This month’s post is short and sweet, but I think it’s important to share why I do what I do, why I chose to be an editor.

I like writing fiction. It doesn’t always come very easily to me, but I do enjoy it, just the same. My first clear memory of writing, other than for school, is from the sixth grade. My best friend was always writing stories, and we, along with another friend, started writing a mystery together, emailing new paragraphs back and forth (side note: being able to email each other was a huge deal for twelve-year-olds at the time, practically our only real connection to the internet – and now I feel old). The story petered out fairly quickly, but over a decade later I am still writing stories with my best friend!

Like I said, though, writing fiction doesn’t always come easily to me. What does come easily is helping other writers. Hence, the editing. As a writer I love that I can create the stories I want to read and explore my own experiences and emotions, but as an editor? Here are three reasons why I love being an editor:

Collaboration and community. Working with writers one-on-one and getting to know and work with new people is an amazing experience. There is a feeling of camaraderie and community amongst writers and editors I find so encouraging. Working with other people and figuring out how and why they think and act and write a certain way is one of the best ways I’ve found to cultivate understanding and love for my fellow human beings.

Watching and helping a story come to life. I’m constantly reading. I’m obsessed with stories. So to be able to not only watch as someone creates a new story, but also be there to help them along the way is incredible. I feel so privileged by the unique opportunity and POV being an editor gives me.

I get to champion someone’s hard work. For as long as I can remember, I’ve enjoyed being “on stage” – sometimes quite literally – but I’ve loved and found so much more fulfillment in being the one behind the scenes, helping the production along, making sure everyone has everything they need to succeed, and then saying, “Look at the brilliant work they are doing!” As an editor, my number one goal is to help authors produce their best work and then share with everyone else the finished product. I want to champion their books because I know firsthand how hard it can be to write, and I know how hard they worked/are working/will work to get to that publication date.

I like to write, I can write well, and I am always working on some story or another, but I want to make this about you. I want to be your editor, work with you one-on-one, help your story come to life, and be your #1 fan! You can hop over here to learn more about my editing background. Let me know in the comments below why you write (or edit) or if there is something I can do to help you!