Category Nyssa’s Nuggets

Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“Start the day with something you love.”

Nyssa has two favorite times of the day—walk times and feeding times, both of which occur twice daily. Isn’t she lucky?

Since she was old enough, I have taken her for a walk first thing in the morning. Many people say it helps a dog merge into the day easier if they go out to “patrol” their surroundings first. It seems to work fairly well in the 25 years I have been doing it with seven different dogs.

We speed-walk three-quarters of a mile down the street because she can’t wait to get to the furthest point away from the house that I will go. Then we amble back, or rather I tow her back. She truly loves her walks, no matter when they happen.

When we return, she has her food and then settles in to perhaps play a little, but certainly nap the morning away. All is good.

I find the early morning walks energizing as well. It helps to set the tone of the day, or bring to my attention what my tone is so I can correct it, if need be. It gets my muscles moving and my brain working. I rarely have any sleep fog lingering after the first couple of minutes down the road.

It also gives me the opportunity to witness some truly amazing celestial moments and gorgeous sunrises. Because the traffic gets busy very early around here, we are always walking in the hour or so just before dawn.

The quiet is perfect for a morning mind-sort.

So though at times I rail against morning walks in my mind, (think winter and rain), I do enjoy them.

The open promise of what the day can become is so tangible in those hours before dawn. Starting the day this way has been part of half my life now, so it must be something good.

It gives you more of an opportunity to enter the editing day with a sunny outlook.

Or if you write, getting your own words down first can make the difference between finishing your book and not. You are, after all, your number one customer, right?

Put yourself first and do something that makes you feel good before sitting down to better someone else’s work. Mindset is everything.

Do you start the day with something that makes you feel good, feel strong, feel positive? Try a walk one warm morning, and I guarantee you will feel uplifted the moment the birds start singing while the sky changes color in burgeoning silence. Or get that next paragraph written, or master that yoga stretch. A few little endorphins patrolling around your brain and you will be ready to take on that block of text you gave up on last night.

Shake off the sleep, wake the muscles, drop off the dregs of yesterday, and walk home with a spring in your step and your tail curled high on your back. Like Nyssa does. Akitas do know best.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo!~ 🐕‍🦺

What is your morning routine, does it start with something that makes you feel good? If not, would you like it to? Let me know in the comments below 👇🏼, maybe we can help each other better our mornings.😊

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“I can still do what I love.”

The other night I was heading to bed and went to say ‘good night’ to the dogs. I couldn’t find Nyssa.

Yeah, I know. How could I not find an Akita? Had I left her outside? I was sure I hadn’t, I had just let them all in and given them their nightly liver treats.

I ran around looking for her, turning on lights I had already turned off, when the curtains behind the couch moved. Then she stepped out of the picture window and back over onto the couch where she sleeps.

Ah, yes. I forgot about that.

I constructed my picture window to be deep enough and strong enough for me to sit in and read. Complete with a slate tile sill so spilled plant water wouldn’t be an issue.

But it has become a favorite dog-napping spot instead. For Nyssa especially. I think she stays awake watching out the window for wildlife most of the night.

It is also a way for her to do what she loves—hunting. Just in a different manner.

I often hear that editors find it difficult to read for pleasure. I feel quite sad about that.

Reading is my escape, I have always loved it. It has made me want to write and to be an editor.

I can understand how the mechanics of editing could get in the way of reading. I have noticed my awareness of craft principles has ratcheted up manyfold, but it hasn’t diminished my ability to enjoy the story or my desire to read for fun. In fact, in many ways, it has enhanced it.

As important as it is for writers to read in their genre (and out of it), it’s the same for editors. Genre conventions, tropes, subject matter, reader expectations, all of these are constantly changing and the only way to keep on top of them is to stay familiar with what is rising and falling in interest.

Which means we have to read.

Yes, we read all day while we edit. Reading for our own enjoyment is another way to fill the editor’s toolbox, though. Much as writers absorb pieces of what they read and it all gets scrambled up to make their own author voice, the same happens with editors.

