editing

  • Author interviews

    Jade May is empowering her readers

    This author of spicy contemporary romance is bringing pleasure out of the shadows.

    Jade May author

    Romance authors know all too well that writing about love and relationships will likely lead to a few dismissive remarks and suggestive comments. If your books rank on the higher end of the chilli-rating system, it’s a guarantee. But what these raised eyebrows and sleazy winks fail to acknowledge is the important role that the romance genre plays in making pleasure accessible.

    I was at the Romance Writers’ Association conference in 2024 when bestselling writing duo Christina Lauren gave a rousing speech on how writing and reading romance is a feminist act: one of liberation, body empowerment and inclusivity. Author Jade May’s approach to writing spicy romance fiction echoes that important message.

    Jade has Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune condition that not only flipped her world upside down, but disrupted her connection with her body and femininity. As she explains here, romance helped her find her way back to herself – and now she wants to help as many people as possible discover their own path to pleasure.

    “I hope my novels offer readers a much-needed escape – a safe, empowering space where they can explore desires, fantasies, and kinks without fear of judgment,” Jade says. “I want my stories to be part of that larger fictional world where self-discovery and sexual liberation are celebrated, not shamed.”

    I worked on the line and copyedit for the first two books in Jade’s Eden series – contemporary romances set in the high-stakes world of billionaires, starring strong, empowered women who work at a gentleman’s club called Eden. Yes, they’re seriously spicy, but they’re also funny, heartfelt, and deliciously propulsive.

    Here, Jade opens up about her journey to writing spicy romance, what makes a great spice scene, and why her stories are designed to empower readers.

    Jade, tell us a little bit about who you are and how you got into writing.

    I’m an Australian spicy romance author living in sunny Sydney with my husband and our little whirlwind of a son. By day, I run my own business, and by night – when I’m not dozing off in front of the TV – I’m weaving angsty, steamy love stories.

    I’m a Kindle junkie because, let’s face it, my tiny Sydney home doesn’t have room for a sprawling bookshelf. Dark romance is my favourite sub-genre, and I’ve always been a voracious reader.

    I started writing during the COVID lockdowns – a way to express my creativity into something meaningful. What started as a personal project has now become my greatest passion, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my stories with all of you

    How do you describe the stories you write?

    I’d describe my stories as contemporary spicy romance – steamy, emotional, and full of heart. While the heat level is definitely high (and the scenes can get quite explicit), I wouldn’t call them erotica. For me, the spice is never the main event; it’s there to enhance the storyline, deepen the characters’ connections, and add that extra spark. It’s all about finding the perfect balance between passion and plot.

    Tell us about your new release, Tempted by Eden, and the Eden series. What can readers expect from these stories?

    The Eden series centres around the strong, independent women who work at Eden, a luxurious, exclusive brothel where control and desire intertwine, and the rich and famous indulge in their wildest fantasies. But Eden isn’t just about steamy encounters; it’s a world where secrets unravel, boundaries are tested, and true selves are revealed. As they navigate complex relationships, power struggles, and personal growth, they discover their happily-ever-afters with their irresistible alpha men. It’s a series of passion, betrayal, forbidden love, and self-discovery.

    Tempted by Eden is the first book in this spicy interconnected standalone series, which releases on 19 February, 2025. It’s an enemies-to-lovers office romance with a touch of kink, a dash of angst, and an ending that will leave you swooning. Expect high heat, complex emotions, and kink-positive messages throughout the series.

    Eden is a world where secrets unravel, boundaries are tested, and true selves are revealed.

    Why were you drawn to writing spicy romance fiction?

    I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at thirteen – right at the threshold of teenage life, when so much of your identity is shaped by the experiences you share with others. I spent a large part of those formative years in hospital, missing out on milestones that most teenagers take for granted. But during those long hospital days, I found solace in reading. Back then, I was a fantasy enthusiast, losing myself in epic tales of dragons, vampires, and werewolves.

    As I got older, my tastes shifted toward romance – spicy, empowering, and unapologetically bold. These stories opened my eyes to the multifaceted power of womanhood – its beauty, messiness, and resilience. They gave me the courage to explore my own desires, understand what appealed to me sexually, and connect with my femininity in ways I’d never done before. Romance was the only genre I saw that was created by women, for women, with women placed unapologetically at the centre of the narrative and desire.

    Spicy romance stories gave me the courage to explore my own desires, understand what appealed to me sexually, and connect with my femininity in ways I’d never done before.

    Living with a chronic illness, I’ve often encountered the assumption that disabled people – whether their disabilities are visible or invisible – are somehow sexless or less-than. Romance fiction shattered that narrative for me. It reminded me that we all share the same desires, needs, and vulnerabilities, regardless of our physical limitations. That realisation was deeply empowering and gave me the confidence to embrace my identity fully.

    Writing romance became a natural evolution of that journey. I wanted to create stories that offered the same kind of escape and self-discovery that reading gave me. Through my books, I hope to provide a safe space for women to explore their own desires and fantasies without judgment – while celebrating the messy, beautiful complexities of life, love, and everything in between.

    While reading and writing spicy romances didn’t magically cure my health struggles, it gave me something equally valuable: a space to heal emotionally, rediscover my femininity, and feel truly seen.

    People often dismiss romance as a genre, particularly erotic fiction. What’s your response to those who see romance as less worthy than other genres?

    The numbers don’t lie – romance is one of the most profitable fiction genres, generating around $1.44 billion in sales annually in the US. Clearly, there’s a massive appetite for it, and for good reason. Romance provides an escape, a refuge in a world that often feels chaotic and challenging. It’s a genre that champions sexual liberation, self-discovery, and human connection.

    For me, writing Tempted by Eden was deeply inspired by themes of self-discovery, feminism, and sexual liberation. It’s my hope that my books not only entertain but also provide that same safe space for others to embrace every part of who they are. Romance is anything but “less worthy” – it’s transformative.

    Your books also explore themes around the stigma sex workers face, and even though your female characters play submissive roles with their partners, they are strong, independent women. Is it important to you as a writer to portray sex-positive and feminist characters?

