Why Editing Almost Made me Quit Writing 😩 (Updated)

Most writers go through a phase where they want to quit writing. There are numerous reasons they are discouraged, especially when you are first starting. For me, editing was the fly in my ointment. 

With my first book, I hired a professional editor. I paid a lot of money to have my work fine-tuned and, I thought, perfected. How did that work out? 

I had readers complain about the errors and grammar. 

With my second book, rather than hire a professional editor, I had a few people with a good eye for grammar to edit my manuscript. One of these people complained that my first book had many 'distracting' errors, so I thought this would be the perfect person to help. How did that go?

People complained about the errors and grammar.

By this point, I wanted to quit writing. I tried the two logical ways to resolve this issue only to get shit on regardless, so I was hesitant to try again.

Did I mention that my most vocal critics were other writers?

At any rate, I feel I've since worked out the kinks. I decided not to let these criticisms hold me back from doing what I love. It's been a learning curve, and 16 books later, I think I have a grasp on things. 

Here are a few suggestions for other writers who struggle with editing:

1. Check grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. I recommend using something like Grammarly, and I've also used Polishmywriting.com. Sometimes these sites catch things you might miss. 
2. Check for any unnecessary words. For example, I tend to overuse the word 'just'. So I go through my manuscript to see when I can delete it. There are many other words like 'really', and I think 'always' is another. I would do a Google search to see what other overused or unnecessary words you can cut out. 
3. Do things make sense? Do your character's reaction fit their personality? Is that a normal reaction? I once read a well-known book where a character couldn't perform an important task due to illness and had her (clearly) less mature and inexperienced friend take it on. Who does that? Most people would either look for a better alternative or drag themselves from their deathbed. 
4. Do things line up? Did your character schedule a party for next week, and suddenly it's taking place a month later? Did she leave the house wearing a red dress and come home to remove a black one? Is she blonde in chapter one and suddenly a brunette in chapter two? These errors are easy to make, especially when you have a lot going on in your manuscript and many characters.
5. Not only do you need to worry about typos for words, but what about people, places, etc.? Your character may live in 'Lonemon apartment buildings' in chapter three, then 'Lomemon apartment buildings' in chapter twenty. It's easy to make this kind of mistake. I have a 'Maria' in my books but have checked through the final manuscript for 'Marie' just in case. It's easy to miss this sort of error; and even easier to do so when typing fast.
6. It doesn't hurt to fact-check if you aren't 100% sure of something. I have some Spanish in my books, so I often research to confirm that I have the correct spelling and meaning. Sometimes I will check other things I'm iffy on; for example, is it 'toe the line' or 'tow the line' 
7. Always have help. If you can't afford a super expensive editor, find some reliable friends and family members with a good eye. They may catch things you've missed along the way. 
8. You're not perfect, and chances are, some errors will still slip through. Don't hate yourself for it, and certainly don't quit writing if it's your passion. No one is perfect. Not even other writers (or your critics)

Who are your favorite characters? 🤩 (Updated)

A few months ago, I took a survey with my readers. I asked them to pick their favorite character from my books. As it turns out, there are a few fan favorites. And now, the countdown.....

5. Paige Noël-Hernandez - The only female to make the top five, Paige is a character in my Hernandez series as the wife of Jorge Hernandez. People like Paige because she is strong and assertive yet has a gentle, almost zen-like side. She enjoys meditation, practicing yoga, and is an online self-help guru. Did I mention that she's also an assassin? 🔪

4. Jimmy Groome - A blast from the past! Jimmy Groome is the self-destructive, rebellious rock star from my second book. Readers often comment how they related to him since he was somewhat of a misfit. He struggled with his share of demons, learning many hard lessons along the way.

3. Chase Jacobs - Not surprisingly, the top three characters (and 4/5 on this list) are from my Hernandez series. Chase has been a part of this series from day one. He was the original protagonist for both We're All Animals and Always be a Wolf. People love his boy-next-door profile, his need to do the right thing, but mostly, he's honest and genuine. 

2. Diego Silva - This feisty character came along at the end of We're All Animals and has been along for the ride ever since. Diego is abrupt, fidgety, and carries a baseball bat in the trunk of his Lexus...you don't want to know why. 😏 This Colombian is the loyal sidekick of Jorge Hernandez and helps him with all his dirty work. 

1. Jorge Hernandez - Possibly the most notorious character I've ever written about, Jorge Hernandez came along at the end of Always be a Wolf and has been the protagonist for the rest of the Hernandez series. Arrogant, abrupt, obnoxious, and calculating at times, others would describe him as a leader that doesn't let anyone or anything stand in his way. A former king in the Mexican drug world, he now strives to have power over business, politics, and the media in Canada.

Do we judge women writers differently? 👩🏼 (Updated)

Female writers. Lots of us out there. I'm just wondering if many women writers are conscious of whether or not their book comes across as being too feminine? Do women worry about covers that look too girly, or do they avoid topics that suggest wedding bells, hearts, and flowers? Is there a concern about making the male characters 'too soft' or not making their female characters strong enough? Do women writers worry that they aren't taken as seriously as men in the writing world?

I've noticed some comments in the media that have suggested that women writers sometimes feel not taken as seriously as their male counterparts, especially if they write romance or anything too 'fluffy and frilly'. Having said that, the romance genre is actually vastly popular, so this shouldn't be the case, and yet, I've heard it is.  

I tend to write about darker topics such as rock stars, gangsters, and vampires. Most of which probably have a more masculine vibe but regardless, I am very conscious of my potential audience when I'm picking out a cover. I know women will grab a book with a masculine cover but men, on the other hand, are less likely to go for anything that looks too 'girly'. It's unfortunate that we even need to have this discussion, but chances are things aren't going to change anytime soon. 