One author’s clever use of time could stick in your mind and then provide a new angle for a suggestion you make to another author several months later. Description techniques, first line hooks, chapter endings, the list of things you can pick up for use later on is endless.

Editing is a way to better reading, and reading is a way to better editing. As long as our eyes (and ears) hold out, there is plenty to be gained from pleasure reading. Let it enhance your editing skills. I have no doubt Nyssa’s nighttime window hunting improves her field hunting. She never misses a movement in a stone wall or in the tall grass.

Then maybe the next time you are searching for the right suggestion to take an author’s work that extra bit further, it will be relaxing in the back of your mind, waiting to be called upon. Pull it out of your picture window and let it work for you.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺~

Do you find it difficult to read for fun if you are an editor, or in editing mode? What exactly gets in the way? Let me know in the comments, I’m interested to hear your thoughts. 👇🏼

If you’d like to get more editing tips for your own editing endeavors, subscribe to the Red Leaf Word Services newsletter and get your copy of my 15 Tips for Self-Editing checklist.

You can find the checklist popup at www.redleafwords.com, or use this link here to sign up and get your copy! You may even get more of Nyssa in the newsletter too 😉.

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“Stay hydrated.”

I remember clearly the morning I picked Nyssa up. She was the most adorable gray and black bear cub ever seen. Somewhere along in the conversation the breeder told me that he uses five gallon pails as water bowls because Akitas drink so much.

Really? I thought to myself. I had had a male Akita some years past and I had never noticed his intake to be more than average. But I nodded politely and said I remembered to continue the discourse.

It did become apparent that she drinks a lot of water. When she stands at the bowl drinking for five minutes or so, I usually remark that she is “tanking up.”

And then I fill the bowl again.

Nowadays, with four dogs, I’m constantly filling water bowls. I should probably get one of those dog water cooler things, but cleaning those can be a pain, like my chicken waterers.

Nevertheless, Nyssa reminds me daily how important it is to stay properly hydrated, even though I’m at my desk working most of the day. And with the change of seasons here once again, I am never more aware of this fact.

A winter spent in dry heat has been rough. I have humidifiers going constantly, but the only thing that really relieves the sinus pressure and dry, cracking, peeling fingers is keeping my internal hydration at well over full. And being able to turn the heat down and eventually, off.

We all know how much better we feel when we eat right, but staying hydrated produces dramatic results much quicker. I notice better attention, I’m more alert and energetic, and can often stay awake longer in the evenings. Digestion is improved, I don’t eat quite as much, and every struck key doesn’t elicit a jab or a sting from my split fingers.

It’s just so much more pleasant all the way around!

I do fall into patterns of days where I forget to hydrate. Then it’s usually a time that I fill a water bowl for the furry ones which reminds me to do the same myself.

In the cooler months I find it easier to drink more water if I have seltzer. But in the summer, I have a hard time with seltzer and I default back to chilled water. I haven’t the faintest idea why that is, but it’s what I’ve noticed. Do you have any similar quirks?

Dogs are professionals at hydration and they can’t sweat, except through the pads of their feet. You would think humans would be better at it considering the water conducting capacity of our skin. I’ve always wondered about that—why my thirst point isn’t higher or something to prevent the deficit I fall into.

Nah, it’s more like I just don’t listen until it’s too late.

If the seasons are changing in your area too, this could be an auspicious time to pay attention to your hydration habits. The results are well worth it, and quick to arrive, so why not?

Dogs do, Nyssa does. We’d all love to have our dogs’ lives, right? Drink up, friends!

How’s your hydration routine? Do you drink enough water or do you need to drink more? Drop a comment below and we can talk about it.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“I’m suggesting you take a different approach, Cedar.”

