@robynws.bsky.social

@robynws.bsky.social

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Editor & Publishing Strategist Democracy Depends on Participation | Every Vote Matters 🗳️| 🇺🇦 I post about editing, sports, saving democracy, & American University https://www.robynedits.com

Cover of Steve Cavanagh's newest release titled One of Us Is Guilty.
Cover of the book Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser. Book title in gold lettering with a large "L" that is adorned with flowers.
Line drawing stack of books on there right. Text on the left is a conversation between an editor and an author. The editor speaks first: What if restraint is an active choice, not an omission? (Say, what now?) What are you trusting the reader to figure out without being told? (I HAVE to explain this world in detail. Do you understand the moss has 7 shades of green?!) Is that material to the story? Can you say there’s the range from new spring leaves to the bright zest of a lime and let the reader imagine it? (Oh, maybe! Good one! But what about the 16 shades of pink flowers?)
Picture of two cats sleeping on the sofa together.
Stack of books on the right with the following conversation between an editor and an author on the left. The editor speaks first. The author's responses are in parentheses to demonstrate reactions/internal thoughts: What if every issue wasn’t solved in the same draft it was discovered? (WHAT?!) Awareness is a legitimate stage of revision. (Ok, sure.) Noticing something doesn’t obligate immediate action. (I don’t know about that…) What changes if you let the awareness live for a while? (I want to pull my hair out, but I’m learning to let my draft breathe.)
Graphic shows a person with a laptop sitting on a couch. Next to them is a pile of paper, some crumpled, some flat. The text overlay says, Every published book started as a messy draft. You got this!
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 30. When you step back from the words, what emotion lingers?
Beige meadow with the text: 29. What do you notice about your story's rhythm and tone when you read it out loud?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 28. What scene would break your heart to cut?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 27. Which scene feels most alive in your imagination? Does it have the same energy on the page?
Beige meadow with the text: 26. What is your story teaching you?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: #25. What does the protagonist believe about themselves that the story will disprove?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 24. Where in your story does tension come from silence instead of conflict?
Beige meadow with the text: 23. What are the patterns in your draft telling you?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 22. Which minor character is trying to steal the story?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 21. What is one sentence you wrote that surprises you?
Beige meadow with the text: 20. What ending would feel satisfying, not just finished?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 19. What does your setting know that your characters don't?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 18. Where does the pacing feel rushed? Where does it drag?
Beige meadow with the text: 17. What shape does your story make?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 16. How has your story evolved from the one you intended to write?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 15. What conflict is the protagonist avoiding?
Beige meadow with the text: 14. What would your protagonist do if no one was watching?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 13. Where does your story need to breathe?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 12. Is there an emotion you're softening? What happens if you let it loose?
Beige meadow with the text: 11. What line do you keep skipping over?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 10. Is there one image that holds your story together or is it a collage?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 9. What's being overexplained that could unfold more gently?
Beige meadow with the text: 8. Which scene feels flat and what's missing beneath it?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 7. What surprised you on the page this week?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 6. What would happen if you wrote the next scene out of order?
Beige meadow with the text: What’s your favorite moment of silence or stillness in your story?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners with the text: 4. What are you learning about your voice in this draft?
Ripples emanating from a single drop of water with the text: 3. How is your main character being dishonest with themself?
Beige meadow with the text: 2. What part of your story do you know better than your planning admits?
White embossed background with green leaves in the upper left and lower right corners. Text reads: 1. What's one sentence you wrote that you'd fight to keep?
Photo of tan/beige tortoiseshell cat.
Photo of purple clematis with white centers.
Journey of Rallem book cover. Genre is Romantic Fantasy, Agnel Paranormal Romance, 227 pages, published April 30, 2025. Three stars. Journey to Rallem takes a creative approach to exploring grief, grudges, and both the awesome and terrible power of love. Features angles, demons, and humans. Five words to describe the book: Grief, Romantasy, Polyamory, Steamy, Journey.
Picture of the beach with American University's cheer preliminary time of 2:17 PM EDT on Thursday, April 10
Photograph of the American University Cheer and Dance teams in front of the Jefferson Memorial
Photo of two American University basketball players, Greg Jones #23 and Lincoln Ball #4, with the March Madness logo, a mini First Four court, and the game details: Number 16 American vs. Number 16 Mount St. Mary's at 6:40 PM EDT on TruTv. The game will be played in Dayton, OH.
Photo of American University's men's basketball team celebrating winning the Patriot League tournament. The top of the page announces their first four game agains Mount St. Mary's in Dayton.
Screenshot of a LinkedIn Post from Adam J. Tomasek replying to R. David Harden. It reads: After reading about your post and replying, I just couldn't sit idle. So I drove to the RRB. I was relieved to see that the memorial wall is still intact! I've heard from many about signs being taken down this weekend, and the main entrance lobby did look sparse. But at least for now, the plaques honoring all who made the ultimate sacrifice to help others in need is still there. Underneath the text is a photo from outside looking into the lobby showing the memorial behind velvet rope with an American flag nearby.
Table depicting the Patriot League Men's Basketball standings as of January 16, 2025. Colgate is in first place at 4-1; Boston University, American, Army, and Bucknell are tied for second at 3-2, Holy Cross, Loyola Maryland, Navy, and Lafayette are at 2-3, and Lehigh is at 1-4.
Graphic is a table that lists the Patriot League Women's Basketball Standings as of January 16, 2025. The rank in order from first to last place is: Lehigh, Navy, Army, and Holy Cross tied for first at 4-1 in the conference. Bucknell and Colgate are at 3-2. Lafayette, Boston University, and Loyola Maryland are 1-4, then American is at 0-5.
Book cover of The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Book cover of All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Book cover of Hang Time: Days and Dreams with Michael Jordan by Bob Greene.
Four book covers are shown. The book title is Everything Happens to Aaron with the subtitles: In the Summer, In the Winter, In the Spring, In the Autumn. Aaron is an alligator and he stands in front a tree. Each cover shows the tree in different seasons.
Book cover of Helter Skelter: The True Story of The Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi with Curt Gentry. Mr. Bugliosi prosecuted the Manson murderers. The tag line at the top says, "The #1 True Crime Bestseller of All Time. The background is black. The tag line and the authors text is in white. The title is in red.
Book cover of The Genesis Code by John Case. The cover is red with a DNA helix pictured between two yellow lines going horizontally across the cover. The text in the first yellow line reads, The New York Times Bestseller. The second yellow line has the book title. The third yellow line is at the bottom with the author's name. In white text it says, "A spellbinding thriller...terrifying." The quote is from the San Francisco Examiner.
Photo of the American University Men's Basketball Team on the sidelines, cheering. The graphic shows the final score of American 81 and UAlbany 77.
Book cover of Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas, the seventh and final book in the Throne of Glass series. There is a deer with antlers standing on a hill on the left side of the cover looking at a castle in the distance. There are rolling hills with golden foliage covering them. There appears to be an undulating path leading to the castle on the right side of the cover.
Book cover of Omar Bradley: General at Ware by Jim DeFelice
Book cover of Jewels by Danielle Steel