    Absolutely. I aim to emphasise that submission in a relationship or in the bedroom is a choice – a consensual, empowering one – and it’s not a reflection of weakness or lack of independence. My female characters are strong, self-assured, and know exactly what they want. They communicate their needs, assert their desires, and actively participate in creating dynamics that work for them. In fact, in any submissive relationship, the submissive partner holds immense power because they set the boundaries and ensure they are respected.

    The most important takeaway I want readers to have is that kink, including BDSM, is a personal and erotic choice – one grounded in consent, trust, and mutual respect. There’s a misconception that engaging in BDSM, especially as a submissive, somehow negates your feminist values. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Feminism is about choice – the freedom to live authentically and pursue what fulfills you, whether that involves submitting to a partner in an intimate context or not.

    It’s also essential to highlight that submission is about communication, having your needs heard, and creating an environment where you feel safe and valued, regardless of your partner’s gender or identity. My stories aim to challenge the stigma surrounding these dynamics while celebrating empowered, sex-positive women navigating their own paths with confidence and agency.

    Let’s talk about the craft side of it: Your books have some seriously hot spice scenes, which is a real skill! Have you always been good at writing spice or did you have to work at it?

    Spice is definitely something that has come naturally to me – it’s like my comfort zone when writing. The emotions, the tension, the connection – it all flows so easily. Honestly, it’s everything else that takes work! Crafting a strong plot, developing complex characters, and ensuring all the threads come together seamlessly? That’s where I’ve put in the hours. But the spice? That’s where I get to let loose and have fun.

    Write from a place of genuine emotion and connection. Spice isn’t just about the physical – it’s about the tension, the longing, and the intimacy between the characters. Focus on how the scene propels the relationship forward.

    What advice would you give other authors for writing spice?

    I wish I could give a detailed roadmap for writing great spice, but for me, it’s something that flows naturally – I just sit down and let the words take over. That said, I do have to be in the right mindset for it. If I’m not in the mood, the spice won’t translate well on to the page, so I don’t force it. Sometimes, I avoid writing those scenes altogether during certain parts of the month when I’m not feeling it.

    If I had to give advice, I’d say this: write from a place of genuine emotion and connection. Spice isn’t just about the physical – it’s about the tension, the longing, and the intimacy between the characters. Focus on how the scene propels the relationship forward or reveals something new about the characters.

    Ultimately, the best spice comes when you’re enjoying the process. So set the mood, let go of any pressure, and write what feels authentic to your story.

    Tell me a bit about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine that you follow? How do you keep your ideas and words flowing?

    Honestly, this is something I’m still figuring out! I haven’t quite nailed down a writing routine that works perfectly for me. Up until now, my writing has fit in around my health, family, and business – they always come first. I’m currently experimenting with different approaches to see what sticks and what feels sustainable long-term.

    One of my biggest challenges is being a perfectionist. I constantly want to edit and refine as I go, which slows down my progress and sometimes keeps me stuck in the same place. This year, I’m trying something new: writing sprints and committing not to edit or rewrite until I’ve hit 20,000 words. It’s a way to let the story flow and keep myself moving forward.

    I think the key is to stay flexible and patient with yourself. Writing is a creative and personal process, and what works for one person might not work for another. It’s all about finding your rhythm and allowing yourself the grace to adjust as you go.

    What’s your favourite writing craft tip or mantra?

    My favourite writing mantra is: Don’t force it. If you’re not feeling it, step away. Writing when you’re uninspired often leads to work that doesn’t feel authentic – and more often than not, you’ll end up rewriting it later. Let the ideas come naturally, and when you’re in the right mindset, the words will flow and truly resonate on the page. Writing should feel like a connection, not a chore.

    I really enjoyed copyediting two of your books last year and especially loved the humour and depth you injected into your stories – the characters are really relatable and vibrant. You also have a great sense of how to pull readers through a book. How important is editing to your process?

    Thank you so much – you’re too kind! It’s funny you mention the humour because I never intentionally set out to inject it into my books, but it somehow sneaks in through my writing style. I guess it’s just a natural part of how I tell stories!

    Editing, though, is absolutely fundamental to my process – it’s where the magic really happens. I usually start with a first draft to get the story down, then move on to a second draft to polish and refine. After that, it’s off to developmental editing, where I make sure the structure and characters are as strong as they can be. Then comes another round of revisions, followed by line and copyediting to tighten the prose and perfect the details. Finally, I wrap it all up with proofreading to catch any lingering errors.

    Each stage of editing is critical, and I truly believe it’s what transforms a story into something special. It’s hard work, but seeing the final result – something I’m proud to share with readers – makes it all worth it.

    Can you tell us what you’re working on at the moment?

    Right now, I’m deep into the third book of the Eden series – but it’s all under wraps for now! I can’t share too much just yet, but what I can promise is the same signature mix of heat, emotion, and angst from my other books. Stay tuned – this one’s going to be worth the wait.

    Finally, where can we buy your books and follow your author journey?

    You can grab Tempted by Eden on Kindle Unlimited from 19 February. Seduced by Eden is available at all online retailers for pre-orders and will release on 21 May. After its release, it will move exclusively to Amazon – so don’t miss your chance to snag it on other platforms. For collectors, my special limited-edition foil hardbacks, printed in stunning full colour, are available on my website – they’re absolutely gorgeous!

    Stay connected and follow my author journey on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Facebook: @authorjademay. Join my reader group, Jade May’s Manor, or sign up for my newsletter to stay in the loop and get exclusive updates.

    PS: Writers, if you’d like to chat about line and copyediting for your romance, drop me a line for a free sample edit and Zoom call.

  • How-to

    How to use dashes: a guide for authors

    Get a handle on how to use en and em dashes in fiction and non-fiction writing

    Welcome to the much-requested follow-up to my hyphen blog post! I’m here to walk you through how to use dashes in fiction and non-fiction writing, because I know you love them but you don’t always know if you need them.

    What are dashes?

    Let’s be clear: I’m not talking about hyphens (-) here. We covered that in this post. Dashes are similar but longer horizontal lines that have an entirely different role to play in your writing.

    Depending on your preference or your region, you may be more familiar with an en dash (–) or an em dash (—). The en dash is more often seen in British and Australian English texts, while the em dash is common in the land that loves everything bigger: America, of course!

    This is not a hard and fast rule: you can use whatever length dash in any location, as long as you’re consistent. Their names are a throwback to the early days of typesetting: an en dash is a line that is approximately the width of the letter N, while the em dash is about the width of the letter M.

