all right, big news time: ALL THREE OF MY PROJECTS EARNED OUT this is probably the first time in my life I've felt anything like success and accomplishment, and I'm blessedly too tired to have my eyes on what's next I wrote 1.8K about what I learned jowritesfantasy.me/2025/11/04/a...

Editing slots are filling up for 2026 already!!! Now booking for June onwards. If you'll have a manuscript ready for developmental or line editing next summer or later, get in touch at [email protected] to secure your slot. Prices at www.thewriteadvice.co.uk ~ Anna

Almost finished working on the copy edit for @angelacleland.co.uk and, guys, it is SO GOOD. It has such a unique rhythm and style that I'm having to adapt my feedback and not be The Grammar Guy, so it fits. But look out for it, and give her a follow, too! ~ Anna

Here, have some Hiroshi Yoshimura.

So stoked for the beginning of @spotlightindie.bsky.social 's Big Indie Weekend! Look at all these amazing guests!!

Spotlight Indie's Big Weekend kicks off soon! Follow them @spotlightindie.bsky.social to get all the goods! Great people doing great work writing great books and supporting each other ... greatly. ~ Anna

I've been fortunate to receive mentoring from @annasmithwrites.bsky.social who's 1/3 of TWA. She's extremely patient, comes up with brilliant insights, and really wants to make the story better. I'd to leave because of some life issues, but will resume early next year.

Anna has been helping me rework an old manuscript this year and it’s been awesome. She revitalised my enthusiasm for the book with her insightful feedback and suggestions. It’s not just improved the ms - it’s improved my writing overall. Stop swithering! Get yourself in TWA’s diary for 2026.

Winter Haunts returns this November, and what a line-up of authors and speakers taking part once again! If you're a lover of ghost stories and Gothic fiction, then this could be the event for you... www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/winter-hau... #gothic #gothicfiction #ghoststories #ghoststory

Small Publishers Fair returns to London's Conway Hall next month, with 66 UK & international publishers, a special exhibition, and readings & talks. More details soon. Fri 24 & Sat 25 October (11am-7pm) FREE, all welcome Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL smallpublishersfair.co.uk

I've worked on 8 editorial projects this year, both novels and novellas at developmental and copy/line. Finishing up the last two over the next 6 weeks and then taking a break until next year. It's been brilliant to be so busy and work with so many talented authors, but I need a rest. Like Bailey!

Less than a month until #DVpit, a pitch event for marginalized creators looking to find an agent & get traditionally published! Here's a reminder of the rules! For more guidelines & info go to dvpit.carrd.co See you all at DVpit on October 8th, 2025! #writersky #booksky

Today in Anna's Adventures in Editing, I've so far had to look up what behaviours indicate a psychopath v a sociopath, and when breathalysers were invented. Yep, it ain't a SFF book, folks. The below gif should read Challenge ACCepted, by the way 😋

Politely withdrawing from a book prize isn’t cancelling anyone. When the Women’s Prize said it had no problem incl transgender women, the “gender critical” novelist Lissa Evans, for example, said she’d no longer allow her books to be submitted for it. I wonder where the substacks were about that?

If you are planning to come to World Fantasy Convention 2025 and would like to be on programme items, you need to fill out the form before 8th August. worldfantasy2025.co.uk/participation/

Another 5 mentoring sessions done today. Tough work, but one writer is a mere 3 chapters away from finishing their first book and another is embarking on draft 2 with the aim of getting most of it done by the end of the year. Super proud of them both, and all my others, of course. ~ Anna

Boss. I'm tired boss. We been doing these experiments and studies since the 60s and 70s and the outcome has been the same in them all. The pushback against these measures aren't because they don't work. It's because they DO work and they'll include peoples they wish to exclude from society.

Grammar for adventurers: "Can I" is an ability check "May I" is a persuasion roll. Anna.

I'm not saying I'm dedicated, but I just took a selfie of myself looking Very Disappointed and sent it to a mentee as motivation to write more consistently, one of their goals, and extracted a promise that they'd send me their word count each day so that "you never look at me like that again" ~ Anna

Congratulations to editorial client Stephen on publication of his new novel, Inquisitive. I didn't work on this one, but if it's half as good as the one I've just edited, then it's very, very good! You can check it out here ~ Anna

Me: Today I shall edit while listening to One OK Rock. Me, 10 minutes later, caterwauling along: Oh, no, this is not going to work. *Begrudgingly switches to movie soundtracks* *Miraculously is able to edit* Welcome to Anna Fridays.

