Featured Writers

Terry’s Selections

All about editing and writing

While I edit, it’s always refreshing to have something to actually read. Editors will understand what I mean. I can break it down for everyone else. While in editing mode, I’m wearing a different hat, different from when I’m a reader. As a reader, like all readers, I either want to be informed or I want to be entertained. It’s great when it’s both.

But when I’m in editor mode, it’s a completely different mindset.

-Are the images copyright free and cited? -Is the text copied from elsewhere and plagiarized? -Does anything in this submission violate Medium policy? -Are all sources and references cited?

You get the idea. I’m not reading. I’m editing. However, every so often, there is that diamond in the rough. A story that pulls you in for whatever reason and you find yourself wearing two hats at once. That or reader as well as editor. You find that you’re getting lost in the story and are completely oblivious to the red, blue, and gold squiggly lines under various words throughout.

You find yourself either saying, “I didn’t know that,” or “What happens next?!” without even realizing it. Those are the moments to live for.

So without further ado, here are my current selections of must-reads for those who are editors or love an editor. God help both groups. And just FYI, since there are egos of creatives at stake here, I selected these in no particular order. I mean, other than that, some “incentive payments” cleared, and some bounced like a rubber ball.

Enjoy~

A hysterical look from an editor through the eyes of a reader. My favorite line?

May God bestoweth upon thee many loose bits of Legos around your house and a pebble in your shoe that you just can’t seem to get rid of.

Check out Sabana Grande’s What to Do When an Editor Rewrites Your Whole Article and Publishes It In Your Name, here.

And Sabana, it wasn’t me. J/S.

Speaking of creative sensibilities, next up we have my buddy Jason. Apparently, Jason had/has a problem with me leaving “love notes” aka “You FKd up” private notes on all of his submissions. Instead of discussing the issue like an adult, he threw my ample @$$ under the bus by writing this little piece.

A Steamed Open Letter to the Grammer Po-lice, You can try two correct my grammer, but you’ll never take my freedome! is an in-your-face nose-thumbing if there ever was one, and it’s funny as all get out. You can see for yourself here.

Jessica Lynn gave me a glance into what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a single highlighted word. Granted, I Finally Figured out Why Readers Highlight One Word, isn’t on Illum, but hey even editors get to read for the sake of reading sometimes.

After she had her AH-HA moment, she stated, “I was in my American bubble.” You can read about her epiphany here.

By the time I happened upon Darshak Rana’s piece, I saw a pattern forming. Why the Big Publications Reject Your Work, 5 Reasons that justify their rejections, hit home for me. SOOOOOO many people take it personally when they don’t get their submissions accepted, or accepted with edits.

Number two under his, What You Should Do Before/After Rejections, section really nailed it. You can read all about it (see what I did there?) by clicking here.

In this portion of Terry’s Selections, we have a lot to unpack (I can’t believe I just said that) so let’s jump right to it.

Melissa Gouty’s piece, How a Daily Reading Habit Makes You More Creative Than a Daily Writing Habit, hit home. You have to be well-read in order to write well is a philosophy that she and I share. My favorite quote from this piece:

Successful writers know that there’s more to success than just writing every day. They have proven the second half of the “Writing-Every-Day” formula, time and time again.

You have to READ daily in order to write daily.

Writing and reading are a tandem process, and great writers are always great readers.

#nailedit. You can read it in its entirety here.

Warren Brown is blowing Medium up with submissions. He submits to various publications every.single.day. and multiple times a day. I can’t ever recall having that much to say, let alone that much energy.

In his The Five Types of Writers to Watch, Which type of writer are you and how to change your patterns? I found myself to be a number five on his list. What’s a number five? You’re going to have to click here and find out for yourself!

“We could have a blend of all these writers within us.” — Warren Brown

Too true. Too true.

Melinda Crow gives us writers options. Five, to be exact. In her Blogger, Freelancer, Journalist, Influencer, or Just a Writer? Who Are You?, You may be surprised by how much these labels matter, she gives you not only the labels, but the definitions, the pros, the cons, and why it matters.

Personally, I identify with three, have been one, never want to be the other one. How about you? Find out here how and why to identify.

The Fear(s) of Making the Leap to Being a “Writer” is the handy work of none other than Jennifer Osborne. She describes what are thoughts and feelings of many writers, especially those who are just starting out.

Going public, putting in the work, hoping for a pay-off, and avoiding writer-envy are fears that are keeping my mind occupied as I navigate my new daily norm.

It’s worth it though. A new change almost always is. Without risk, there is no reward.

I think she summed it nicely, don’t you? You can read about the roadblocks she encountered before you had this realization by clicking here.

I do hope you enjoyed this. Thank you so much for reading! Until next time~Ciao