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Passage by Indie Gantz

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Passage is the first novel in the science-fantasy Akasha Series by Indie Gantz. For more information about the book, please click the Amazon link below.

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About Me
About Me

I'm Hannah, an editor, author, and writing coach. I love helping writers like you polish their stories, enhance their craft, and chase their publishing dreams.

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Tomorrow is my bi-weekly date with my business 🥳🥂 What exactly is that? It's a new thing for me this year (thanks @hatch.editorial!), but it's dedicated time to work on my business instead of just in it. When I spend 6 or more hours editing books, plus another 2 hours on emails and social media, it leaves me little time in the day to work on other projects for my business. Like writing my own books or creating new content for you lovely folks 😘 It also means continuing my education and learning new skills to help my clients, and even setting goals for the rest of the year. Whether you're an author, editor, author VA, formatter, or cover designer, I'm curious: do you take time to work ON your business? To set those goals, track progress, learn new skills, and take a break from the nitty gritty everyday work? 🤔 What does that time look like to you? ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #publishingmentor #publishingpro #fantasywriter #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #indiepub #writersofig #writeeveryday #indieauthorlife #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writingmindset #authormindset #writingsprints #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel
What do you need to know before working with an ed What do you need to know before working with an editor? 🤔✍ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This post  is part 1 of 2 about preparing to work with an editor. It’s a crucial step in your production process, but it can be a little mysterious depending on what you know about the industry and what blogs you read. Before you work with an editor, you can take a few steps to help them help you. This will get you the most value out of your future edits, and not only can that help you be a better writer, but it might even save you money in the long run. 📚 Take your time with self-editing. This post isn’t about how to self-edit--I have other posts on IG and my blog about that process--but rather that you do need to set aside time for this. The more thorough your self-edit, the more your editor can help you with the nuances of your story and focus on adding the final shine. If you can build a solid house, then your editor can help you add the paint and choose the decorations. 📚 Continuing with that metaphor, if you do need help building the house, an editor can still help you! 🤗 Consider writing coaching for more substantial help shaping your manuscript or learning the craft. 📚 Your editor will appreciate standardized formatting. Indent your paragraphs and use a standard 12-pt font. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be easy for your editor to read. 📚 If you have questions, ask them! Whether those questions are about your manuscript, the editing process, or both, don’t be afraid to ask and share those concerns. Your editor wants to help you. QOTD: What questions do you have about the editing process? And if you’ve already worked with an editor, what do you wish you knew when you were just starting out? ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #copyeditor #writingcoach #instawrimo #amwritingfantasy #authorslife #amdrafting #indiepub #writercommunity #writersconnection #authorpreneur #writingcommunityofig #writers_together #commonmistakes #indieauthorlife #bookediting #writingtips #writingtipsandtricks #indieauthorsunited #instagramwriters #writeyourbook #writinganovel #authorlife #selfpublishingcommunity #selfpubauthors #bookpublishing #aspiringindieauthors
We made it to another Friday! 🥳 I’m not reall We made it to another Friday! 🥳 I’m not really sure where the week went or how we got here so quickly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How are you doing? How was your week? Let’s chat. Share something positive, something you need more support with, a dad joke you found funny--anything! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’ll go first. I did my first at-home injection of my autoimmune medication on Sunday, and I didn’t freak out! 😂🥳 I was sleepy all day after taking it, but I consider that a big success. We’re finally getting some sunshine this weekend, and I baked a great loaf of bread on Wednesday. Plus, here’s a photo from our socially-distant, super isolated mountain elopement last month!  I hope you have a great weekend, friends. ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #freelanceeditor #writingcoach #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #selfpublished #indiepub #writercommunity #writersofig #authorsofig #writersconnection #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writingcommunityofig #indieauthorlife #bookediting #writingmindset #indieauthorsunited #writeyourbook #writinganovel #authorlife #selfpublishingcommunity #selfpubauthors #bookpublishing #aspiringindieauthors #indieauthorsofig