    Spacing around dashes

    You might have noticed that dashes are often used with or without spaces around them. Often, an en dash is ‘spaced’. It looks like – this.

    Em dashes are often seen ‘closed’, like—this. But they can also be left ‘open’, like — this.

    How to type en dashes and em dashes

    If you use a Mac, it’s easy.

    • En dash: option + hyphen [-]
    • Em dash: option + shift + hyphen [-]

    For Windows users, it’s a little more complicated.

    In Microsoft Word, you can type a hyphen [-] with spaces around it and it will automatically convert to a dash. For an em dash, type two hyphens without spaces around them and it will convert to a closed em dash.

    Or use these shortcuts:

    • En dash: ctrl + hyphen [-]
    • Em dash: alt + ctrl + hyphen [-]

    Outside of Microsoft Office programs, use these shortcuts:

    • Em dash: alt + 0151
    • En dash: alt + 0150

    If your dream is a keyboard with an em or en dash key, you could map a key you don’t often use to type your preferred dash.

    Which dash is best?

    There’s no right or wrong here. It’s a style choice. In the UK and Australia, we tend to use spaced en dashes. US readers will probably be more familiar with closed em dashes. Consider using the style that your audience will be familiar with. The most important thing is to be consistent, so if you usually use en dashes, don’t just throw in a closed em dash when you feel particularly, er, dashing.

    There are a few caveats (of course. This is English we’re talking about). In some cases, an en or em dash is the correct option, regardless of your style for dashes. Let’s go through the uses for dashes.

    Dashes that separate a word, clause or phrase from the main clause

    This is, I think, the most common use of dashes and the most commonly confused. We use dashes (en or em) to add information, an explanation, a humorous aside, or to interject. I see writers become concerned that using dashes in this way is somehow incorrect, which I think stems from the fact that dashes are just one way of punctuating these kinds of sentences; you can also use parentheses and commas.

    Let’s take a look:

    • The man – a stranger – was tall and imposing.

    You could also write this sentence as:

    • The man, a stranger, was tall and imposing.
    • The man (a stranger) was tall and imposing.

    None of these are wrong, but consider the impact of each punctuation choice. For me, the dashes give the sentence greater tension than the quieter comma or the gentle aside of the parentheses. The emphasis on the stranger is stark, pointing out that the reader should take special note of this information. The parentheses and the commas don’t give the same sense of foreboding or danger. So if you’re debating whether to use a dash or alternative punctuation, try writing them out and seeing if the tone of the sentence changes. Sometimes you might not want the drama of the dashes!

    Dashes can also be used to create a sense of humour or sarcasm. Think of them like a comedic beat. For example:

    • The kids were helping in the kitchen – well, that’s how they put it.
    • Trump said the trial was ‘very terrible’ – it was certainly an ordeal for our reporters.

    You can also use a dash instead of a colon. For instance:

    • At last, the man told them his name: Michael.
    • At last, the man told them his name – Michael.

    Or you might be tossing up between a dash and a semicolon. For example:

    • She knew all about the new guy – everyone did.
    • She knew all about the new guy; everyone did.

    And remember, you can use closed em dashes if that’s your style:

    • The man—a stranger—was imposing.
    • At last, the man told them his name—Michael.
    • She knew all about the new guy—everyone did.

    As with so much in writing, whether to use a dash or an alternative punctuation mark is up to you and your unique style. You might feel that a colon is too formal for your project, or that parentheses don’t belong in dialogue. These are valid arguments, and if you feel strongly about it, always communicate that with your editor so they know your preferences.

    Dashes in dialogue

    Another really important use of dashes in fiction (and non-fiction, especially narrative non-fiction) is to set off narrative description when it interrupts dialogue.

    You probably already know all about using action beats in dialogue (if not, stay tuned for a blog post soon). When these fall between full sentences, it looks like this (the action beat is in bold):

    • ‘I did the job, just like you asked.’ Michael ran a sweaty palm down his leg. ‘I want my money.’

    But when the action beat interrupts a sentence, you can use dashes to show action happening at the same time as the speech. Take a look at this:

    • ‘I did the job’ – Michael ran a sweaty palm down his leg – ‘and now I want my money.’

    If you’re using closed em dashes, it would look like this:

    • ‘I did the job’—Michael ran a sweaty palm down his leg—‘and now I want my money.’

    We also use dashes to indicate when dialogue is interrupted. Usually (not always!), we use em dashes for this, regardless of whether the overall style is for en dashes or not. Take a look at this:

    • ‘Michael, the job just wasn’t worth—’
    • ‘I told you, I want my money!’

    While a closed em dash is the simplest way to indicate broken-off speech, some style guides will differentiate between a spaced em dash after a complete word to indicate a broken-off sentence, and a closed-up em dash to indicate a broken-off word:

    • To indicate an interrupted sentence: ‘Michael, the job just wasn’t worth —’
    • To indicate an interrupted word: ‘Michael, the job just wasn’t wor—’

    Other style guides might use spaced en dashes instead of em dashes for interruptions. Take a look at this conversation between Taylor and Andie in That Island Feeling by Karina May, published by Pan Macmillan.

    • ‘I won’t hear another word about it! We’re taking you away,’ I announce.
    • ‘But I don’t –’
    • ‘I know the perfect place.’

    It’s worth noting that no other punctuation is needed after the dash before the closing quotation mark. For example, please don’t ever write: ‘But I don’t —,’ or ‘But I don’t—.’

    What about the sentence following the interruption – shouldn’t that begin with a dash, you might ask? I see this a lot, but the only case for it is when the sentence is interrupted and a different character or the same character finishes the same sentence. Take a look at this example from Not Here to Make Friends by Jodi McAlister, published by Simon & Schuster, in which Lily and Murray are discussing their first job on a reality TV show:

    •  ‘It’s a long game,’ I said. ‘First, we learn the rules. And then—’
    • ‘—we seize the means of production?’

