Recently, several of the Carina Press editors joined together to create a marvelous thing—the #editschmedit. What is this glorious hashtag? I’m so glad you asked!

A lot of authors will take part in a #1k1hr on twitter. #editschmedit is similar—only rather than a writing sprint, it’s an edit sprint. Anyone is welcome to join. For one hour, those who participate will work on edits then check in at the end with an update on their progress. Pretty simple, right?

It is! But what makes it even more wonderful is the accountability the participant is held to. After all, if you’ve announced to the internet that you’re working on a deadline, chances are you’re more likely to keep working towards that deadline than say, hang out on facebook…

As a freelancer, I work from home. There are so many plus sides to this! I’m always going on about working in my pajamas—I love it! Being able to set my hours. And not to mention how awesome Carina is in general and how much I adore the other editors and Carina staff.

But there are some elements that present challenges. Here’s a not-so-secret secret. I am extremely easily distracted. I set myself up an office that I call “the sensory deprivation room” because it features only a desk, couch, and white walls. The office is generally effective, but hiding away doesn’t always eliminate the distractions. I have neighbors who are far too powertool happy for their own good (one of these days, I swear I’ll steal their leaf blowers and chainsaws and powerdrivers…). Errands that need to be run—after which I have to re-insert myself into ‘editing brain’. And of course, those unexpected—unwanted and unprecedented—life issues that arise. The sort that seem to wrap around you like a black cloud that you must wade through and force yourself to compartmentalize, no matter how much they take over your thoughts.

Here is where #editschmedit is most effective. It helps to have a ‘team’ rooting you on. To know that at the end of the hour, when you’ve given it your all, you’re not alone in feeling that achievement. You have a group from which you receive “Whoots!” and “You go, lady!”, and can give support in return.

I’ve felt especially connected to those participants. I imagine #editschmedit fostering the sense of fellowship I might feel if I were sitting next to my fellow editors in an office. The same way I feel when I take part in editorial conference calls. #editschmedit is a way to use social media, not as a way to distance ourselves from personal interactions, but to strengthen those interactions.

So, whether you’re an author or an editor, I cannot say enough how useful a tool these hashtags are! Anyone can join in and, for those of us who work in more solitary environments, it’s a great way to network and/or strengthen existing relationships! For readers, I’m just waiting for the day a #readingschmeeding (or something like) appears so I can join in on that too!

So now I’d like to ask, what motivational tools do you use? And, for heaven’s sake, how does one go about sabotaging their neighbors’ power outlets?

I’ve gotten a bit of a reputation amongst my friends. They know that if they ask for book recommendations, a large percentage of my answers will be genre fiction/romance. Some have gotten into the habit of qualifying the question with—“no romance”. Finding answers tends to be difficult. Not because I only read romance novels (not to mention, I’ve edited several books that have little to no romance in them at all!). Rather, I find it difficult because so many books will have elements of romance in them, regardless of what section of the bookstore they’re placed in.

So now I’d like to play a game. In part, because I always love finding new books to read. For another, I really, really like games. For anyone who ends up playing monopoly with me in the future, I’ll add a warning though—I cheat.

So here goes: Who is your most swoon-worthy NON-romance hero/heroine? And why?

Here’s the only rule. There can’t be romance in the book.

Mine would be a toss-up between two (see, I’m cheating already…) heroes.

The first is Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mocking Bird. I would marry that man in a heartbeat. He’s so wise. So eloquent. He’s the type of man who would inspire me to be better, to be stronger. Plus, I can’t hear that name without thinking of Gregory Peck. Definitely swoon-worthy.

And the second is Dr. Laszlo Kreizler from The Alienist by Caleb Carr. This psychologist (referred to as an Alienist before psychology was a recognized science) is patient. He takes care of the children society would want pushed aside. He’s patient. And smart—oh man, he is smart! He’s also willing to fade into the background, letting the police take credit for his actions, to make sure that justice is served. And there’s a darkness in his past, hurts that lay deeply under the surface… He’s not perfect, but he tries to be a good man. A righteous man. And I find that so swoon-worthy.

Now it’s your turn!

I know I’ve discussed the importance of world-building before in science fiction (and fantasy), and I still feel the same. However, I think there are other important aspects of engaging sci-fi. A few of these fall under the umbrella of originality (the most important/difficult factor), and balance of all or most of these is probably ideal.

New Worlds – Pretty self-explanatory. Sci-fi readers want to go to places they’ve never been before and this can include a futuristic or alternate Earth. The genre is unique in its ability to support any setting or situation. The entire Universe is your oyster…

Cool Stuff I Don’t Have – Also pretty basic. Robots or other AI, laser guns, star ships, or other things we’ve never even thought about before.

Description – The first two won’t work unless they are woven into the story with unique language, allowing a reader to see and conceptualize something never before considered.

Modern Issues Solved with Future Tech – This may seem contradictory to the first two, but a balance of real and imaginative always works. I think sci-fi is at its best when it takes current problems and thinks of creative solutions future generations could use to solve them. Neal Stephenson recently challenged writers to think more optimistically about the issues we are facing now (though I personally still like a good dystopian). Using scientific theories that already exist adds a sense of reality to an obviously unreal setting. Larry Niven’s Ringworld series evolved based on feedback from engineers who read and loved his first book.

Action – Maybe this my testosterone speaking, but I do want explosions, high-speed chases, laser pistol fights, cool aircraft maneuvers, etc. This is fine in small doses, but I should be hooked early and throughout a submission.

Many of the submissions I see are very unique but lacking in pacing or character development (items so essential to all fiction they didn’t bear listing). It’s good to remember that publishing is very subjective and personal taste does come up a lot in our meetings. That said, I would love to be blown away by something so unique, so exciting that I have no choice but to recommend it for acquisition.