Deon Ashleigh! Welcome back. How is the new year starting?
Thanks! It’s starting well. I have a big goal I’m aiming for, so I’m excited to plan and work hard to reach it.
Writing as a sanctuary applies to you, but I have a better question: Given that you are so passionate about editing, do you find it a relaxing and “holy” experience?
Sometimes, it’s relaxing. I enjoy seeing how manuscripts and blog posts improve—and even more, seeing how authors improve. But sometimes, I get too fixated on perfection, and it becomes less relaxing. This year, 2023, I’m focusing on doing excellent work without attaching perfection to it. Editing is fun for me, so I’m striving to always have fun.
How do you feel when you are editing a client’s book?
Most times, I enjoy editing client’s books. Sometimes, I feel frustrated that I haven’t done a good enough job, but when the reviews come in, I’m reminded that we’ve both worked hard and produced something great.
What is more relaxing, in your point of view, where do you feel more at home? Writing or editing?
I feel more relaxed writing because I don’t expect it to be perfect. Writing and editing are creative endeavors. I build worlds while writing, but during editing, I create the presentation for the reader. A punctuation mark, formatting choice, sentence arrangement, or how a paragraph looks can change how readers experience the book, so editing takes a lot of experimentation and play. It’s fascinating to me.
I feel equally at home in both art forms, but writing is where I’ve learned to not put so much pressure on myself.
Deon, you read a lot of other writers, your clients’, books, and you work with them for a fair amount of time to notice little things in them. So, allow me to ask you this: can you, and how can you, notice when a writer was “in the zone” when writing a scene?
Oh, this is an awesome question! Every writer I’ve worked with for the past six years has times in their book when they’ve been in the zone. Usually, this may be a section or chapter that just… flows. The description, dialogue, events, and emotions are on point—popping off the page. Any issues in the rest of the manuscript, like stiffness and ambiguity, disappear.
The writers are having fun, and these are the sections I recommend authors reference as they write, especially when we’re doing a developmental edit and the story’s in its early stages.
From your point of view, how can writers that are starting now, and are still figuring stuff out, find their sanctuary, their “zone”?
Most writers, I’d say, have that event or character their excited to write. Sometimes, they’re rushing through other scenes to get to this one particular scene. If new writers can relax and let themselves tell the story that excites them, they can find their zone—and stay in it.
Here’s a few suggestions:
- Don’t write scenes, characters, or anything else that doesn’t make you excited or immersed in the story. It’s your story. For the most part, you can do what you want.
- Don’t be afraid to skip a scene you’re not ready to write yet or that feels boring. I use TK in my manuscript a lot. Later, I search for TK and come back to these areas. You can always come back.
- Let yourself enjoy the world and characters you’re building. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
Weird question: Does editing help you de-stress? If so, how?
Not a weird question. This is a great question I hadn’t thought about. Sometimes, editing helps me stress down. When I let myself enjoy editing—without putting outside pressure on myself—it’s extremely relaxing. Sometimes, I’ll edit for hours on end because I’m enjoying tweaking, adding, erasing, and leaving suggestions.
Also, I put a lot of humor in the notes I leave for authors, so often, I’m laughing loudly while editing.
Does editing help you have a calmer demeanor? I notice you are very calm as a person.
It can relax your demeanor. Editing takes a lot of time and patience. Like testing a video game or business application, it involves a lot of repetition. Editors go over manuscripts—forward and backward—many times. So, it’s a great tool to sculpt your delayed gratification and discipline.
Usually, I’m calm, and even more now that I’m learning to let small things go. Ha, ha!
Another weird question: How do you know you are an editor? I mean, what are the signs that one may be a better editor than writer?
Oh, this is a fantastic question. I’ve written an article about a “writer’s spirit,” but I hadn’t thought about an “editor’s spirit.” I wouldn’t say it’s about being a better editor than a writer, but I think editors are obsessed with improvement. Watching an author and manuscript transform is massively fun for me.
When I get a manuscript back, and it’s clear the author’s storytelling ability has improved, it’s great.
A few signs someone could be an editor is attention to detail, a desire to help others improve, good storytelling ability, and enough humility to suggest, but not push. Remembering that an author’s story is theirs, not yours, can take time. Our job is to help authors shape their stories, not force our ideas on them.
Talking about editing, your excellent services are still available with the promotions. Is that correct?
Yes, that’s right.
I offer free 2,000-word editing samples, and Nanowrimo participants can get 10% off any project(s) until November 2023. This discount is to celebrate my tenth year of writing, as I began in Nanowrimo of 2012.
Code: NANOWRIMO22
You can find me at the following places: Portfolio || Services and rates || Twitter || Website (currently being renovated)
I hope this information was helpful. I’m Deon Ashleigh, and it’s my greatest pleasure to provide developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading, and copywriting.
Please know I’m wishing you so much success with your books.
Before we go, we must ask: You had shared many resources and prompts to help authors on your Buy Me a Coffee, are they still available?
Yes, they are. On my Buy Me A Coffee, I have a free list of 125+ writer’s magazines to pitch (pay rate, rules, contact information), and more! I plan to add more lists over the next couple of months.
Can a writer reading this DM you with a question or an inquiry or should that be done by email for a faster response?
Both will work!
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/EditorAshBonner
Email: abonnereditor@ashleighbonner.com
Thank you so much for letting us know and for being here with us, Deon! Cheers!
You’re welcome, and thank you for having me again. I love getting the chance to be interviewed.
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