    Here, Murray is finishing the sentence for Lily, so the opening dash shows that it’s the one sentence. Similarly, you might have one character’s sentence interrupted by action and dialogue, like this:

    • ‘Look, I love him and—’
    • The doorbell rang and my parents’ heads swivelled to the sound.
    • ‘Darling, the pizza’s here. Can this wait?’ Mum asked gently.
    • ‘—I’m going to marry him, dammit!’ I yelled.
    If the character had responded to Mum’s question about the pizza (therefore beginning a new sentence), it would be punctuated like this: 
     
    • ‘Look, I love him and—’
    • The doorbell rang and my parents’ heads swivelled to the sound.
    • ‘Darling, the pizza’s here. Can this wait?’ Mum asked gently.
    • ‘No, it absolutely cannot!’ I yelled.

    Dashes that indicate halting speech

    In my guide to hyphens I showed how to use hyphens to indicate stuttered speech. Similarly you can use dashes to show speech that is faltering or hesitant, with dashes between each full word. This is great way to show a character who is flustered, rushed or nervous. Here’s an example with both em dashes and en dashes.

    • Em dashes: ‘I don’t—I mean, I can’t—I just—I’m not sure about this, Mandy.’
    • En dashes: ‘I don’t – I mean, I can’t – I just – I’m not sure about this, Mandy.’

    If you wanted to show the sentence trailing off, you could use an ellipsis alongside your dashes:

    • ‘I just – I don’t know … I’m not sure, Mandy.’

    Dashes between words of equal importance

    While hyphens are used to join two or more words to create a single unit, an en dash can be used in a similar way to show an equal relationship between the words. For example:

    • win–win
    • work–life balance
    • on–off relationship
    • doctor–patient confidentiality
    This is always the job of an en dash, even if your style is to use em dashes as dashes generally.

    Dashes in a range

    Again, regardless of your style, use en dashes only to replace ‘to’ and ‘from’ in a range:

    • Monday–Friday
    • 9.30am–5pm
    • 1980–1990

    Dashes to indicate omitted text

    Want to use swear words without swearing? Use em dashes (and only em dashes). Want to mention a person without actually revealing the name? Use em dashes. A closed em dash indicates that part of the word is missing, while a spaced em dash indicates the entire word has been omitted.

    • ‘You are a real piece of s—, you are,’ he said.
    • The antique belongs to Mrs — of Highgate.

    Author Meg Mason uses this technique to devastating effect in her book Sorrow and Bliss published by Fourth Estate. Two em dashes (indicating two missing words) are used throughout to conceal the name of Martha’s mental illness, forcing the reader to set aside unconscious biases and focus on the character’s experience. Here’s an example of how it was used:

    • All of it had been chosen by a woman who as far as she knew did not have — —, a woman who just thought she wasn’t good at being a person.

    Common mistakes with dashes

    The biggest dash clangers I see as an editor?

    • * Not using en or em dashes consistently
    • * Adding a comma or full stop after a dash used to indicate an interrupted sentence

    Most of the time, though, I think authors have a good instinct for using them to indicate an aside or to separate a clause or phrase within a sentence, so don’t stress about your dashes – follow your heart!

    All you have to decide now is which dash you prefer – are you an en or an em dash author?

    If you have more questions about how to use dashes in your writing, drop me a line. I can also help you manage your punctuation mishaps with a line and copyedit for your work in progress. Get in touch for a free sample edit. 

  • Editing, How-to, Uncategorized

    5 ways to improve your manuscript

    Good news! These tips don’t involve any writing.

    Feeling a bit of writer’s block? Don’t worry, there are lots of ways to improve your manuscript without having to labour over sentences and story arc.

    Here are five ways to give your work-in-progress a lift, without lifting your word count.

    1. Brush up formatting

    Go through your manuscript and make sure each chapter is set on a new page (use a page break instead of hitting that return button), chapters are numbered in order, and you’ve used an easy-to-read font like Times New Roman 12 pt, with double or 1.5 line spacing.

    This will instantly improve your manuscript by giving it a more consistent and professional appearance, and save you time later when you’re getting it ready to submit to publishers or agents.

    2. Check regional spelling

    Did you know there are lots of variations of English? Depending on your target audience, you can choose the one your readers will be most familiar with. If you’re publishing in Australia, use Australian English. This means you’ll be following the Macquarie Dictionary for spelling variations. If you’re aiming for the US market, go with US English – the Merriam-Webster is a great resource (and it’s free!). For British readers, use UK English and the Oxford Dictionary.

    Choosing a regional English language helps you to maintain consistency across your manuscript. It ensures you catch words that are spelled differently in different countries – like curb and kerb, cosy and cozy – and it will guide you on regional terms such as trash can or garbage bin, sidewalk or pavement, lollies or candy, cell phone or mobile phone – the list goes on.

    3. Look at consistency

    I can’t emphasise enough how important consistency is in making a finished manuscript look professional! As the author, you get to make a lot of decisions about the words you want to use and your preferred spelling variations to ensure consistency. Run searches for words that can be spelled differently, such as OK vs okay, and choose one to use throughout. You should also check whether you’ve used punctuation such as quote marks (single or double) and dashes (en or em) consistently throughout.

    Note: in Australia, we tend to use single quote marks with nested doubles, eg: ’Hey, did you hear that song, “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter?’ The US tends to reverse this: double quotes with nested singles, eg: “No, I much prefer Dua Lipa‘s new song, ’Illusion’.

    Consistency affects loads of elements: You can also make a note of how you’ll use numbers (as a basic starting point, we often see numbers one to ninety-nine spelled out and 100+ as numerals in books), show time (words or figures), address capitalisation in headings, punctuate abbreviations and more.

    And of course, it affects aspects such as character features and setting details as well. Taking note of whether your main character has blue eyes and always wears rose-scented perfume will ensure you don’t confuse readers by mixing up those foundational details later in the story.

    4. Review character names

    Do any of your characters have similar sounding names? If you have two characters with names that look and sound alike – Dave and Dan or Lisa and Liz, for instance – it’s a good idea to change one of them, to ensure readers don’t get confused about who’s doing what. This applies to minor characters too!

    Even if you don’t think your characters’ names are similar, they can appear that way on the page to a reader who’s skimming over a paragraph. So even sharing the same initial can be enough to warrant changing a character name.

    While you’re there, keep an eye out for characters’ names that have changed during the course of the novel. This happens more often than you might think!