And so, when I pick out my covers, I think about this kind of thing. When I'm writing my synopsis, I think about this kind of thing. When I create my characters, I think about this kind of thing. I like to believe that all my books are potentially appealing to men and women. 

I make sure all my characters are strong because I don't like weak characters, regardless of their sex. Nothing is appealing about a male or female protagonist that whines, cries, and complains all the time (God knows we have enough of those people in the real world, why read about them too? 🤭) or is simply too soft. Honestly, I don't think this appeals to anyone. A confident character in books with interesting, thought-provoking storylines is appealing to men and women readers. 

The truth is that I often feel that as a women writer, I might be judged, and therefore, maybe work a bit harder to show that I can play with the boys. No one could ever accuse me of having 'girly' books, but even if I did, I wouldn't be ashamed of it. No female writer should be. 

What's the best order to read my books? 📚 (Updated)

People often ask in what order they should read my books. Although I think most are standalone, I will break things down for those who might be checking them out for the first time. ☺️Here goes....

The Rock Star series:

Fire (2010)
A Spark before the Fire (2012)

The Vampire series:

The Rock Star of Vampires (2014)
Her Name is Mariah (2015)









Different Shades of the Same Color (2016)



The Hernandez series:

We're All Animals (2016)
Always be a Wolf (2017)
The Devil is Smooth Like Honey (2017)
A Devil Named Hernandez (2018)
And the Devil Will Laugh (2018)

The Devil May Lie (2019)

The Devil and His Legacy (2019)

She Was His Angel (2020)

We're All Criminals (2020)

Psychopaths Rule the World (2021)

Loyalty Above All (there are no exceptions)  (2021)

You'll notice that Different Shades of the Same Color stands alone. There is a minor connection to my current (Hernandez) series. One of the characters from the Hernandez series was mentioned in a couple of chapters, but that's about it. It's a weird book that doesn't have a place on the list.

I always encourage people to go online to learn about each book, read a chapter and see which one speaks to them. My writing is dark fiction, including graphic sex, violence, and inner conflicts. Oh, and there's some dark comedy in there too. 😉

Do we judge people by what they read? 👩🏼‍⚖️ (Updated)

Let's be fair. We all judge others. Whether it be other people's life choices, taste in music, or clothing, we all judge from time to time. It's none of our business, but it doesn't stop us from occasionally turning up our noses when noting other people's decisions. 

Books, as it turns out, are no different. This was something I discovered while in my 20s when a date dropped by my apartment to see a book lying around and immediately mocked me for reading fiction. I wonder what he would think if he knew I now wrote it. He immediately turned his elitist nose up, attempting to shame my decision to enjoy a VC Andrews book because it was merely 'fluff'. He didn't make my Christmas card list that year. 

The point is that some people judge others by what they read, and I'm sure, also by what they write. I've had people giggle that I wrote a couple of vampire books but sit up a bit straighter when I describe my recent series of blood-thirsty gangsters. I guess criminals and murder are taken more seriously than vampires. 

When I put the question out (with this original YouTube video 👇🏼) whether people judged what others read, I got a very candid yes in reply. What do you think? 

Why did I start writing? 🤨 (Updated)

One of the most common questions people ask me is why I started writing. After all, I was in college studying business in 2008 when I suddenly dropped out to pursue my dream. It was the road less traveled, and to some, it probably seemed stupid to return to a dead-end job while I wrote my first book but to me, it was what I had to do.

There are a few reasons why writing quickly became my passion.

1.  I wasn't finding the kind of books I wanted to read, so I wrote them. Not to suggest there's nothing out there that I enjoy reading, but it was more to the point that there was just something missing.
2. I wanted people to see another point of view. Let's explore the other side of things. For example, in my first book Fire, I talk about a rock band's rise to fame and the unexpected and negative sides of being famous. In my vampire books, I question whether these mystical creatures of fantasy are actually everyday people who happen have some fascinating strengths. And in my Hernandez series, I show that there are many blurred lines when it comes to the good and bad guys. 
3. I wanted to make people think. Political corruption, collusion, racism, Big Pharma, celebrity, untrustworthy corporations....you will see many topics and issues brought up in my books, even if it's merely a passing comment by a character. My goal is to make people think and look at things from a character's perspective. Nothing is ever black or white.
4. To discover a magical world. Sometimes I'm shocked by what my characters do. I'm always fascinated by where the story will take me, and just like many of my readers, I can't wait to see what they will do next!

How do I get ideas for my books? 💭 (Updated)

I cover a lot of topics in my books. It's never just one specific area that I focus on, but you can find a whole assortment of thoughts, ideas, struggles, and conversations that contribute to each novel. Sometimes within one chapter. 😄

People often ask me where I get these ideas. It's kind of a complicated question to answer. I find inspiration from different areas, including everyday life, what I see on the news, documentaries, books, and even comments people have made at some point in my life. There is a whole swirl of crazy activity in my brain, and I'm never quite sure how it will land on the page but somehow it always comes together.

I guess it's what stands out to me. If a topic or comment is grabbing my attention, I will work with it. If something is on my mind, it might land on the pages of a book. It's usually not based on my life, but more likely something I've noticed. 

Plots come to me all the time. Usually when I'm working out (especially when listening to music) is when I get my strongest ideas. I will often visualize a scene and rush to jot down notes. It may not make sense at the time, but it will when I sit down to write it.

Speaking of characters, they take the wheel when it comes to storylines. Each has its district personalities, experiences, and issues that float to the surface, which is something else you must always keep in mind. After all, where would we be without characters?

It can be a magical experience.