One True Love for your character, brought together One True Love for your character, brought together by fate...sound interesting? Fun? Cliche? 🤔 As both a reader and editor, I see authors using the soulmates trope in a variety of ways. Some people go all-in at the start, and other times, the soulmate concept isn’t introduced until much later in the series. Whatever you decide to do, you can get creative with this one. This doesn’t have to be limited to something simple. Just look at fanfic writers; they’ve mastered soulmate AUs and getting creative with them. So have other authors, and it’s a trope I’m seeing more often in fantasy. So, how can you put your own twist on soulmates? 💞 Use tattoos or a ‘mark’ to show the connection. These can show up before the soulmates meet or later. It might be a tattoo, or maybe their eye colors change to match. 💞 Rename the concept of soulmates. For example, ‘heartmates’ was used in the Blood and Ash series. 💞 Subvert the trope. Soulmates can also be platonic, or maybe your MC’s soulmate has already died. There are many ways to explore ‘soulmates’ outside of one romantic partner. 💞 Borrow part of the trope while subverting the rest. Maybe your MC realizes ‘soulmates’ aren’t pre-determined but chosen for themselves, and that’s how they & their partner earn their soulmate tattoos. 💞 Combine this trope with another. Hello, enemies to lovers who also happen to be soulmates. Yeah, that can totally work if you want it to! Just like every trope, view this as a framework for your creativity! Ask ‘what if,’ play with common uses and how you can put a spin on them, and let your imagination take hold as you brainstorm your storyline. Do you like to read or write the soulmates trope? Is this something you’ll try in a future project? Let’s chat! ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #developmentaleditor #writingcoach #enemiestolovers #soulmatestrope #fantasywriter #amwritingromance #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #indiepub #writersofig #amdrafting #indieauthorlife #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writingmood #noveleditor #freelanceeditor #writeyourbook #finishyourbook #writinganovel #selfpub #wriersblock #writingtips #soulmateau #romancetropes
Fall semester, 2012. I was an undergrad taking a c Fall semester, 2012. I was an undergrad taking a creative nonfiction workshop. That course introduced me to the infamous Elements of Style, and it was also the course that taught me one phrase many writers cringe at. “Show, don’t tell.” I’d been a bright-eyed kid when I entered that workshop. Star Trek t-shirt, blazer, canvas backpack, my notebook--I was ready to learn how to be a better writer. (Swipe to see Undergrad Hannah 👀) Honestly, I can’t even remember how the professor explained “show, don’t tell.” I just know I didn’t fully understand the explanation. I understood showing imagery. I could do that part all day! It was the emotions and feelings that trapped me in “telling.” I’d stare at my laptop screen, the cursor flashing as I typed, deleted, and retyped paragraphs, trying to get it right. I’m pretty sure I cried one night while failing to understand the professor’s vague notes on my drafts. (I probably actually cried several times. I’m sensitive like that 😅) I powered through that semester. I got an A in the workshop after working through six drafts. I still don’t think it had as much “showing” as the prof wanted, but I did the best I could. I don’t have enough space in this caption to talk about the nuances of “show, don’t tell.” I eventually found different explanations of the rule that made sense to me. And along the way, I figured out it’s really “show AND tell, because sometimes telling is necessary.” All six versions of that draft still live on my computer. It’s funny to see how far I’ve come since that course, knowing just how hard I struggled with that piece. Now, as an editor, I have several ways to explain principles like “show, don’t tell” to the authors I work with. I know it’s tricky. It’s hard. Writing is hard. So if you read encounter writing advice/rules online, in class, or in notes from your editor and they don’t fully make sense, that’s okay. Different explanations help different people. Ask questions. Reach out to a pro to see if they have resources to share. Writing is a skill, and learning it takes time and a variety of resources. 📚 Keep pushing through. And keep those old drafts to reread! 😉 You’ll be glad you did.