    5. Weed out repetition

    Do you already know which words you have a tendency to use in every second sentence? If so, do a search and see how many instances you can remove to ensure they don’t become repetitive. This applies to elements such as speech tags and action beats, too. You might find you’re often making your characters fiddle with their hair or exclaim loudly!

    If you haven’t yet twigged to your crutch words, start by searching for adverbs: really, very, finally, actually and completely are common, and most of the time you don’t need them. Take a look and see how many you can weed out! It’ll make your writing so much stronger.

    Don’t feel bad that you’ve developed a writing crutch – it’s natural to reach for the same words over and over, especially when working on a full-length novel. Looking out for them so you can change it up is all part of the editing process – and it’s a powerful way to improve your manuscript.

    Want some help maintaining consistency in your work? Reach out about line and copyediting. I’ll look out for all these aspects and more, and will record all decisions in a style sheet so you can keep track of your preferences throughout the publishing process.

  • Editing

    What is an author-sensitive editorial approach?

    A note on my editorial values.

    Recently I was speaking with a potential client who expressed their fears around sharing their work with other people. They had a fiction manuscript that only a few trusted confidants had seen, and now they were gearing up to show it to a professional – but they were nervous. What if an editor told them it was a total mess and they needed to start again? Or worse, to give up writing altogether?

    I understood their concerns completely, and I reassured them that their worst-case scenario was very unlikely to come true – with me as their editor, at least. The conversation got me thinking about my editorial values and why I’m so passionate about identifying as an author-sensitive editor.

    I can’t take credit for this terminology – I first heard it when I was learning about structural editing from the wonderful fiction editor Nicola O’Shea. But the concept resonated deeply with me and I knew instantly that this would inform my approach as I set up my editorial business.

    What is it?

    An author-sensitive approach means that I consider the author’s feelings and experience with every edit I make. 

    It’s not about pandering or going soft on an author who can’t hack constructive criticism. Rather, it’s about remembering, always, that being invited to share feedback on someone’s work – especially when it’s a manuscript that’s taken many weeks, months or years to write – is a privilege. 

    Opening yourself up to feedback is a big and scary step, but an essential one. And it deserves to be treated with care and respect. 

    My experience

    I know exactly how intimidating it can feel to share your hard work with others because I’ve been there.

    As a journalist, I’ve had many people critique my work. Not all of their feedback could be described as sensitive! 

    In a busy newsroom, editors and subeditors will slash your copy with a red pen or tell you straight up that your work isn’t good enough. There’s very little time to be gentle when a newspaper needs to go to print. I entered this world as a fresh-faced and eager but very thin-skinned 19-year-old cadet journalist, and let me tell you, it was a steep learning curve. 

    Later, working in magazines, I learned that even though you might have a great idea for a story, if you can’t illustrate it, it’s dead in the water. That your voice is never more important than the magazine’s tone and style. And if you don’t get the words right the first time, you might not get another chance to rework your draft. Instead, the subeditor will do that for you. Because: deadlines.

    I also learned that listening to feedback, whatever the delivery style, is the fastest way to develop as a writer.

    All this to say, I completely understand what authors go through in sharing their work with editors and I have enormous respect for anyone willing to be vulnerable enough to do so, knowing that their story will be stronger for it. But if I can make that process an enjoyable one for authors, I absolutely will. 

    My experiences as a young journalist might have helped me toughen up and get used to receiving feedback, but honestly, I don’t think that I’m better for the harsher critiques. It was the mentors who took the time and care to guide me gently towards better writing who I learned the most from. And as an editor myself, I’ve seen over and over again how a respectful, collaborative and sensitive approach can make an author feel excited and inspired to get stuck into their next draft. 

    To put it simply, I just don’t believe that tough love or shaming are the ingredients that creativity needs to flourish. 

    My editorial values

    So, what does an author-sensitive approach look like? For me, these four values guide my work, whether it’s a structural edit or a line and copy-edit. 

    Respect for craft: Writing a novel is a huge undertaking. I have enormous respect for anyone who has been able to sustain their inspiration for the marathon that a fiction manuscript demands, and for the craft of translating their ideas into a story. This level of dedication and skill deserves to be celebrated.

    Positive feedback: I always highlight what an author has done well, whether it’s a beautiful turn of phrase, excellent dialogue, fine-tuned pacing or deep characterisation. I see your efforts and I applaud them.

    Gentle suggestions: The author is always in control of their story, so I frame my feedback as suggestions, not demands. If it doesn’t resonate with you, no problem. Often, my suggestions will act as a springboard to your own solutions. The idea is to inspire your creativity, not stifle it.

    Empowerment and encouragement: If you’re waiting for me to give you a verdict on whether you can write or not, or whether you should give up writing and go back to your day job, forget it. I don’t do absolutes and I don’t offer judgements on your inherent talent (I’m all about a growth mindset here!). What I will do is highlight your strengths and show you what areas you need to work on, because I believe good writing is something that people can and do learn. I’ll encourage you to keep going and I’ll empower you to work on the next steps yourself, because this is your story. As your editor, I’m your cheerleader!

    Is an author-sensitive approach for everyone? 

    For some people, my approach might feel too soft and gentle – they just want the feedback, and they don’t need the frills! I get that too, and that’s why I really recommend having a chat before booking a service with any editor, so you can see if you gel. Editing is an investment, so you want to make sure you feel confident and comfortable with who you’re working with. 

    One other thing I’ll mention: as part of my author sensitive approach, I want to deliver my edits in an accessible way. So if you’d prefer your structural editorial report delivered as an audio file rather than written material, for instance, I can do that. I can also change the colour of my mark-up in Word if there’s a colour combo that’s better for you visually. I’m open to feedback here, so whatever you need, just ask and I’ll do my best to make it happen.

    If you like the sound of my author-sensitive approach, I’d love to chat with you about your fiction manuscript. To get the ball rolling, drop me a line here.

  • Author interviews

    Samantha L. Valentine is writing it like it is

    The Meet Me in Berlin author on why realism is essential for a great romance.

    It’s the most romantic premise: two lovers from opposite sides of the globe vow to meet in the same place at the same time every year if they should ever lose one another. It’s also pretty unrealistic, which is why Sam Valentine says she made sure the rest of her new novel, Meet Me in Berlin, was unflinchingly true to life. In this contemporary romance, Casey, a British art curator, and Holly, an Australian photographer, grapple with grief, infidelity and heartbreak on their way to their HEA.