Cedar and Nyssa playing

Nyssa rules the roost here. Yes, she is the biggest, but size doesn’t seem to matter very much to Dash, nor to Cedar. Both of them love her to bits and bask in her attention when she gives it to them. She instructed Dash to play the way she wanted him to from day one, even though he is fifty pounds lighter than her. He happily complied and they play beautifully together to this day.

Cedar, on the other hand, is a cheeky, fresh young lad. Nyssa is thrilled she finally has an Aussie that loves her and plays with her (my previous boy, Tristan, tolerated her presence) but she is always suggesting he take a different approach.

Sometimes Cedar takes that advice, sometimes he doesn’t. But they still end up playing and happy nonetheless.

The key takeaway from this exchange is the suggesting.

As editors, we are asked to look at someone else’s work with the idea of helping them improve it. In that light, our feedback takes the form of suggestions.

We don’t have the final say over what is left in, how it is phrased, or even punctuated sometimes.

Which is OK and we have to BE OK with that.

Suggestions leave room for acceptance, further thought, or rejection. (This may not apply as much to copyediting, which does adhere often to style guides and other rules for the finer elements of writing.)

The point is that our outside view to the work gives us the ability to see other layers that could be explored or a different direction to approach an issue from. To encourage more thought on the matter that could benefit the reader down the line.

Suggestions don’t demand a certain outcome. It’s not in their nature.

Even when Nyssa is “suggesting” to Cedar not to do as he is, he still has the option to continue and most times he does. Then when he does accept her offer of an alternate way, they end up playing together far longer than if he’d ignored her suggestion.

We want to feel that our efforts have been worthwhile over the course of a developmental or line edit—it’s a lot of work! And often that is only judged by how many edits are accepted. Does that mean we have failed?

No. In the end, the final decision is not ours. Authors can be attached to a particular phraseology that sets an editor’s teeth on edge, it’s their prerogative. It’s their creation. And all of us writer-editors will certainly reserve that right in our own stead!

It can be very difficult to separate the emotion of the hard work from the feeling of not being heeded. Good communication between the editor and author can ease this disparity, as can remembering that we are using our expertise to suggest.

Editors still have all of those accepted suggestions that were acknowledged and appreciated to fall back on. The old saying is that you can’t please one hundred percent of the people one hundred percent of the time. Authors know this too, or they will find it out in reviews for certain. It’s not all or nothing.

At the end of an editing project, I remind myself that these are my suggestions for where I can see some extra thought or reworking is needed. Through my comments and our converstaions, the author can choose to do with those ideas as they will. The more important part is reaching the goal of the editor-author partnership—publishing the best work possible.

Which probably means we may play together again. Like Nyssa and Cedar.

She isn’t daunted when he carries on, because she knows she has done her work in communicating her suggestions. It’s then up to him to take them or not. She advises, he asserts and they meet in the middle to carry on and live together well (thankfully for me). It makes their relationship stronger, and it can with authors and editors, too.

By keeping our minds open, our discussions thought-provoking and considerate, and our common goal in mind, we can measure success in more than ‘accepted vs. rejected.’ It seems to work well for dogs, why shouldn’t we consider it? If it means I can eat, sleep, and play, I’m in. So make your suggestions, try not to be daunted by rejected ones, and keep playing!

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

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There is a new service—The First 100 Pages edit. It’s great for getting an idea of how your story works from the beginning so you can continue with a blueprint in mind, or for giving self-editing a start. Even for trying out a new level of editing. You can find more information about it on the For Fiction Authors page at Red Leaf Word Services.

While you are there, you can sign up for the newsletter, where you can get more of Nyssa. ‘Cause she always has more to say, she’s an Akita! Or you can sign up below 👇🏼 and still get the same editing news, offers, and tips.

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener 2 Comments

“Take the opportunity when it presents itself.”

Nyssa reveling in the one patch of snow on our walk

Akitas are snow dogs. They wait not-so patiently all year for the white stuff to fly and they revel in it. Unfortunately for Nyssa, our backyard is one of the first places that melts off, even more so with all of the traffic of four dogs. At that point, she has to content herself with rolling in a few patches that remain in the shady areas along our walks. Like in the shot above, she rolls around and creates her own doggy snow angel, savoring every moment she can.

