issues such as plot holes in fiction writing. Further along in this process, rearranging sections or cutting unnecessary details at this stage ensures your foundation is solid before refining the finer details.

Step 3: Eliminate Redundancies and Weak Phrasing

Strong writing is concise and impactful. Look for phrases that could be simplified without losing meaning. For example, “in order to” can often be reduced to “to,” and “due to the fact that” can be replaced with “because.” Avoid filler words like “very,” “just,” and “really” unless they add necessary emphasis. Also, keep an eye out for words that you have repeated often, names are a common redundancy. For both of these issues, an easy way to fix them is by reading aloud and seeing if any words are too recurring or if any phrases feel drawn out.

Step 4: Proofread with a Fresh Perspective

Once your content is structurally sound and concise, it’s time for a final proofread. This step is not just about catching typos but also about ensuring consistency in style, grammar, and punctuation. Reading your work backwards, starting with the last sentence and moving up, can help catch overlooked errors because of how active your brain must be. Additionally, using tools like spell checkers or grammar apps can be helpful, but they should not replace careful, human review.

To summarize this article, these are the key questions you should always keep in mind while editing:

• Is my opening engaging?
• Does each paragraph serve a clear purpose?
• Have I removed unnecessary words and redundancies?
• Do my sentences flow smoothly?
• Have I checked for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors?

Self-editing is a skill that improves with practice. By following these steps, you can refine your work with confidence, ensuring your message is clear, compelling, and ready for publication.

By Myli-Ann Goodine

As someone who writes, I find knowing types of editing styles important. When you know different styles you know what editors will look for, and you know what you should pay attention to. While working on my own writing I have heard about copy editors and proofreaders, but there are many more. There are many editing styles like copy editors, line editors, proofreaders, structural editing, developmental editing, and more. In this blog I will be focusing on developmental editing. 

Developmental editors focus on the piece overall. From the characters to the plot down to pacing and voice, they help flesh out the story. Their goal is to get the story to its full potential. They will also provide editorial letters. These letters can vary depending on the piece but it would thoroughly go through elements they evaluate in the story.

As a writer, you should know the basics of how to do developmental editing yourself and what to look for. This helps your writing, develops your understanding of your own writing, and helps the editors. The first thing you would want to do is reread your work, once or twice to get a grip on it. I suggest before that, stepping away from your work for a couple of days, to give yourself a reset. I do this when going into a new draft or editing. It helps you see mistakes you wouldn’t have seen before. Take note of big plot points, important characters, setting, style and big elements. Are there plot holes? Are all characters necessary and do they develop? Is there importance in time and place, is there cultural significance? These are questions you will want to keep in mind when going through your work. Remember point of view, do subplots make sense with the plot, make sure details are consistent. 

If you want to write an editorial letter for yourself there are categories you can write about to understand your writing. Here is an example of an editorial letter, https://freshinkbookediting.com/sample-editorial-letter. You can always look up more if you  want more categories. Some examples for categories are plot, characters, worldbuilding/setting, title, themes, and more. Writing a letter helps you answer the questions from the previous paragraph, and break those questions down. Developmental editors take each of these categories and comment on what they thought was good and what they thought needed fixing. This helps to see if you’ve accomplished your goal with your writing.

There are different ways to go about the process. I read the whole piece, then go paragraph by paragraph to find inconsistencies, and then I go back through the text and focus on each of the different categories I’m looking at. I get to know the text better this way and can find anything I might have missed in a different category.

No matter how you go about it, developmental editing can help develop your understanding of writing and help you elevate your work. It will help you with future projects and make the editing process quicker and easier, providing a smooth process.

By: Roxy Gatchell

“Ouch”: something you never want an author to say when receiving criticism about their work. Writing is deeply personal to its creator and may be the source of sensitivity when undergoing criticism. When one pours their dedication into creating their brainchild, it is possible that editing may cross the threshold between constructive and controlling. So, as developmental editors, how do we feel more comfortable in evaluating another’s work and avoid overstepping? In this article, we will review a series of questions and prompts to answer when you’ve found yourself stuck or hesitant to continue the developmental editing process.

How Much Editing is Too Much?

“Too much” is subjective – thirty minor suggestions can be just as impactful as two drastic ones. Ultimately, a developmental editor’s job is to review the text and provide helpful prompts regardless of how much advice is given. These changes made by an author or editor can slightly alter a work, as is the case with many poetry anthologies, or improve the work to an unrecognizable level, reflected in lengthy novels.

A novel’s hundreds of edits are worthwhile when they reflect your client’s voice and artistic flare. The developmental editing process’s goal should be to improve the work while maintaining the author’s style. If your suggestions mold the story to sound as if you wrote it instead of the original creator, then it is time to reevaluate your edits.

How do I Consider the Author’s Response?

It is common to reflect on how your criticism may impact the author’s emotions. To manage feelings of infringing on an artist’s creative liberty, it is important to frame a developmental editing letter in a constructive way. Listing the work’s positive qualities alongside suggestions, ending the editorial letter on an encouraging note, and including straightforward line comments that exhibit a helpful tone rather than a judgmental one work to achieve this. These actions contribute towards an overall professional atmosphere between yourself and your client.

What are Some Prompts to Begin the Editing Process?

When you don’t know where to begin editing, you can start by jotting down line comments on your first read-through to record your first impression of the client’s work. Then, read the work again and review its plot. Determine if there are any plot holes and if the characterization and setting are thoroughly explained. Do characters need to be further developed? Are vague plot points purposeful or in need of reconstruction? Did the last editor miss any grammar mistakes? Lastly, consider how the work makes you feel on an editing level – you don’t have to agree with the actions of the characters or plot, but is the entire work easy to read? These questions and prompts will help guide you throughout your developmental editing journey and prevent feelings of hesitancy as you pick up your pen or open your computer.

By: Sophia Colombo

National parks are nature’s masterpieces, offering breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and a peaceful escape from the busy modern world. From towering mountains to serene lakes, these protected areas showcase the Earth’s raw beauty.

One of the greatest joys of visiting a national park is the chance to experience unspoiled nature. Whether you’re hiking through lush forests, marveling at cascading waterfalls, or watching wildlife roam freely, every moment feels like a connection to something greater. The changing seasons add to the magic, with vibrant wildflowers in spring, golden foliage in autumn, and snow-covered peaks in winter.

Beyond their beauty, national parks play a vital role in conservation. They protect ecosystems, preserve endangered species, and provide a refuge for future generations to enjoy. Every visit is not just a retreat—it’s a reminder of the importance of preserving these natural wonders.

Whether you seek adventure or tranquility, national parks offer a place to recharge and appreciate the world’s incredible landscapes. So, lace up your hiking boots, breathe in the fresh air, and immerse yourself in nature’s breathtaking beauty.