Carly Hayward

@fromcarly.bsky.social

1037 Followers 249 Following

Book Light Editorial & #RevPit editor, Story Chat Radio co-host. Disabled. You'll usually find me cuddling w/ a cup of tea and a great book. She/her Editing: https://booklighteditorial.com/ Podcast: https://www.storychatradio.com/

Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, ““I met Carly the same day I saw Mad Max Fury Road, so she'll forever be linked in my mind to Furiosa—someone you absolutely want on your side! With Carly's guidance, I turned my pretty okay novel into something so much more—something alive. I always felt she loved my characters as much as I did; she simply got what I was trying to do, and helped me do it. I have no doubt that my book (and hopefully the many to come) is vastly improved by her involvement.’ -Kim Alexander, International best-selling author of The Demon Door series”
Woman holding up a book. The book is Daggermouth by H.M. Wolfe
Woman holding up a book called A Little Less Invisible
Solid dark grey background. On both sides of the graphics, there are blue, orange, and red flowers. The main text says, “Your character’s current emotions will be reflected in the words you use as well as how you structure your sentences. i.e. when your character is angry, the sentences will be short and choppy, etc.” The company logo is on the bottom left corner and it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
Gray cat sleeping on a blanket
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “"I knew my manuscript had some gaps, but even with a critique partner and months of brainstorming, we couldn't figure it out. Carly nailed the problem in one read. Her edit letter articulated the issues so well I found myself nodding along as I read. I loved my manuscript before the edit, but with Carly's direct (though gentle!) guidance, I've been able to turn it into something better than I thought I was capable of producing. I can't recommend her enough! Brooke Blair, Romance author”
The book Damsels and Dinosaurs is laying on a desk
Solid dark grey background. On both sides of the graphics, there are blue, orange, and red flowers. The main text says, “Does your main character have this type of wound?” Underneath the text there is a jade colored arrow pointing right. The company logo is on the bottom left corner and it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
An embroidery of a pink fuzzy moth on a dark blue background
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, "I can’t rave about Carly enough! She performed a quick, yet thorough, read-through of my novel and created six pages of talking points. Then we skyped so I fully understood her points and recommendations. Together, we crafted a battle strategy for revisions—it was so efficient that the actual edits only took a week! And looking at the old draft versus the new one… wow. Her edits added a whole new dimension to my story, without sacrificing my original vision for the novel. If you’re hesitating on purchasing her work, don’t!" The book cover on the left side of the graphic is of This Gilded Abyss; the cover has two women ready for battle. One is muscular with a black tank top on handling a spear and the other in a white captain uniform holding a gun.
Solid dark grey background. On both sides of the graphics, there are blue, orange, and red flowers. The main text says, “How can you build your skills as a writer?” Underneath the text there is a jade colored arrow pointing right. The company logo is on the bottom left corner and it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
Selfie of a woman with short dark black and green hair holding up a book called Of Swords and Starlight by Wren Jones.
Selfie of a woman with short hair. In front of them is a pantone color birth chart that says, “Cancer Sun, Virgo Moon, Capicorn Rising, and Gemini Venus.”
The majority of the graphic is a solid white color. On the left side of the graphic, there is half a staircase with flowers wrapped around it. The colors of the flowers were red, gold, and dark blue. The text reads, “While lust and hate are strong driving forces in a book, don’t overlook the power of other forms of love. Those complex relationships where you love your friend, don’t want to disappoint them, feel judged by them, feel supported by them, often take them for granted, lie to them, but ultimately you truly understand them and will always be there for them, those are powerful relationships that can drive so many different plots and stories.”
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “Before working with Carly, I had a manuscript. After working with her, I had a book and a whole new set of skills to show for it! She brought so much patience and thoughtfulness to the process, and her feedback was always clear, constructive, and genuinely helpful. She didn't just tell me what wasn't working. She gave me tools I could use to improve this book and apply to every book I write going forward. I genuinely grew as a writer working with her, and that's the kind of value you just can't put a price on. If you want an editor who will elevate the work you bring her and make you a better writer for everything that comes after, look no further! -Maisie M. Meyers, author of A Little Less Invisible”
A bookstack sitting on a desk. Books included: A Little Less Invisible by Maisie Meyers, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (allegory for CFS/interpreted as such), The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Even if We Break by Marieke Nijkamp, One for All by Lillie Lainoff, Spear by Nicola Griffith, The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer, The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Cat smelling a book. The book is The Tenfold Tenants by E.V. Belknap.
Flatlay image of the book I Who Have Never Known Men, sitting on top on a spiral journal.
The majority of the graphic is a solid white color. On the left side of the graphic, there is half a staircase with flowers wrapped around it. The colors of the flowers were red, gold, and dark blue. The text reads, “Every scene in your book needs to further either the plot or character development. If it doesn’t do either, nix it!”
A person with brown hair and glasses holding up a book in front of their face. The book is Practical Potions and Premeditated Murder by Wren Jones.
