Interview ~ Jenn Waterman

Hey Lovelies,
For those who pay attention to the Superbowl, have fun! I was in marching band in high school and missed only one varsity football game in four years so I had my fair share of football for awhile. Keep your eyes out because this week I'll be posting information about a giveaway that I'll be hosting this month. It's no secret that Valentine's Day isn't a biggie for me and never has even back in Elementary school so before I get yelled out by people it isn't just because I'm single. I'll probably talk about that on the day I announce the giveaway (probably will be tomorrow).

Awhile ago I did an interview with Amy Eye who is one of the editors that I have used. Jenn is the other editor that I trust. Finding an editor can be hard, especially with the internet there are so many out there you are not sure who is real or who will run off with your money never to be heard from again. Jenn has worked on Family Ties and Beneath the Scars. Amy and Jenn both know their stuff, are able to break things down for me if I ask questions along the way, and have no problem pointing out holes in the plot if there are any. Here is her website and here is her interview.

1. For how long have you been an editor?

I've been editing for more than a decade. I started off as an intern at a local magazine, and just went from there.

2. Was it hard to start your own editing company?

It was hard to build a reputation and find work. Now it's gotten a little easier. A little :)

3. You've edited just about every genre out there, what's your favorite to work on?

I haven't really worked on any paranormal/urban fantasy stuff, which is what I read a lot of , the closest job was about dragons – that was fun. But I do like just about anything.

4. What is your favorite desert?

Oh man, I don't know. I love cheesecake, but brownies are definitely a favorite.

5. What is your favorite pet?

I'm simple, I love my cat and dog. I've never had any exotic pets, and I've tried keeping fish, but wasn't very good at it.

6. What is your favorite book? (Can be a book you haven't edited!)

I have no idea! I have a shelf on my GoodReads account for favorites, and there's nearly 200 on there.

7. What is your favorite movie?

Again, too many.  One that I found intriguing was The Nines, an indie with Ryan Reynolds and Melissa McCarthy.

8. You are a big supporter of strong female characters, who is your favorite?

Rylee Adamson from Shannon Mayer's books is one, Gin Blanco from the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep is another.  Kiera Hudson (Tim O'Rourke's books) and Ava Delaney kick ass too (Claire Farrell wrote that series).

9. What can you tell us about your editing services? Can you do a break down of the different types of editing services?

I do simple proofreading to line editing and content editing. Most of the work I do is extensive copy edits – doing all the copy work but keeping an eye on the consistency of plot and character, and tightening things up by getting rid of extra/unneeded words.

10. What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't working?

Read. I'm a total book addict.

11. What is your favorite season?

Autumn. Always has been.

12. Who is your favorite character of all time? Why?

Impossible to answer. There's just too many. Characters affect me in different ways, and sometimes ones that don't give me a strong reaction are my favorites over ones that do elicit strong feelings.

13. What is your favorite kind of muffin?

Blueberry!! Yummy!

14. What advice can you give for authors?

Don't think you're immune to needing editing or feedback from beta readers. They're not looking to tear your baby to pieces. For me, my goal is to help make readers love a work as much as the author. Good betas and editors have the same goal as you do, they want it to be the best it can. They're there to help.

15. What advice can you give for people who want to become editors?
Read a lot. Get involved in the author community. Always be open to listening and get to know the people you work with.