Hello from Honeycomb!
Today’s blog post is a little different. In honor of our recent launch date anniversary (March 7th) and in honor of our new team member (Alayna Drollinger), we decided to answer some questions so you can get to know each of the editors and what editing means to us! Without further ado:
Question 1: Who are you as an editor?
Brianna De Man
From crafting stories as a child to editing in the publishing industry, I have always believed in the magnificence of storytelling. I’m an associate editor and project coordinator for Innovo Publishing LLC and Innovo’s sister program, the Christian Publishing Portal. I also serve as Lead Line Editor and Proofreader for hybrid Christian publisher Story-weaver Publishing LLC.
I will graduate this May with a B.A. in Professional Writing and Information Design and a minor in Editing and Publishing, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Biblical Studies from Cedarville University. An advocate of indie fiction, I began my freelance editing career in 2022. Since then, I have worked with over a dozen published authors internationally, including award-winning author S.D. Howard and two-time published authors Caitlin Miller and Cheyenne van Langevelde. I live on a small homestead in Rockford, Michigan with my family, my chickens, and my dog.
Gabrielle Utrie
I’ve loved books for as long as I’ve been able to love anything. As a child, I felt the most content and secure whenever I could shut myself away somewhere with a pile of books. So as I grew, I wanted to learn why so many stories had such an impact on me and how I could craft stories to make other readers feel as safe and inspired as I felt. From writing myself to helping writers cultivate their own craft, I’ve committed myself to helping fill the world with stories.
This May I’ll graduate with a B.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and minors in Editing and Publishing and Biblical Studies from Cedarville University. Throughout my college career, I have been highly involved in my university’s creative writing community—from being the president of the creative writing club to being an active contributor to workshops in and out of class to tutoring students on creative writing as part of my responsibilities in my university’s Writing Center.
Emily Vest
With a book in my hands, a hiding spot behind the couch, and an ear perked for movers hauling in boxes came the moment I first learned what stories could do. As a child whose dad’s work meant our family had to move every two years, I found solace in stories of travelers and adventurers who made their home wherever they went, with the people they met, and one day, when I held yet another book in my hands, I decided this is what I wanted to do with my life—make these stories accessible to people also looking for home wherever they go.
I decided to pursue work as an editor and writer, which led me to Cedarville University where I will soon receive my B.A. in English with minors in Creative Writing, Editing & Publishing, and Biblical Studies. Along with my experience as a creative writing workshop leader, campus literary magazine editor, and writing center tutor, I also have experience as the Lead Developmental Editor at Story-weaver Publishing LLC. My own publications appear in The Cedarville Review, The Albion Review, and Adelaide Literary Magazine, and I plan to publish my long-form fiction writing sometime in the future.
Alayna Drollinger
By all accounts, from the moment I could speak, I’ve been asking for more stories. Or telling them myself. Like most of us at Honeycomb, books have always been my love language, whether that be sharing my latest find or rereading an old favorite again and again. As an editor, I want to help refine and make stories, of all shapes and sizes, available to the wider world.
In my time at college, I’ve had experience running a literary journal, creative writing workshop, and academic tutoring. I’ll be graduating in December with a degree in English from Cedarville University as well as minors in Creative Writing, History, Editing and Publishing, and Biblical Studies. My next steps after graduation are to help out here with Honeycomb as well as pursue a graduate degree in Composition in order to teach in the future.
Question 2: How did you get into editing?
Brianna De Man
I grew up savoring the applewood hills of west Michigan, where I first encountered the childlike wonder of natural experience. When I discovered books, I fell in love with the magical way authors portray reality through language. I went on to read voraciously, write book reviews, and interact with online writing communities, which is how I first kindled my love for helping writers! I got into this job by chance when an author friend of mine reached out asking for a line edit. I’ve been freelancing ever since, and I still adore that sense of magic you can only get from encountering good storytelling.
Gabrielle Utrie
I’ve always been overflowing with passion for and opinions about stories. So much so that as a teenager it got me banned from talking about certain movies on more than one occasion. While it was fun to critique the films or books I was engaging with, it ultimately felt a little empty. I didn’t just want to be critical; I wanted to be constructive. I wanted to make a difference with stories instead of just being another voice screaming into the void. So when I got to college and had the opportunity to join a creative writing workshop group, something finally clicked. The spark in a writer’s eyes as a piece of feedback clicked, watching a story grow over the course of a semester or year, seeing writers’ passion for their story grow, all of it was incredible and it made me determined to keep helping writers of all stages develop their craft.