She takes advantage of the snow when it is there.

Which only serves to remind me that I should do the same.

Several times recently I have missed an opportunity that I was interested in, purely because I didn’t act then and there. Of course, there is no way to know whether I would have been selected, but if I don’t apply, then there is no chance, right?

So what holds me back?

Imposter syndrome, mostly, which translates simply to FEAR.

Imposter syndrome is brutal. Once it has insinuated itself into your mind, it is content to hang out and just comment when you think you’ve built up enough confidence to resist it.

All it takes is one little mental sneer, and I’m scrolling onto something else. The demon wins again.

I want nothing more than to beat the bugger into submission once and for all because giving in is not like me. I have enough confidence in every other area of my life, but not this one, not yet. The struggles of new freelancers are real and tough, but everyone has to start somewhere. Why am I having so much trouble kicking this?

Nyssa takes the opportunity to apply herself to what she loves every time she gets it. So in that way, she continually boosts her confidence.

Then she makes snow angels on the ice and wishes for a snowstorm. (Trust me, I know this).

And guess what happens?

It snows. More confidence fills her well.

I need to be more like Nyssa and take the opportunities when they are there. Even if it doesn’t pan out, I still have learned, I have more experience than before, and even a bit more confidence in my well.

So that’s my mission—be more like my dog. Which is definitely not a bad way to be.😄

Do you take advantage of opportunity when it presents itself? Let me know in the comments 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

Nyssa is an integral part of Quill & Orb Press editing, where she supervises from the couch. If you are curious about my editing services and the genres I work in, please follow the link to the webpage or you can contact me at aime@redleafwords.com.

My editing is, first and foremost, a collaboration with you that cultivates drafts and ideas into books of gold. 🔮✨✏📚

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“We howl together as a pack.”

Sound on!

Nyssa and her pack howling together, well, except for Wicket.

As they have gotten more comfortable with each other, the dogs have started howling together. It tends to happen when they are all playing and excited in close proximity to one another. Usually Cedar and Wicket are trying to get Dash to run so they can chase him, and Nyssa takes over, as you see and hear above.

They seem to enjoy it, and honestly, I do too. Most times I participate as well. 😄

This communication has brought them closer as a pack and they seem happy to have me in on the event. Good communication often has that effect.

The editor-author relationship is built on communication, in addition to respect and trust. Communication is also the vehicle by which the other two elements are fostered.

Sending your work off to an editor is a huge step. Hopefully it is also one that will contribute to your growth as an author and writer. Most writers have ideas of where their work may be a bit weak, or need some tweaking or building-up. Letting your editor know these areas ahead of time can help them focus on where to direct their attention.

It also lets them know what you perceive as some of your strengths or weaknesses as an author. And how they can best assist you in making your manuscript the best it can be.

Of course there is always the moment when the editorial letter and edited manuscript arrive back in your inbox. Remember your editor is likely nervous too, sending their carefully crafted letter back to you.

When the objective of all parties involved is the same, we have a better chance of understanding each other and having meaningful discussions. We speak the same language about the manuscript in the interest of improving it. We work together, and in the process, strengthen our editor-author relationship.

Just like Nyssa’s pack. Howling together for a stronger bond.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

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“At Quill & Orb Press, collaboration cultivates drafts and ideas into gold.”🔮✨✏📚

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”

Four-way play 😍

Two and a half months have passed since Cedar and Wicket came into our lives. From watching all of their interactions, I would say that collectively they are all now a family pack. Both puppies have fit into the routines and daily flow of the household.

It did take Nyssa and Dash some time to accept the two young ones, though. And I expected that. However, her manner for accepting them was very different. Cedar kind of forced his way down her throat by throwing himself in front of her constantly and kissing her whenever he could. She gets annoyed and he flops in front of her submissively and they play.