    That’s not to say Meet Me in Berlin is a heavy read – it’s balanced with plenty of laughter and spice too, which made working on the copy-edit earlier this year a real joy for me. 

    This is Sam’s second novel – her first, Normal Functioning Adult, has just been re-released under her own publishing company – and her work has also been featured in the Romance Writers Australia Sweet Treats anthology. As Meet Me in Berlin hits shelves, I asked Sam to share her thoughts about writing realistic characters in romance, the diversity missing from Australian fiction, and why she recently made the switch from hybrid to indie publishing.

    This is a long read but a really juicy one as we explore some topical issues – grab a cuppa, settle in and enjoy! 

    Sam, it was so lovely to to work with you on Meet Me in Berlin. Can you share the story behind this book? What inspired it?

    It was mid-March 2022 when I first had the idea for this book, which came overnight! I wasn’t sure what was happening with Normal Functioning Adult (my first novel), and I was a bit down about receiving yet another rejection. A writer I was friendly with at the time had just started indie publishing short romances and suggested putting NFA to the side and trying something else – maybe writing a romance to indie publish. Immediately, I grabbed a notebook and googled Shakespeare plays for plot inspiration. Somehow The Comedy of Errors gave me the idea (I think it was the accidental meeting after a lifetime apart bit) of two people meeting, losing touch and looking for one another years later in a foreign city. I think the wedding shambles from Much Ado About Nothing gave me the idea of someone running from a wedding. The following day in my lunchbreak at work, I combined those ideas, scribbled out a basic plot and started writing that night. Ten days later, I had a very rough 38,000-word draft and it grew from there, taking a good year or so to complete.

    Other than getting the initial idea from a couple of Shakespeare plays, the events of the novel really weren’t inspired by anyone or anything – it’s all fiction – but the idea of ‘if we lose each other then we’ll return to this spot, on this day, at this time every year until we find each other’ was so unrealistic to me (yes, my own idea was unrealistic to me), I was inspired to make the rest of the novel as true to life as I could to make that concept believable. 

    Both your lead characters work in the art world and there are a couple of paintings that become meaningful for Holly and Casey. What role does art play in your life?

    Art and photography (how they feature in the novel) don’t play much of a role in my life at all. My wife is quite a good artist (drawing and painting), and we’ll go to exhibitions now and then, but I really don’t know a lot about paintings or the art scene, and I know even less about photography. 

    I stumbled upon Italia und Germania and Sappho and Erinna (the paintings referenced in the novel) when I was looking for art that suited the plot and characters, and I thought both worked well with the storyline, so I found ways to work them in. I also discovered a UK art podcast called The Week in Art, which I listened to every week while I was writing the novel, and I found a good photography podcast too. I still listen to the art podcast each week – it’s my comfort listen when I’m grocery shopping. I also love that my cover designer (who reads every novel she designs a cover for) modelled the illustration of Holly and Casey on the Sappho and Erinna painting and a scene in the book where they take a photo of themselves in a similar embrace.

    What did you find most fun or interesting about writing Meet Me in Berlin?

    It was a fun novel to write! Revisiting London and Berlin (virtually) was great, particularly London as I lived there for eight years and have such fond memories of that time. I even snuck in a street reference where I lived for a few years (Cruden Street in Angel). It was also fun to write a character like Casey who is very different from me – a mixed-race woman from East London. I did quite a bit of research to write Casey, which was interesting and insightful, particularly a book I read called Biracial Britain by Remi Adekoya. I liked writing British characters in general, too, as I did my linguistics degree in London and studied British English and English dialects, and my wife is British (not from London) so she likes that the novel features British characters. Making a silly concept like ‘if we lose each other, then we’ll come back to this spot, on this day, at this time, until we find each other’ realistic was also fun (and a bit challenging).

    I loved the way both characters deal with quite difficult circumstances and you don’t shy away from depicting morally grey actions, which we don’t always see in romance. I think it’s a great way to illustrate the growth of your characters. What made you want to lean into a realistic take rather than an idealised one?

    I’m not sure it was a case of wanting to – it’s just my style as a storyteller. I generally always write stories with a realistic take, but they’ll also have sprinklings of idealism, or at least convenient plot events to give a story a happier spin. Maybe that comes from growing up on fairytales, which are fantastic for conflict, flawed and morally grey characters, villains, dark themes, but also happy endings, satisfying character growth and positive coincidences. I’m a fairly down-to-earth, authentic and practical person and this probably comes through in my writing. That doesn’t mean I am my characters, of course, far from it, and I intentionally work hard to make my characters very different to me (my stories would be very boring if they were based on my life and I only wrote what I knew). So flawed characters who make questionable decisions (not necessarily always morally grey) will likely feature in all of my longer stories (maybe even my short stories, too — my RWA Sweet Treats anthology story certainly isn’t idealised and it will hopefully stand out for that reason). 

    Obviously there’s nothing wrong with idealised romances if that’s what people enjoy reading or authors like to write, but to me, fiction is an art form and art reflects society. Do we live in an idealised society? No. Is love and romance always idealistic, perfect and puritan? No. At its core, romance is about relationships, so it makes sense that it would contain realistic elements involving human actions and emotions. Humans are messy and flawed, their actions often a result of deep-seated wounds or their life experiences. Love and relationships can be complex and complicated. So why not show all of this in fiction as a depiction of contemporary life? That said, at the same time, novels are also great for escapism and relaxation and getting lost in other worlds, and this is where adding those idealistic elements, like happy endings or coincidences that wouldn’t actually happen in real life can help.  

    Love and relationships can be complex and complicated. So why not show all of this in fiction as a depiction of contemporary life?

    It’s interesting to me that there’s often this expectation in contemporary fiction, mainly women’s fiction and romance, that novels mirror modern society in terms of what characters do, say and think, but when a book has flawed, morally grey characters and actions that would actually happen in the real world, it’s often not well received. That seems very contradictory to me. I’ve even had a beta reader of another story tell me my character couldn’t think something because they were judging another character! To have a character only act and even think in a certain way is preposterous. 