Emily Vest
I never could leave a story alone. Growing up, I always had to assess the books I read and movies I watched, dissecting them like a mad scientist, deducing what made them tick, what made their elements succeed or fall short. When friends in high school started coming to me with their academic and creative writing alike for feedback, I found a passion for encouraging their work and strategizing with them ways to strengthen their craft. This joy increased when I arrived at university and began interacting with other literature fans in the English major, writers in class and club workshops, and friends who had been cultivating stories just as long as I. Editing is largely about community and relationships, how you can detect the writer’s vision and help them reveal it, how you can join the writer on their journey and be their support. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to work as a freelance editor now and be a part of the writing community and editing industry!
Alayna Drollinger
For me, editing is one way that I can encourage writers in their craft. I know from personal experience that authors can often be their own worst critics. So when I started college, editing became an opportunity to be the voice I needed to hear, to offer insight and encouragement as well as guidance. It’s been great to develop a rapport with authors in my role as a tutor and workshop leader, to see their writing flourish and their new ideas come into realization.
Question 3: What type of editing is your favorite?
Brianna De Man
Line editing is my favorite because I get to do everything! I approach my work right in the center of “big-picture visionary” and “detail analyst,” which is a cocktail already exemplified in line editing. I’ve dabbled in all kinds of editing, but what gets me excited most is working closely with authors on all aspects of their manuscript. I love getting to address prose on a textual level to keep authors’ styles consistent, but I also love giving feedback on the story as a cohesive whole. Line editing gives me the opportunity to bring a book into harmonious organic unity, which is a New Critical term that describes inseparable literary cohesion.
Gabrielle Utrie
I love developmental editing! When I edit this way, I get to be a problem solver. I love getting to know a story and taking the time to figure out strategies to unlock its full potential. Developmental editing also allows me to work directly with the things I love the most about stories—character arcs, plot structure, and themes. I get so excited whenever I see an arc that breaks and builds a character back up again, a brilliantly crafted plot, and a theme that ties it all together, and I get even more excited when I get the chance to help writers turn their story from good to great.
Emily Vest
I most enjoy developmental editing because I love seeing the big picture of a story, how its structure and pacing take the reader on a journey, how the elements like plot and theme and character work together to become something greater. However, I also really enjoy copy editing because sentences and paragraphs are like puzzles in a work that editors have to solve. The nuances of syntax and diction—the way sentences can be musical and similar words carry different meanings—is thrilling to me, and I love helping writers polish their style to make certain they are saying what they mean and leaving their readers with the right message and feeling.
Alayna Drollinger
Overall, I prefer developmental editing because it gives me the opportunity to help discover the big ideas of a story. Being able to see the heart of an author’s story, where their theme, plot, and characters collide, and helping the author draw that out is one of editing’s greatest pleasures. There’s a certain kind of fulfillment, as an editor, a reader, and a writer, in being able to guide an author toward that clarifying moment of, “Oh! That’s what this story is really about!”
Question 4: What should writers know about editors and their work?
Brianna De Man
It’s important that you feel like you can connect with your editor. Take a look at any potential editors’ websites and see what their vibe is! How easy do you feel like communicating with them would be? Would you feel comfortable asking them any questions about their edits? The author-editor relationship is often a close one, and while you don’t have to be their friend, it’s nice to have an editor you feel like you can talk to.
On a more technical note, be sure to note any testimonials your potential editor might have. I would also encourage all writers to ask for a sample edit from any editor they’re thinking about hiring. If you know someone who has gotten edits from this person, ask them about their experience!
Gabrielle Utrie
A good editor is a good teammate. When you’re looking for an editor, look for someone who gets excited about your story and wants to help you execute your vision for the book. Your editor should be your story’s cheerleader, but they also need to care about your story enough to tell you things that might be difficult to hear. Whether through tough love, encouragement, or some combination of both, an editor should make it clear that they are here to help your story shine.
Emily Vest
Sometimes there’s a belief that editors are the gatekeepers of the publishing world, that they’ll cross their arms and stand before you and say that you aren’t good enough—but this is the exact opposite of what an editor should be and the opposite of what most editors are! An editor’s goal is to provide the extra support for the writer to succeed, which means that an editor must be excited about your story, recognize your goals, encourage your work, and seek its successful publication.
Try to communicate with your editor before making your partnership official, whether through email or a phone call, so you can be certain your editor understands you and your story and will do their utmost to help you improve the hard work you’ve already put in!
Alayna Drollinger
Editors are human too! There’s a lot of effort that goes into becoming an editor, learning the skills necessary to perform our jobs well. But there’s also a human aspect—editing takes time and practice. It can be an exhausting and isolating activity. While editing does have its own rewards, it’s important to remember that getting comments back on your draft or receiving a transmittal letter isn’t the product of an impersonal process but the result of many years of practice and hours of dedicated work.
Thank you!
Thank you for joining us at Honeycomb for the past year and taking the time to get to know us today! The editors at Honeycomb are passionate about our work and grateful for our community, and we would love to get to know you and your work too, so don’t hesitate to reach out on our website’s Contact page!
Until then, bee brilliant!
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