Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius

It's the Royal Academy of Art Young Artist's Summer Show. One of my favourite exhibitions of the year. Like. Not only are the older kids insanely talented, the younger ones' artist statements will just punch you right in the face.

Jeffrey is my cat and he feels like my heart

"[part 2] I mean no insult to Ship of course. They seem very attentive and I used to really enjoy their detective skits. From the contents of your blogs they come across as so much less intellectually curious that it surprises me that you are compatible. Do you get adequate intellectual stimulation from other relationships/is that not a need for you in a partner/are my standards unrealistic?"

i have no idea how to respond to this. we have all been in absolutely helpless hysterics about it for the last thirty minutes. this is by far the most deranged ask I have received about my personal life on this website in my fifteen year career on here, and that is saying quite a lot

Are you writing a book? A paper for school? A dissertation? A fanfiction you are extremely attached to? Literally anything?

I can edit that!

My Credentials: I was an editorial assistant at a small press publisher for 3 years, and have been a freelancer for two! I also have: an MFA in poetry and a BA in history. I have been freelancing for over a year now.

I have edited: novels, poetry, memoirs, essay collections, erotica, academic dissertations, teaching guides, guided journals, and self-help books.

I have done: developmental editing, line editing, copy editing, proofreading, and more! Everything from helping a book become a book, rather than a scattered collection of notes, to a final glance to make sure nothing is spelled wrong. Hate proofreading? Please let me do it. It's my favorite.

ESL: No problem! I've worked on several works in translation, works by ESL academics, and novels by people writing in English for the first time, helping bridge the gap between their vision and the language barrier.

International Clients: Totally fine!! Most of my clients are outside the US. If there's a 12 hour time difference or more you maybe need to be flexible about zoom meetings since I do live with people I don't want to wake up, but I've done it before and can do it again.

I am comfortable with: almost everything! Got erotica you're nervous to show your usual beta reader? I want to edit that. A novel with taboo topics with a laundry list of trigger warnings you're tired of explaining? I want to edit that. A children's book? I've done it before and can do it now. I want to edit that. Memoir you don't want to show anyone you know? I want to edit that. Paper you're insecure about? I want to edit that.

Not comfortable with: picture books. Never done it, not sure how. If you really want to we can talk about something. Formatting: just don't have the software for it.

AI: I prefer not to. I assume best intentions from all clients. That said, if you don't tell me, I won't call you out but I will notice. And if you bring me in for developmental work, I am going to have to bring it up because AI causes real problems with a manuscript on a structural level. I'm also more than happy to include a no-AI rider in my contract, and often do. I do not use it in my own work.

Rates: Usually about 2 cents a word, $30 an hour, or $400 a month. But: I will never late a stated rate stop us from working together! I'm posting this because I am in between paid jobs, so I can't work for free at the moment, but I would rather let someone pay what they can than miss out entirely. I also generally give students a discounted rate.

Payment: On Venmo, Zelle, or Paypal. If you use a different payment processor, we can discuss. I am trans so the name on them is not what I go by. I can do installment payments. I often do! I do require some up front and the rest on delivery.

also i maintain that androl's outsize importance still really bugs me, the last two books does not feel like the time to introduce a majorly important and hitherto unknown character who then takes up a not insubstantial amount of page space, but.

Great dialogue can come from radical emotional honesty. But in most real conversations, people

dodge questions

answer indirectly

lie (badly)

change the subject

crack jokes to avoid serious answers

lie (convincingly)

say half of what they mean

tell the truth but get so anxious/angry/defensive others now think they're lying

If your dialogue feels unnatural, it might be because everyone is saying exactly what they think, or articulating their thoughts too well. Try letting characters hide things instead.