    So far, I’ve received some really great reviews and feedback for Meet Me in Berlin, which is wonderful, and quite a few readers have commented how much they like the flawed characters. So I think generally readers do like reading about conflict and complicated actions. However, I’ve also received some not-so-great reviews, which is fine, that doesn’t bother me so much, and readers can dislike books and review however they want. But the content of some of these reviews has surprised me, which ties into the idealised view of romance books and morally grey characters. 

    In the case of Berlin, this relates to infidelity. Firstly, novels aren’t manuals for life. It’s not a novelist’s job to set the world to rights with their stories. Stories need conflict and how the plot unfolded around this topic in Berlin created the perfect conflict, both external and internal. Secondly, the way it pans out is very realistic. So many people become unhappy in relationships, even when they’re about to get married, but don’t know how to leave and end up doing something stupid as a way to get out of the relationship. People also fall for other people when they’re in relationships – it happens! Is it a hurtful, shitty thing to do? Of course it is, but I wasn’t going to turn my fictional story into a non-fiction moral compass on fidelity – who am I to tell people how to manage their relationships? I’m an author making up stories – the characters aren’t me and their story isn’t mine. I’ll also say that I’m purely talking about character flaws and morally grey actions here; I don’t think filling a book with hateful content or behaviours towards certain groups for no reason under the guise of fiction is okay.

    You’ve also said you want the world to read more diverse Australian stories. Why is that important and what do you think is missing from Australian literature?

    I don’t believe Australian fiction is nearly as diverse as people like to think it is, and I’m not sure it’s improving much either. I’ll focus on the Australian lesbian/sapphic space because that’s my area. I could count on one hand (maybe two) the traditionally published adult lesbian/sapphic novels that have been produced in this country in the past few years. There has been a small increase in lesbian/sapphic romances (of varying subgenres) overseas, and there are some Australian own voices authors with international publishers, mostly romance authors as well. But sapphic women are more than coming-out stories (which is often a YA story) and romance! 

    I see Australian agents and publishers seeking ‘diversity’, yet their actions don’t appear to support a lot of diverse fiction, because in reality, it’s about business and markets. 

    I also don’t like this notion that queer stories have to be happy ones (like YA and idealised romance). Queer women do all the things heterosexual women do – they work, get divorced, have families, grieve, have addictions, lose people, take drugs, have mental health issues, struggle with life, have affairs, get into debt and so forth, so where are these stories with lesbian characters? They’re certainly not being published by Australian publishers and I doubt it’s because they’re not being written. 

    Both Normal Functioning Adult and Meet Me in Berlin were taken seriously by big five publishers, but NFA was turned down because they didn’t know how to market it (it’s just women’s fiction but features gay women – it couldn’t be marketed alongside other women’s fiction?) and Berlin was turned down despite the publisher loving the book because apparently the market is saturated with rom-com type novels (although it’s hardly saturated with Australian sapphic rom-coms) and retailers only want the big-name authors at the moment, i.e., authors big on BookTok. So Australian publishers and agents can scream diversity all they want but at the end of the day it doesn’t trump markets, and until it does, we won’t see an increase in Australian traditionally published diverse fiction. 

    Sapphic women are more than coming-out stories and romance! 

    This is why indie publishing is popular for lesbian and sapphic fiction, because it really is the only option for so many of us. I also see a lot of people saying ‘it’s better than it was’ or ‘there’s loads of LGBTQ books now’ because queer YA is becoming more popular globally, which is great, but YA is just one genre and it’s very different to adult lesbian fiction, so it’s frustrating when people lump the entire community into one basket. Also, so many people get their books from walking into bookshops, Big W or the library. They won’t find indie published or small press digital-only books in there, so they’ll continue to never know such stories exist.

    I also see a lot of binaries in fiction – books are gay or straight, black or white, male or female, there’s very little middle ground. Something that hasn’t yet been picked up in Meet Me in Berlin by any reader and that was intentional on my part, is the blurred binary theme running through the novel – Casey is biracial, Holly is bisexual, and Dante (the wedding planner) is non-binary. Something small, but it was me saying not all fiction has to fit into a binary. 

    Let’s talk about the publication journey. Your first novel, Normal Functioning Adult, was with hybrid publisher Shawline, but you’ve since switched to indie publishing. Was working with a hybrid publisher a good training-wheels step?

    Yes, I think so. At the time of deciding to go down this path, thinking about indie publishing and doing all the things I knew I’d have to do to get a book out there was too much for me to get my head around. I knew the costs involved in getting an editor, cover designer etc., and the time it would take me to indie publish, so I went with a hybrid because the outlay was about the same. While it didn’t end up being the right path for me, it gave me the opportunity to get my novel out into the world, build an author platform, learn more about publishing contracts and processes, meet some new authors, and I made a great friend (another Shawline author) that I am so grateful is in my life now. 

    Also, the timing of everything worked out well because I was able to align the republication of Normal Functioning Adult with the release of Meet Me in Berlin meaning I could use the same cover designer, which has been great for branding, and I created a business name to publish under so I was able to coordinate this across the two novels and get the same designer to create publishing logos for me, which appear on the spine and in the front of the both books. 

    So I feel like the way it all worked out was all meant to be!

    What are the upsides to indie publishing?

    Being able to source my own cover designer, editors, proofreaders, and set my own release dates has been great. I’ve also really liked being able to do my own typesetting and being able to update my manuscript so easily if there’s an error or issue. Higher royalties are also an advantage.

    What do you find challenging? Do you have any advice you can share with other authors?

    Indie publishing has been challenging because there is so much to do, and just getting my head around all the things has blown my mind a bit! Although getting two full length novels ready to indie publish at the same time was a bit full on – I don’t recommend doing that. Dealing with Ingram Spark, Amazon etc has been tricky. My advice for those who’d like to indie publish is to set yourself a release date that gives you plenty of time to do everything you need to do. Then start looking into indie publishing, the different options and platforms, make yourself a plan and away you go. Think about editors and cover designers ahead of time because the good ones are often booked up months in advance. If you have a Mac, invest in Vellum (typesetting software) because it will save you a stack of money in typesetting fees (I bought it at a reduced price on Cyber Monday). There’s also quite a few good indie publishing Facebook groups and look at other indie authors to see what they’re doing.

    What’s your experience of the editing process like, having been through it a few times now for your books?