It took Nyssa a long time, until last week or so, to give any individual attention to Wicket, though. I was starting to get nervous even, but then she gave him her “nibble treatment” for a while and they played tug and all has been well since. I guess she figured Wicket isn’t going anywhere, and he is sweet and fun, so why not. Dash already plays with him, she may as well, too.

Her decision to accept and integrate, and this time of year when many association memberships come due put me in mind of the benefits of these organizations.

I’ve seen several queries on social media channels about whether the professional editors associations are worth joining. What are the benefits? Is the cost justifiable?

In my opinion, yes, they are.

I am a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and several others. Last year I took a full complement of editing courses from the EFA at discounted rates, which balanced the membership fee. Not to mention those courses were all taught by EFA members who are highly respected editors themselves. I enjoyed every one of them and was grateful for the connections I made with experienced editors. Their feedback was insightful, instructive, and helped me be more confident in my work. I highly recommend the EFA courses if you want editing instruction.

The communities these associations give you the opportunity to be a part of is also a huge resource. Most of them have Facebook groups, both public and private, and the amount of information shared in these forums is astounding. Peer-driven support can be so important for this industry, given that so many of us are working from home, much of the time in solitude. Having a group at the ready to answer questions and bounce sticky bits off of is invaluable. I’ve learned a metric ton just by lurking and following along!

For new editors like myself, it also gives us the space to integrate slowly, to get up to speed at a pace we are comfortable with. Introverts, (like me), certainly appreciate this.

Once again, Nyssa is right. Might as well join and have fun (and learn), than resist and be left without support when it may highly benefit you. If you can join some associations, I say do it. Be part of the community. #editorsjustwannahelp

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“Wake up to the promise of a brand new day wagging your tail and smiling.”

Nyssa’s happy grin

In light of #HappyNew Year2021, today’s nugget is more of a reminder, or a bit of positivity to start 2021 off right. 😉🎆🎇

I’ve mentioned before that Nyssa has impeccable timing in the morning. She is the best kind of alarm clock—a gentle nudge with a cool nose, followed by a big Akita kiss. When I turn to look at her, I can’t miss her wildly wagging curled tail. It is the ultimate show of happiness and enthusiasm.

Nyssa is never happier than when she has my undivided attention. Her iconic Akita tail and contented smile speak volumes. I know how lucky I am to see this display of happiness every morning.

Dogs have the ability to forget and start over at any point, which is not to say they don’t remember or hold grudges (because Nyssa certainly does). But 98% of the time, they choose not to take that path. Spend enough time with dogs and you learn that each moment is an opportunity to start over and be better. I think it goes hand-in-hand with their unconditional love; the root of it even.

If her human is having a “wrong side of the bed” morning, Nyssa rarely indulges me. Instead she trots on ahead on our early morning walk, leaving me in my own mess. Often it is her easy joviality and curly tail bouncing on her back that jolts me back to reason.

This is a brand new day, all of it is ahead of me. Why am I cross? Anything could happen today and I have the ability to make it the best day I can!

There is so much power in that thought.

Have you ever tried thinking about it that way? It automatically brings a smile to my face when I do. Try it sometime.

I believe Nyssa knows this in her own way. It’s part of her open-mouthed grin every morning as my furry alarm clock. She can’t wait to share another day with her people and dog-siblings, take walks, eat the best food, lounge in the grass or play in the snow, and nap on the couch. And along the way, she does her best to make me smile and appreciate the moment.

There’s always a choice how to spend your energy, and Nyssa and my other dogs constantly remind me that the next minute, or this new day can be the best yet.

So welcome 2021, I greet you with a smile and a tail wag. Let’s make you the best possible. Good Morning 🌄🤩.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“I just don’t realize how big I am.”

new puppy Cedar and Nyssa

Well, I’ve gone and done it—disrupted Nyssa’s world. I brought home a puppy, and am expecting another one to arrive any day now. She was integral to raising Dash in our family and I believe she will be with these two as well. If there is one thing I have to keep a close eye on though, it is how rough Nyssa can be with puppies.