Grumpy looking calico cat sitting on a desk
The majority of the background is a solid white. On the top left corner of the graphic, there is some dark blue background and in front of that is a golden robotic raven with jade accents. The company logo is on the bottom right corner and it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book. The text reads, “Why is this detail important? What does it show about the world that is new or different? Does it show what your characters care about? What is telling about this detail that fleshes out both your world and your characters?”
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “It's been just over three years since I first met Carly through an online writing event and I couldn't be more grateful for those stars aligning! Carly is one of the most passionate and brilliant people in the industry I've ever met and have had the privilege of working with. We've gone through two manuscript assessments and are now preparing my novel to be self-published. She helped me see my novel in a way I never would have been able to find or process, completely transforming not only the manuscript itself, but my skills as a writer and storyteller. Her care and attention to detail for my piece is palpable in her feedback, completely personalized and insightful. I'm over the moon to be working with her again and in the future. She has been the ultimate guide and mentor over these years. I'm looking forward to many more! -Rara Hope, author of The Moon Could Only Weep”
Someone holding a book called The Girl with a Thousand Faces
Solid dark jade color background. The text reads, “Need a present for a writer? Find the perfect gift for your writerly loved one! Coaching Call: with a coaching call your author will be able to customize it to fit whatever they need.”
The majority of the background is a solid white. On the top left corner of the graphic, there is some dark blue background and in front of that is a golden robotic raven with jade accents. The company logo is on the bottom right corner and it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book. The text reads, “Show who your characters are through their relationships. How we interact with the people in our lives, who we dislike, why we dislike them, who we love, why we love them, all define who we are.”
A calico cat is hitting a book with their head. The book is The Tenfold Tenants by E.V. Belknap.
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “Carly edited my YA fantasy manuscript during #RevPit 2018. She's an incisive, thorough editor, and her notes were spot-on. She immediately understood the themes I wanted to convey and helped me bring them out by delving deeper into my heroine's psyche. My book ended up more exciting, more romantic, and more emotionally complex because of Carly's excellent feedback. Overall, working with Carly was a dream. She was prompt with her notes and was the perfect mix of supportive and blunt about the manuscript's flaws. My manuscript is much better after her input, and I highly recommend working with her!’ -Sarah Hawley, author of A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon”
Bookstack that makes a rainbow
The majority of the background is a solid white. On the top left corner of the graphic, there is some dark blue background and in front of that is a golden robotic raven with jade accents. The company logo is on the bottom right corner and it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book. The text reads, “Prologues aren’t inherently bad, but a lot of authors use them to ‘cheat’ – revealing important information all at once, rather than hinting at it to build intrigue.”
Calico cat is napping on someone’s lap as they sit at their desk.
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “I’d been building and writing my story for more than a decade, and no matter how I revised, I couldn’t seem to make the story stand on its own feet. Then I handed it to Carly, who like me has a passion for the nexus where fantasy, science fiction and romance collide. With one read she saw the heart of the story I was trying to tell and helped me scrape away all the extraneous nonsense that didn’t belong. Carly’s insight into storytelling, how to lean into a writer’s voice, and the social issues that can make or break a story was invaluable. She helped uncover the light in my characters, leverage the characters as their own worst enemies, and breathe life into a complex tale that breaks the laws of physics. Her experience and empathy toward a writer’s struggle helped not only strengthen my story, but gave me the confidence to take chances I might have otherwise scooted under the rug." -K. J. Harrowick, author of Bloodflower”
Woman holding up a book called A Little Less Invisible.
Solid dark jade background. There is a big black cat sitting on the left side corner with red, white, and gold flowers on its body. The company logo is on the bottom right corner and it's an open book with a lightbulb in the center. The main text says, “Your character’s goal is what they want in life, their motivations are what happened in their past that’s left them with a lack of something, and the conflicts are what gets in their way.”
Woman holding an ereader
olid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “I've been lucky to work with several editors who've improved my books and made me a better writer. I appreciate Carly's style. The feedback is concise and easy to understand. Her willingness to discuss not just this first book but where I'm going in the series is a great help, the kind of support I need as I try something new.” -Cheryl Harper, USA Today best-selling author of Can't Help Falling in Love and Least Likely to Fall in Love”
A copy of The Count of Monte Cristo sitting on a table
The image has a solid dark jade color background. In the bottom left corner, the company symbol is there which is an open book with a lightbulb in the center. The main text says, “Editing Familiars: The three aspects of our editorial approach.” There are three items in the middle; a golden raven, a black cat, and a jade dragon. Underneath each character, there is some text that reads, “The Raven: Knowledge and creativity, The Cat: Supportive and long-lasting partnerships, The Dragon: Protection of your voice and vision.”
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, ““Carly was able to see my vision and pinpoint exactly what was falling flat, what needed more development, what needed more consistency, and what needed more balance. She explained each of the issues in a clear way that made sense and inspired me to make changes in a smart way, to expand some threads and cut others and dig deeper into certain characters. Her notes were so thorough and helpful and well organized and well thought-out, that I was super excited to edit—those are the best sort of notes. Carly is super professional, prompt, organized, concise, and so smart! I learned so much working with her, all of which has carried me through to later projects.” -Felicia Grossman, Author of Appetites & Vices”
Solid white background. There is a dark jade border around the edges of the graphics. The main text says, “It’s not just about what your characters are feeling, but also what you want the reader to feel. Your characters might feel happy, but you might want your reader to feel suspicious.” The company logo is on the bottom right corner, it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
Video description: “Editing tools” rapid video of a blanket, heating pad, journal, kindle, pen, a calico cat, and tea.