    So far I’ve had good experiences with editors, so I’ve been lucky, and I enjoy sending my stories out for editing feedback. I’m okay at editing my own stories, too, since I did editing in my Master’s, and I also did the Cut, Shape and Polish course through Australian Writers Centre, which I found really helpful for reviewing my own novels. But there’s always a layer of subjectivity when self-editing so I like to send my work out to someone else to edit.

    My advice for those who’d like to indie publish is to set yourself a release date that gives you plenty of time to do everything you need to do.

    Can you share any insights or aha moments that came to you during the editing process?

    For the developmental edit I had for Meet Me in Berlin, it was interesting to have another person’s view of the characters and plot because often editors will see what the authors can’t. Sophia, my developmental editor, gave some great recommendations to shape the novel, and I changed quite a few scenes from that edit. It was also interesting to have a different perspective on the characters. The description that is in the blurb about Casey, that she ‘works hard, plays hard and loves hard’ comes straight from Sophia. Although I’d spent a year writing Casey before sending the novel out for edit, I had never thought of her in those terms, but it was the perfect description for that character. 

    Your copy-edit was also an eye-opener because I had no idea how much I used certain words and action beats, and there were so many sentences that I wasn’t happy with, but I’d read the novel that many times it got to the point where I just couldn’t think of alternative phrases or words, so the copy-edit really helped with that. And picking up my Terry’s Chocolate Orange error was brilliant! [Note: A helpful thing that editors can offer is fact-checking! In this instance I double-checked a reference to this chocolate’s packaging and corrected the colour of the wrapper for Sam.]

    What stage of editing do you find most helpful?

    I find them all really helpful. A structural edit is great, but it often results in a stack of rewriting and reworking characters and plot! Copy-edits are great because you feel like you’re closer to finalising and it helps clean up all those clunky sentences and repetitions. Proofing is also good because by that stage you’ve read your own novel that many times that you think there couldn’t possibly be any mistakes, but there always is and I’m always interested to see what my own eyes missed.

    I know you work full-time, so fitting writing in must be tricky! How do you stay on track with your writing goals?

    I certainly had to give things up in order to write, like TV. Other than the news and a few shows here and there, I barely watch TV anymore and that gives me a lot of more time to do writerly things. To fit it all in around my day job, I mostly write/do author stuff in my lunch breaks (it’s amazing how much you can get done in a 45-minute lunch break if you focus), evenings, weekends and holidays. I don’t much else in my spare time – I hang out with my wife and dogs and see family and friends, but otherwise I’m usually doing author stuff of some description. 

    After a big push to release two books this year, what’s next for you?

    I have a few stories sitting there I’m planning to get back to. I’m starting with a short story I wrote last year that I’d like to extend into a longer short story and publish as a digital-only release, possibly for Sapphic September. It’s a light-hearted, fun, contemporary romance (at this stage anyway, that could change!). I’d say it’s a fish-out-of-water trope.

    Finally, Sam, what would you like your books to be known for?

    I like the idea of my books being known for something that’s just a little bit different, like romance that has a bit of edge and grit, or engaging women’s fiction that features diverse characters. Regardless of the genre, I definitely would like my books to be known for being authentic stories with real-life themes and storylines that feature flawed, realistic characters. 

    Find Sam’s books and sign up for her monthly newsletter via her website. You can follow Sam on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Goodreads and Amazon.

  • How-to

    Who’s talking? Finding the right point-of-view character for your scene

    If you’re not sure which character should have the mic at pivotal moments in your multi-POV novel, try asking yourself this question…

    Hands up if you’re writing a dual or multi-POV novel? It’s a really popular format for commercial fiction, and it offers loads of benefits for authors: you can give the reader deeper insight into your characters and give yourself greater scope to reveal plot points. But one stumbling block you might come across along the way is working out which character should be telling the story in critical scenes.

    It can be a tricky decision to make, especially when you have two (or more) protagonists whose growth and journey is equally important to the overall narrative arc and the themes you’re expressing. That means it’s likely that the major events of your novel will be important for all characters! So, who should get to tell the story in those moments?

    All of them! I hear you cry. While that might work for you creatively, it’s not always a great outcome for the reader – seeing the same moment from multiple perspectives can be a little tedious. Instead, if you do want to have more than one character’s experience of a particular plot point on the page, it’s a good idea to show the big moment from one perspective and then let another character pick up just after the incident occurs, to keep the story moving forward.

    So, how do you find the most powerful POV?

    Here’s what I recommend: Choose the character who has the most at stake.

    Ask yourself, who has the most to lose (or gain) from this pivotal plot point? It’s their reactions and emotions as they face this hurdle that will give you the most to play with – and that will resonate most strongly with your reader.

    Look closer

    Maybe you didn’t think too hard about which character told which part of the story when writing your first draft. You got into a rhythm and switched POV at each chapter, or got comfy staying in one voice for a few chapters at a time. That’s fine – it’s great to just get the words on the page. When you’re doing your first edits, however, keep POV in the back of your mind as you assess your story’s pace and dramatic impact.

    If you feel that the critical points of your novel are falling flat and failing to hit the emotional stride you were aiming for, check the POV. Is the character with the most to lose telling the story in that scene? Or is it another who has less at stake, and is acting more as an observer? Try rewriting the scene through another character’s eyes to see if that helps raise the drama and tension.

    Equal opportunity

    Maybe the scene has equally high stakes for all of your POV characters – for instance, if you’re writing a dual-POV romance, both protagonists might be equally affected by a conflict that arises in their blossoming relationship; in a mystery novel, more than one character could easily be impacted by an important clue coming to light. In that case, think about who these characters are and how they respond to significant events. Would they appear calm in the face of crisis but fall apart internally? Do they wear their emotions on their sleeve? Are they trying so hard to keep everything together that they’re at the point of breaking? Of these, which character would give you the most to play with, emotionally speaking? Which character’s reaction style best reflects the themes of your novel? And how would their reactions – both internal and external – appear on the page?

    There’s no right or wrong answer here but considering these factors as you refine and polish your story can help you play around with the dramatic tension in your work – and lead to a more impactful experience for your reader.

    If you’d like support wrangling your multi-POV novel, I can help! Get in touch to chat about structural editing or manuscript assessments.