She is genuinely trying to play, she just doesn’t realize that one swipe of her big foot is enough to send them tumbling and me cringing.

It just means that for quite a while we have policed outdoor sessions when the puppy zoomies start. When I express my displeasure to her, she looks at me like “But, I am just playing!” Gentle is in her nature, but not in her physical repertoire so much. She doesn’t realize how big she is.

In editing or critiquing, this is a concept we must always be cognizant of. It is easy to grasp, but not as easy to apply to the language of our commentary. It is truly one of the most challenging parts of editing—how to convey our concerns, questions, critiques in a manner that is able to be understood by the author, but that does not offend or put them off.

In other words, being gentle with our authors.

I approach this facet of editing from the angle of “How would I receive this if I were the author?” Of course, I do want to make sure they understand my points, and that my suggestions are designed to improve and enhance. The language used to present them is the most important part of the exchange.

I spend much time composing comments and editorial letters that do not discourage; turning the shortcomings of a piece into opportunities to challenge their creativity, to draw out the threads from the depth of the story in the author’s head, and to construct scenes from an alternate POV to strengthen them (to name a few specifics).

Just because I’m being paid to offer my professional observations does not mean they should be presented devoid of empathy, in a manner that provokes strong emotions.

In no way am I saying that editors in general don’t do this. I know that they do. But watching Nyssa play with a much smaller, floppy puppy is a reminder that the objective can always be attained in a much gentler manner, and it should be.

Authors are as full of the “soft bones” of their stories as little Cedar the Aussie puppy is here. We want to make them feel safe in our zone of interaction, and then watch the collaboration take shape.

Have a great week! Woof woof roooooo! 🐕‍🦺~

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Nyssa’s Nuggets

aimeredleaf, The Narrative Gardener Leave a comment

“Let everyone know where they stand upfront.”

Nyssa and her mentor/buddy Pebbles, a red Siberian husky

At the moment I have two dogs, (Nyssa and Dash), but several times a month we have Pebbles also when she is staying upstairs with my brother and nephew. Pebbles is two years older than Nyssa and helped to raise her, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that now.

As the photo indicates, Nyssa is the boss here. And she makes sure Pebbles knows it from the very first moment she comes through the door. There is no aggression, Nyssa just mutters at Pebbles for a second, wags her tail, and then guides Pebbles quickly past the bone pile while I pick them up. Then they are off to the yard to hang out and chase Dash around.

Nyssa and Pebbles have a long relationship, yet Nyssa communicates her position to Pebbles upfront, every time.

In editing terms, communication from the start of the author-editor relationship is crucial. The more open the dialogue, the smoother the process can proceed.

Good, open communication can often mean the results are better as well. Working together toward the common goal promises an improved manuscript as the outcome.

That said, the success begins during the interview process with honesty on both sides.

Sure, the editor may really want the job, but that shouldn’t cloud their assessment of whether they are a good fit for the manuscript.

Conversely, an editor may have come highly recommended by a friend who writes thrillers, but that does not mean their editing style will mesh with your fantasy novel.

We are often told to play to our strengths—that can be obvious. However, the real magic may happen when we are familiar with our weaknesses and we partner with someone who understands them.

And that is all about communication. From minute one.

Once it is established, though, that communication is easy to return to whenever necessary, and often deepens over time. Like Nyssa and Pebbles, they renew the respect in a few seconds and then its just like they were never apart.

Why bicker over a silly bone pile when there’s a Dash to chase? Come on, Pebbles says. Whatever, let’s just go. 😉

Have a great week! Woof woof rooooooo!🐕‍🦺

Like this post, I value communication and collaboration during the editing process. Want to know if I can help you on your publishing journey? Visit the Quill & Orb Press website for more information.

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