Eve Arroyo’s Special Offer!

Welcome back to Bingergread Cottage garden where we have the awning out and the table laid to welcome a new friend who has a very special offer to share. Here she comes – no, don’t jump off the magic carpet, it has a special landing pad just here. Welcome, Eve!

Sit down, grab some comestibles and tell me.

What do you do now?

Hello Ailsa. Thank you so much for having me. Ah, what do we have here? It looks like your brother outdid himself! Crepes, quiche and fruit. Fresh baguettes and… my heavens, what gorgeous cheese! Chèvre, Boursin and Brie. This looks splendid. The closest I get to French food in Mexico is French Fries! I hope your magic carpet will accommodate me on the trip home!

He does amazing things with cheese! Without sounding like a job interview (much) how did you get there? What had you done before that made you go down this path?

My road here actually started many years ago editing theses and term papers for friends and family. I’ve edited books and stories for folks from my writer’s groups who were submitting for publication.

I’ve always had itchy fingers when it came to seeing typos. I’ve been known to revise hotel-room directories in foreign countries and turn them in at the front desk.

I am an avid reader, and with the explosion of self-published authors I’ve been reading a lot of indy books over the last several years. I have found many wonderful stories, but also a lot of could have been great books, but for the lack of editing. After a disappointing read I would, invariably, complain to my husband. Finally he said, “Quit complaining and do something about it.” So, a couple of years ago I decided to pursue editing as a profession. I started contacting authors offering my services.

Recently I have been working on expanding my business so I can quit my day job, and devote myself to editing. I’m happy to say that as of July 1^st I will be a full-time editor!

Wow! Congrats on that and best wishes. Most of my mates are writers and they’ll agree that editing one’s own work is a nightmare.

My baby, I can’t cut my baby’s limbs off!

So it’s not only professionally essential but very helpful to have a dis-interested third party to do that for one.

As I’m sure you and your readers know, it’s nearly impossible to do a clean edit of your own work. You know what you intended to write. When you reread it, your brain will allow you to see what you meant to say, not what you have actually typed. Then, as you referenced, there are the words and phrases an author can’t seem to cut. William Faulkner said, “In writing, you must kill all your darlings.”

Sometimes something will seem so perfect to an author, but not to readers. It is hard to admit your creation is not perfect, and yes, it does help to have another set of eyes. Someone who is not emotionally invested in the work.

Absolutely. Couldn’t agree more. I use my other half as he dislikes my genre to begin with and so is merciless. That is before it goes to a real editor. Do you write yourself? Come on, share!

I write essays and articles. You can see some of my articles on my website. I’m trying to focus on topics pertinent to indy writers. I’m campaigning to educate the self-published author on what it takes to be successful and get books sold.

I will also admit I have been working on a memoir for about ten years. I figure I have about twenty, or so, more years to get it finished.

What is the hardest part of your job? Let me guess because one of my besties is an editor – author ego, right? Go on – tell us a story, names may be changed to protect the guilty.

Honestly, I haven’t had any trouble with my authors. So far, they have been extremely grateful. In fact, one of my authors is a radio host and he invited me to do an interview on his show! I was really nervous, but he made it so easy. I actually ended up sounding poised and half-way intelligent!

For me, I think the hardest part is thinking I may have missed something and I have to go back a few times to feel assured I’ve gotten everything. It’s important to me to do a good job. I feel a strong obligation to my authors. They are putting their names out for public scrutiny using my suggestions. It needs to be done properly.

Yes, pride in one’s work. Essential in all jobs in my opinion! Finally, before the links and things (enjoying the munchies? Cameron just brought out some cheese pastries ! Mmphm mmphm. Everything is divine. Many thanks to Cameron! Can Lily have a bit of cheese? She’s such a sweetie pie, and isn’t begging at all!) No that’s fine. She can have savouries but no chocolate which she doesn’t really like anyhow.

Tell my friends about your special offer, in your own words – like a sales pitch.. GO!

Ailsa, what I’d like to let your reader know is I am offering a special for five more authors. I will edit their manuscripts for free in exchange for a comment on my new website. I will give their work the same time and attention to detail I do for my pay clients. My hope is they will experience the joy of seeing their beautiful piece of art polished and shiny, and come back with their next project, and will spread the word to their friends and colleagues. I’m looking for mutually satisfying, long-term, professional relationships. This is one of the few risk-free things in life. There is nothing to lose by letting me do my magic!

Your readers can see my website at http://www.evearroyo.com. My email address is evearroyoeditor@gmail.com. They can find me on Facebook at Eve Arroyo, Editor.

Well that’s what I call a very special offer – come on, pals, grab it while it’s hot. Thanks for coming, Eve and Cameron is putting a hamper of cheeses on the carpet for you. He loves being appreciated. Byeeeeeeeeee (waving and barking from the garden)