Anna reads, loves, and reviews Wriggly Little Hands by @authoralexknight.bsky.social thewriteadvice.co.uk/2025/07/05/b...

Hungary banned anything that “promotes homosexuality,” which means Pride. However, today over 500,000 people in Budapest told the government to fuck off. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Guys, guys, guys... The Damned King is on Netgalley. Go get it! www.netgalley.com/catalog/book...

We have partnered with @hodderscape.bsky.social to bring you a GIVEAWAY for a hardback copy of A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim! To enter: Follow us and repost this post only. Rules: UK & N. Ireland entries only due to shipping restrictions. Ends: 13th June

How are you spending your Friday afternoon? I'm #editing. I sometimes worry about the strange and eclectic knowledge I've learned over the years. Still, better that it's in my brain than my search history, I guess... ~ Anna

Happy Book Birthday to @authoralexknight.bsky.social Wriggly Little Hands is out today! You can read Nils’ review here: fantasy-hive.co.uk/2025/05/wrig... You can order your copy here: books2read.com/u/3ypvQn

Happy publication day to @jessicaamcminn.bsky.social, whose gaslamp dark fantasy horror novella, Parasitic Omens, is out today! Jess is a great author and a responsive and collaborative editorial client (the dream!) and we love working with her. Congrats Jess! ~ Anna

Sometimes my editorial notes are detailed, and sometimes they're just this. Both serve their purpose for the writer, I think, because entertaining your editor is always a good sign ~ Anna

NGL everytime some tenderqueer reheats the "are sex scenes necessary" diskhorse I get annoyed. as an author, i treat my sex scenes like my fight scenes: they're load-bearing, they're plot relevant, they build character no parts of my art are disposable, and fuck you for treating it like it is

17th May is the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia. The date commemorates the World Health Organisation’s decision in 1990 to remove homosexuality from its classification of diseases. We exist. We don’t need a cure. #IDAHOBIT

Several of my books are on on sale on Kobo and Apple for a limited time only.

With 10 days to go until @jessicaamcminn.bsky.social new novella is out, she was kind enough to give a brief overview of her editing experience with us. Looking forward to the next one, Jess. ~ Anna

Congratulations to client @jessicaamcminn.bsky.social, whose #gaslampfantasy novella, Parasitic Omens, has received all the love from Grimdark Magazine! We love it when good things happen to good people ~ Anna

Look at this great opp!

Sunday: dog walk, 3x loads of washing done and hung out, one hour of tree pruning, 4x mentoring sessions. I'm going back to work tomorrow for a rest!! ~ Anna

Thrilled for editing client Jess and her new novella, Parasitic Omens, which is creepy as all hell and I loved working on! Get your preorders in now! ~ Anna

Copy-editing is a strange profession sometimes... ~ Anna

Hello #PortfolioDay ✨ I'm Gwyn, I'm a digital artist from southeast asia! I draw OCs mostly and I love soulsborne and ffxiv 💛 #oc #art #illustration Links: Portfolio Commissions

being a game dev is knowing sometimes 10/10 is too much but 11/10 is just right

And there it is! Massive congratulations to Zena Wilde on writing those magical words, The End, on the first draft of her epic fantasy/grimdark novel known as Project Elf (not its final title). It's such a buzz helping an author over the finish line. Can't wait to work on draft 2/edits. ~ Anna

The BFS is excited to announce our first in-person event in York, AK Faulkner’s Sword of Avalon book launch, Monday 9th June 2025, 6:30pm, Portal Bookshop, York. Ticket: tinyurl.com/portalafk @poopraven.bsky.social @katiebruce.bsky.social @portalbookshop.bsky.social

Another mentee with a first draft *this close* 🤏 to completion! It's so exciting!!! ~ Anna

Things are hotting up in Castle Write Advice, so if you're looking for mentoring or editing services, get in touch early rather than late! ~ Anna

If you haven’t responded yet to the UK government’s consultation on copyright and AI, tomorrow is the last day to let them know your thoughts about the effect of AI on our industry. 👇🏻 Justin

Interesting article in The Bookseller about how the lines are blurring between traditional and indie publishing. Justin

I love editing. Anna

This is so true and I’ve really noticed this while working with clients. Stuff I just do instinctively and wasn’t consciously aware of has to become concrete so I can explain it to someone else. And it makes me more aware of my own writing craft. I’m learning too! Justin

Elephant calf update: very baby