Let’s talk about enemies ⚔️ to lovers 💜 I Let’s talk about enemies ⚔️ to lovers 💜 It’s full of tension and “will they, won’t they?” energy, so it’s no surprise that many readers love this one. Let me preface this by saying that enemies to lovers (ETL) is NOT inherently about manipulative, toxic pairings. That’s definitely a subset of this trope. More on that later. No matter how you use this trope, you’ll find these common moments useful: ⚔️ Establishing why they’re enemies & their common ground/goal 💜 Acknowledging any attraction ⚔️ Situations where they build loyalty and trust 💜 Continued romantic or sexual tension ⚔️ Something to challenge the loyalty--a fight, a revelation, etc. 💜 Their breakthrough moment You can spin these in whatever way works for your story, but they’re important for the back-and-forth of the ETL trope. As I said before, this trope can cross the line into toxicity. At its core, this trope is about two characters who overcome their misconceptions & struggles to find love, not toxicity and drama. As writers, we must acknowledge that our readers can identify the underlying messaging in our work. If your goal is to teach readers what a toxic relationship looks like, great, teach that lesson. But if you want to show a healthy relationship, avoid writing bullying & hatred into ETL.  Instead, show conflict in a variety of ways on the page: ⚔️ Shifting allegiances 💜 A big secret ⚔️ Unclear intentions 💜 Small ways to push each others’ buttons ⚔️ Ex-lovers have to work together Get creative! This push-and-pull of conflicts, secrets, and shows of loyalty and vulnerability are what keep readers wanting more. It’s why readers love this trope! Read the slides for more info or visit btleditorial.com for a full blog post on the topic. Do you like reading enemies to lovers? Do you like writing it? Do you have a favorite example? ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #indiepublishing #bookeditor #developmentaleditor #writingcoach #enemiestolovers #fantasywriter #amwritingromance #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #authorslife #indiepub #writersofig #amdrafting #indieauthorlife #writerstips #writingtipsandtricks #writingmood #noveleditor #freelanceeditor #writingsprints #writeyourbook
Everyone loves a good trope, right? 🙋 Romance p Everyone loves a good trope, right? 🙋 Romance plots have popular tropes of their own, including: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 💜 Fake relationship 💜 Enemies to lovers 💜 Friends to lovers 💜 Love triangle 💜 Forbidden love 💜 Soulmates ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These are just *some* of the fan-favorite tropes you can use in a romantic plot. You can use the framework of the trope while still giving your story its own unique spin. 😘 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And you can combine elements of each! Soulmates who think they're enemies at first? 🤔 Enemies in a fake relationship that turns into real love? 🤩 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Go to btleditorial.com/blog to read more about these tropes. An enemies to lovers full breakdown is coming to IG next week! ⚔️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ QOTD: What’s your favorite trope to use (or read!) in romance plots? They're all fun, but I know we have our favorites 🤪 ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #amwritingromance #selfpublished #indiepub #writercommunity #writersofig #authorpreneur #writersconnection #amdrafting #commonmistakes #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen #indieauthorlove #bookediting #authortips #writingtipsandtricks #writingmindset #indieauthorsunited #finishyourbook #writinganovel #authorlife #selfpublishingcommunity #selfpubauthors #aspiringindieauthors #indieauthorsofig
March 27, 2020. That was supposed to be our origin March 27, 2020. That was supposed to be our original wedding date. We'd planned on inviting close friends and family, going to the courthouse, and having a small party to celebrate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And then just two weeks before that day, the pandemic started to flare in the US. I’m in a high risk group myself. The courthouse here was even shut down for marriages a while. So we postponed and held out hope that we could get married in the summer, then the fall, then 'eventually.' ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We waited, but in mid-December, we decided we’d waited long enough. We found an elopement planner, picked a weekend in January, and asked a few witnesses to meet us in the mountains of North Carolina.  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On January 30, we got married. I wore a jade green dress with a matching mask. He wore a navy blue sweater. I did my own hair and makeup. It started to snow a few hours later, and we ordered pepperoni pizza to eat in our hotel room--just the two of us. He also proposed with a pepperoni pizza, so full circle moment 🥰 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We're so glad we’re finally married. We’ll get to celebrate with all of our friends and family someday. What’s important is that everyone is safe and healthy right now. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I read a lot of love stories and plots in my work as an editor, but I like my love story the best. I couldn’t ask for a better person to spend my life with. He’s patient, kind, and funny. He supports my business, career, and writing. Every day, he encourages me, comforts me, and makes me laugh 💑 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This is the end of one chapter, but it’s also the start of many more 💜 And here's to hoping we get to go on our honeymoon eventually 😅 ° ° ° ° ° #bookeditor #writingcoach #amediting #amwritingfantasy #lovestory #spilledink #authorgram #writerslifeforme #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsofig
Oh yes, we’re talking all about romance over the Oh yes, we’re talking all about romance over the next couple of weeks! First up? Fictional romantic relationships 101. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When you’re thinking about a romantic relationship in fiction, whether for the romance genre or as a subplot in a different one, one of the key things to think about is the foundation of the relationship. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Romantic pairings have to make sense, after all. Throwing two characters together doesn’t convince readers of that chemistry. So what kind of foundations might you be dealing with? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. Friendship: the characters have known each other for a while but are just beginning to have that spark of attraction. (Or they finally admit it 👀😉) 2. Chemistry: that instant attraction, sometimes mistaken as ‘love at first sight.’ Hot & heavy from the beginning, and it’s usually based heavily in lust or surface-level attraction. 3. Loyalty: the characters have gone through something to bring them together. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ These are just three common foundations, and they may even mix (like friendship & loyalty). But these foundations can also highlight some tension to play up. Friends first? Maybe they actually have different life goals. Chemistry? Maybe the passion fades & there’s nothing left. You see where I’m going with it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Also, let the characters come together slowly. Small shows of vulnerability, common hobbies, and small gestures on the page do a lot to build the romance & keep it believable for readers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Last but not least, let's talk about toxicity. Some toxic behavior in fiction gets romanticized as “overprotective” or “jealous.” Maybe that’s your goal--to show that’s NOT healthy or ideal--but also think about how you can show healthy conflict resolution on the page. We could all use some good examples to point to. You can have tension without the added drama. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ QOTD: What do you want to know about writing romance? ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #bookcoach #writingcoach #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #amwritingromance #selfpublished #indiepub #writercommunity #writersofig #authorpreneur #writersconnection #amdrafting #indieauthorlove #bookediting #authortips #writingtipsandtricks
You have a lot to manage as an indie author: your You have a lot to manage as an indie author: your writing (duh), your revisions, organizing your production schedule, marketing, content creation...the list just seems to go on! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I do a lot of the same tasks as an editor and writing coach. Over the last few years, here’s what I’ve learned to manage my time and all of the content I want to create: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📚 Make a system. I talk about this in my book Productivity for Creative Writers, but no system works exactly the same for two different writers. Our brains are all a little different, and so are our lives, creating something that works for *you* is 🙌. 📚 Be both analog and digital. I love my Google calendar to schedule editing projects and meetings with my clients, but for the rest of my day, I love my physical planner. The combination lets me separate ‘big picture’ stuff from day-to-day tasks. 📚 Track metrics. I’m not really a numbers girl, but I do like metrics. This is really helpful to see how your Instagram posts or emails might be performing. Get comfortable looking at basic analytics (clicks, likes, comments, etc.) and learning to analyze them. This can help you see what your followers like and what they don’t really care about. 📚 Ask people what they want. If you’re trying to create content for Instagram, go right to the source. Ask your followers what they want to see from you! You’ll probably get a variety of answers, but knowing where to focus more of your energy can take the guesswork out of content creation. And  the more you can streamline your social media practices, the more time you have for actually writing those books. 📚 Batch your content. This works for me, though I know not everyone will like it. Dedicate two or three afternoons each month to content creation if you can. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Do you have a system you like to work with for writing and content creation? Or are you a more ‘wing it and see’ type of author? ° ° ° ° #indiesareworthit #bookeditor #writingcoach #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #aspiringauthor #selfpubauthors #indiepub #writercommunity #writersofig #authorpreneur #writeeveryday #writingcommunityofig #commonmistakes #indieauthorlife #indieauthorsbeseen
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