Cat sitting on a window cat bed, looking down at the ground
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “Carly was not only essential to getting my manuscript in shape, but she was a pleasure to work with. She was flexible and communicative regarding her schedule, and most importantly, delivered a great developmental edit! Her insightful feedback was instrumental in bringing my protagonist to life. Readers are really connecting with the emotional ride of my story, and I have Carly to thank for getting me to bring all those emotions to the fore in a compelling way. I’m a screenwriter by training, and she also gave me guidance that helped me flesh out my prose and wrap my head around the needs of a novel. I couldn’t be happier with Carly and the process, and I’m definitely hiring her to help me with my next novel.” -Anthony DeCapite, author of Fireline and Outlaw”
A woman holding a book in front of her face. The book is Enemies to Booksellers by Laura Catherine.
Solid white background. There is a dark jade border around the edges of the graphics. The main text says, “How do you approach feedback? Approach both praise and constructive criticism with curiousity. Remember, no manuscript is perfect, and no advice is perfect; and no advice is perfect; it is all about how you question both and find a way to meld them together. Approach the feedback with the intent to understand it, not agree or disagree. ” The company logo is on the bottom right corner, it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “Before working with Carly, I had a manuscript. After working with her, I had a book and a whole new set of skills to show for it! She brought so much patience and thoughtfulness to the process, and her feedback was always clear, constructive, and genuinely helpful. She didn't just tell me what wasn't working. She gave me tools I could use to improve this book and apply to every book I write going forward. I genuinely grew as a writer working with her, and that's the kind of value you just can't put a price on. If you want an editor who will elevate the work you bring her and make you a better writer for everything that comes after, look no further! -Maisie M. Meyers, author of A Little Less Invisible”
Woman holding a Star Wars mug that’s in the shape of C-3PO
A gray cat looking over their shoulder angrily
Solid white background. On the left side of the graphic is a staircase with red, gold, and blue flowers wrapped around it. The main text says, “Voice is demonstrated via tone, word choice, sentence structure, paragraph structure, use of description, exposition, narration, dialogue, pacing, themes, character archetypes, even subject matter. ” The company logo is on the bottom right corner, it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
A person with brown hair and glasses holding up a book in front of their face. The book is The Moon Could Only Weep.
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “I had lost the bird’s eye view of my story after a while and Carly really helped me become excited about my story again. I learned parts that weren’t working and how to simplify an adult fantasy. She asked me some great questions and made comments that made my story so much stronger! -Darby Cox, Writer”
Solid white background. On the left side of the graphic is a staircase with red, gold, and blue flowers wrapped around it. The main text says, “There are three types of voice in writing: author, narrator, and character. ” The company logo is on the bottom left corner, it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
Wood wall shelf with books and antique Victorian bookends.
A person with brown hair and glasses holding up a book in front of their face. The book is The Glass Sword by Kim Alexander.
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “Carly is absolutely amazing and I can't recommend her enough. It was my first time doing a developmental edit for a book and I wasn't sure how useful it would be, but the thorough read and input from Carly was invaluable to making my story better. I used the Neon Indie Bundle and having the edits looked at twice really gave me peace of mind that the changes I'd made were the right ones. Carly gives the perfect balance of praise and constructive feedback through detailed assessments. I can't wait to work with her again.”
Solid black background. On the top of the graphics, there are blue and orange flowers. The main text says, “How to make a satisfying ending” The company logo is on the bottom left corner, it's a lightbulb standing on top of an open book.
The image has a solid dark jade color background. In the bottom left corner, the company symbol is there which is an open book with a lightbulb in the center. The main text says, “Editing Familiars: The three aspects of our editorial approach.” There are three items in the middle; a golden raven, a black cat, and a jade dragon. Underneath each character, there is some text that reads, “The Raven: Knowledge and creativity, The Cat: Supportive and long-lasting partnerships, The Dragon: Protection of your voice and vision.”
Two rainbows in the sky
Solid dark green background. Turquoise texts on the top that says, “Testimonials.” On the bottom right corner, the company name, “Book Light Editorial” is there in green font next to a dark jade colored flower. On the left side of the graphic, there is a golden raven sitting on a branch that is covered in flowers. The main text reads, “When I first approached Carly, I wasn’t sure my manuscript would ever be published. But with her gentle manner and supportive feedback, she helped me organize and re-write my story. She’s phenomenal at suggesting solutions, not just pointing out problems. With Carly, you know she is immediately on your team and your biggest cheerleader. After working with her on two books, I honestly felt like she knew my characters as well as I did. Carly is professional, positive and kind.” -Deana Birch, author of Faster and Slower”