Guest Today - Susan Uttendorfsky

Please welcome Susan Uttendorfsky to my blog today! She is my professional editor and I believe that if you are writing a book, she would be a great asset to your finished product. I met her through LinkedIn groups, specifically the group Writania. Rita introduced me to her and I am so glad I chose to have her as my editor. I have tons of questions, but will list my most important ones and I hope that those of you who read my blog will ask her some, too. She will be checking in throughout the day to comment back. Later this week we will draw a name from the people who do comment or have a question for 10% discount on a book or poetry you would like edited.

Thank you, Susan, for joining us. I have a goal to get self-published authors to consider an editor before they launch their babies. I believe it would make all the difference in the world for sales and for respect.

First question, tell us a little about yourself, married? Kids? Grandkids?

I’m not married, and I have two grandchildren – Mason is nineteen months old and Lylah is seven months old.

Fill us in on your background with regards to writing.

I had my first poem published when I was a child, and I wrote some short stories in high school.  After I trained as a secretary in the early 1980s, I mostly did business writing. When my children were small, I wrote some non-fiction parenting magazine articles, and newsletter articles for La Leche League, a breastfeeding organization. I had a letter to the editor published in Time magazine once.

Have you published a book and if so what was the genre?

No, I haven’t had a book published. I actually did start a novel when I was in my 20s – I think I still have it somewhere. It had something to do with espionage and the potential for nuclear war. Give me a break – that was in the 80s! It wasn’t very good, but that attempt has given me a great appreciation for all of you creative people out there who actually complete the process! I know there are lots of tips and tricks for keeping track of characters and subplots (spreadsheets, white boards, etc.), but even just to think them up in the first place is impressive. You’ve all got to give yourselves a big hand for that.

What got you started in professional editing?

As a secretary/administrative assistant, I inevitably edited my boss’ work, as well as my own. In addition, since I loved grammar and was happy to pore over the written word, I gradually became the go-to person for people who wanted me to review something. My mother took up writing after her retirement, and I started editing her books, which I enjoyed very much.  I loved seeing how a story developed and how I could tweak it just a little to make it better.  And how I could point out something an author hadn’t even considered and help polish their work. I stopped working in 2010 and went on disability, but I wasn’t comfortable relying on a source of income that could stop at any time, so after the first six months, I started investigating other employment opportunities that would fit my circumstances and editing came to the forefront. One of the best things I loved about administrative assistant work is that I enjoyed the tasks, and I could work in any industry and learn all about it. Editing has that same allure! I enjoy the tasks involved, and I get to read all about all sorts of topics. In the past year, I’ve learned about dinosaur fossils in Oklahoma; the history of Martinsburg, New York; and how to be a successful entrepreneur. Moreover, I get to read great fiction books! Depending on the changes I may suggest, nobody else in the world may ever read that exact book again… that’s exciting.

What are your goals in editing?

Well, my goals are to support myself financially and to support authors in achieving their dreams of being published. I’m not out to make a million dollars, and I don’t want to work for a publisher or another kind of company – I like being a freelance copy editor and working directly with authors. I genuinely want to help you make your book the best it can be.

What is your favorite genre to read? Do you have a favorite author?

My favorite genre is science fiction, particularly disaster and end-of-the-world scenarios, and dystopian fiction. I don’t really think I have a favorite author. There are some authors from whom I am have all the books in a series, but there isn’t anybody whose book I would automatically purchase regardless of the specific book. In addition to editing, I also offer honest reviews of self-published books.

And last but not least, where is your favorite place to vacation? I like to ask this one for fun!

My goodness! I haven’t been on a real vacation in over fifteen years. Hmmm… I did go to Paradise Island in the Bahamas once, and that was very nice. I think that was in 1989. Lol! I’d like to go on a cruise someday.

Thanks again for your willingness to come on my blog and answer questions about yourself and your profession. I am so glad there are people like you who love editing and are willing to do it at an affordable price. You can reach Susan at these links:

Adirondack Editing  http://adirondackediting.com

Susan Uttendorfsky’s public LinkedIn profile   http://tinyurl.com/bfyw6bnhttp://tinyurl.com/bfyw6bn

E-Novelist profile   http://www.e-novelist.com/profile/SusanUttendorfsky

Smashwords profile  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SusanUttendorfskyhttps://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/SusanUttendorfsky

Goodreads profile   http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10336449

I am leaving all of you with one final note—Susan’s trailer for all of you to watch. I hope there are those among you that are considering Susan as an editor. Don’t wait, contact her and find out if this is the right way for you to have your book clean and professional when you put it out there for all to read.

Until Thursday, may all of you have a wonderful week! Lisa