Welcome!

Welcome to Madison K. Darby Editing!

I’m so excited for this thrilling journey and even more happy you’re here. This website has been a long time in the making, and I can’t wait to tell you what’s in store.

In a nutshell, you’re currently reading the blog attached to my freelance editing website, where you’ll find solutions to any and all of your editing needs. On this site, there’s information about the different services I have to offer here and here. I work in copy, line, and developmental editing as well as book building for all of you aspiring authors out there! But more on that later.  

Now, this blog will most definitely be a fun place (there are some exciting plans in the works), but hopefully, it will also demonstrate the benefits of professional editing and why you should care about grammar in general.

On this blog, I’ll be talking about a variety of English, grammar-nerd topics, including writing tips, the benefits of different editing styles, as well as a literature section—where Harry Potter will most definitely be included among the topics. But hopefully, this blog will, above all things, further develop your love of books and maybe even give you an appreciation for the poor Oxford comma, who definitely deserves some respect.

So why should all this matter for you?

First, books and English are awesome, and I’m sure my passion for these subjects will come through in the blogs I create for you. I’ve found that passion is contagious, and even topics I don’t find particularly fascinating take on a whole new life when I read about them from someone else’s perspective—someone whose love for that subject jumps off the page. There’s a certain child-like wonder that comes from a person’s love of an idea or topic, and I hope to instill that in you!

Second, I’m talking to all of you who have ever wanted to write a book. What an amazing endeavor! Or maybe you’ve written a book and you’re not sure what your next step should be. You’ve put in all this work—now what? It can be so easy to feel stuck, whether you have a completed manuscript in your hands or you’re having difficulty picking up the pen. I can totally relate to you with these struggles—and I’m here to help.

A little about me: I’ve been helping authors of almost every genre develop their books for three years. This includes editing for grammar, sentence structure, plot development, character intentionality and growth, different writing styles for educational/informative manuscripts (APA, MLA, CMoS, AP)—you name it! Anything to get that manuscript ready for the publishing world. You can find a little bit more about me here.

I hope you learn and grow through these blog posts, steadily inching closer to those writing goals, but more than that, I want to help you personally—as your encourager, coach, and professional editor. Every book, like its author, is unique, which means there are many different writing styles I can apply to your manuscript.

But if you’re anything like I was at the beginning of my journey, you may feel incredibly lost—what are the differences between these editing styles? How do I know which one would work best for me? Not to worry! This post is the first of a series I’m writing where I will explain what each of these styles entails. This includes:

• Copy Editing
• Line Editing
• Developmental Editing
• Book Building

I can’t wait to get started on this series explaining the nuances of each style, and I want to encourage you to ask me any questions you may have—if you’re interested in applying any of these to your book (or potential book), I’m always here to help you get started. I offer free consultations where you and I can collaborate to determine which style will best fit your manuscript and how we can work together to make your dream a reality.

To reach out, follow this link!

Even if you’ve never attempted to write—any time is the perfect time to begin. It’s a wonderful hobby, and who knows? You may just find your passion. And I’ll be here every step of the way, whether that’s as your editor or just a fun blog to spur you onward!

There’s a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks for both writers and book-lovers alike, especially when it comes to the blog. Stay tuned—whether you’re already steeped in the literature world or you’re just getting started, there will be something here for you. If you’d like to keep up with everything going on around here, follow this blog or one of my social media pages at the bottom of this article. Also, you’ll see I have a YouTube account below as well—vlogging is most definitely in the works for our literature section of the blog. It’s going to be such a fun time, so stick around!

In the meantime, I want to leave you with a challenge. Writing used to be something that scared me; honestly, it still does sometimes. Creativity is a force that your fear will always try to stifle—don’t let it. Do something today that scares you. It could be starting that book, writing the next sentence, or any passion you may have—let that creativity flow freely. The beginning of every day is a blank slate… so let’s get started.

See you next time!