Introducing Blunderwoman

Hi everyone! I’m Betsy from Maine Woods Editing, but in my house, when my professional editing hat is on, my family calls me Blunderwoman. While I prefer to think it’s for my uncanny ability to identify typos and grammar issues, I have to admit that it’s a valid nickname on multiple levels; I’m a bit clumsy and socially awkward, which means that my work-from-home job is perfect for me.

I have a master’s degree in elementary education and taught in classrooms (second grade through middle school) for many years before taking time off to be a stay-at-home mom. Even then, though, I had my finger in the writing/publishing world. I’ve been writing reviews of children’s books for Kirkus Reviews magazine since 2001, and in 2012 I made the leap to being their copy editor. It was incredible to get a first peek at soon-to-be-released books (though my TBR list grew at an unsustainable rate), and I enjoyed working with so many different editors. But after eleven years, it was time for a change.

I started my editing business, Maine Woods Editing LLC, back in April, and I’ve loved every minute since: talking to authors from all over the world, learning about marketing and advertising, networking with other editors, focusing on my favorite genre (romance), and especially reading and polishing authors’ manuscripts. I love to read; I rarely go anywhere without my Kindle. And I despise getting interrupted, whether by real life (I’m looking at you, marketers trying to extend my car’s warranty) or by typos that yank me out of the scene the author’s been setting. I love helping authors ensure that it’s their stories that readers will remember, not their spelling mistakes, grammar missteps, or timeline inconsistencies.

Now that the intro is out of the way, I can focus on the nitty-gritty of editing and writing. Next post I’ll be giving you a guide to Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature. First-time authors who have just gotten back manuscripts from their editors or new editors just starting out will want to tune in. Until then, keep writing!