Last Updated on August 1, 2019 by ThoughtsStained
Hello, lovelies!
*confetti cannon explodes*
*throws celebratory balloons*
*party hats all around*
So, when you stumbled upon this post, you might have noticed that some things look…different. In case this is your first time ever venturing here, for reference, this is what my blog looked like at the end of July:
As you can see, it looks (SO MUCH MORE AMAZING, HOLY SHIT) a little different, now.
Thanks to Kat @ Novels and Waffles, I have a brand new design that COMPLETELY SURPASSES my wildest dreams for this blog. Finally, after living on this corner of the internet for over seven years, I have a design that I love and I feel really fits who I am and what I want this blog to me: my outlet, my book blogger realm, my author website and more.
The red, black and white color scheme.
The DRAGONS.
The fantasy feel, with castles and gems and knights and swords and shields and everything I love about the genre, on my blog.
DRAGONS.
The redesign features a new header! Some new sidebar content! A new logo, a cute drawing of me with my tattoos! New page breaks! A book rating system (which, you should totally check out, because I’m cheesy as hell and actually really proud of it and excited to start putting it into use)! A new signature!
Dragons.
Friends, I’m just in love with how this turned out and how great it looks. I went to Kat with a lot of different ideas and was completely unhelpful, but she completely surpassed my expectations, was so pleasant to work with, had an incredible turnaround time and was so professional and friendly! Her rates are more than fair and affordable and I highly recommend her services, of course.
Now, you might be wondering: Nicole, I know money is pretty tight and I know you’ve wanted to do this blog redesign for a while and made your own attempts. What finally changed and made you cave to finally do this?
Well, two reasons.
One, I’m making some good headway in edits for BLOOD PRICE and I just feel like…well, without trying to be cocky, but also being honest, I think I’m going to get representation with this novel. I think it has a true shot of getting published, thanks to the feedback I’ve received and the amount of work I’ve put into it. So I wanted my website to have more of a brand that truly represents ME, especially once I’m querying. It’s also one of the reasons I added a new page to the blog, too, describing the novels I’m currently working on and their status.
But, I’m also, starting today, going to be offering something else, too.
Which finally brings us to:
ANNOUNCEMENT TIME
I’m opening up freelance editing services!
*more celebratory balloons escape*
This is something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time. I love editing. I prefer it over writing because it’s when I feel my greatest work shines and the heart of the story is truly found. And over the years, with so much beta reading, internship and editing experience under my belt, I’ve become so passionate in my desire to help others find that same heart in their story through being their editor and I wanted to offer those services more formally. I’m friends with a lot of freelance editors and I always wished I could get to that point, too.
And then I realized, the only person holding me back from doing just that, was myself.
So, I’m finally taking the plunge and becoming a freelance editor! I still have my day job, but if this takes off well enough, who knows? Maybe I’ll finally be in a place to do something I love full-time and still pay the bills!
(Wouldn’t that just be the most incredible and mental thing ever!)
You can check out this page (or the top menu of my home page on the blog) for all the details of who I am, my reading interests, the services and rates I offer, plus some really sweet testimonials (seriously, I cried) from amazing writers who I’ve worked with before. I can’t wait to get started and form new friendships and partnerships as we level up your story!
So…yeah! To say I’m excited is an understatement. This blog has taken a lot of strides over the past year, in particular, and I’m really proud of it. I’m really excited to have it visually match what I’ve always dreamed of–but never had the talent to realize–and to believe in myself enough to finally take the plunge on my dream of becoming a SFF (and romance!) editor.
Thanks for joining me on this journey, friends. You’re the ones who make it possible. And, once again, thank you so much, Kat, for making this blog look better than it ever has before. I can never express my gratitude enough.
![I'm so excited to share another client testimonial today! This one comes from V, a wonderful writer who I had the honor to proofread their upcoming release, THE BEAUTIFUL DECAY.
If you want to read a story about necromancers in a queernorm world, repairing relationships, unexpected love and fungi magic that will leave your skin crawling, you cannot miss this second book in the Tombtown series!
Thank you for trusting me with your work, V! It was so amazing to read and I'm so excited to work with you again in the future! 🖤
My link is in my bio, if you'd like to hire me to help elevate your own work! I am currently booking for the rest of 2023.
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#writing #writinghelp #editing #amediting #amrevising #edits #freelanceeditor #SFFWriters #fantasywriters #writingcommunity #writing #querying #amquerying #writersofinstagram #writersofig #WIP #editorial #developmentalediting #nowbooking #queerwriters #edits](https://thoughtsstainedwithink.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
Damn this blog looks so much better! (no offense). And congrats on all the progress on the job and writing front. Arrr!
x The Captain
(Oh gosh, none taken; I was no graphic designer). Thank you, as always, Captain!
OMG, I LOOOVE this new page layout! The header artwork is delightful, kudos to Kat! It’s really inspiring to see you take the plunge on some new endeavors, I wish you the best of luck and I’ll be eager to see how things go!
THANK YOU, I am just in love with it all! Aww, thank you, Caitlin. I’m really nervous it’s all just going to flop, but I’m also very excited and hopeful!
Aghhh it looks so amazing!!! I’m so so excited for you, can’t wait to see you thriving even more as the badass editor and writer you are!! <3
YOU ARE THE BEST. *just cries forever* <3 <3 <3
The dragons rock. It’s exciting how close you are to querying Blood Price. Good luck with it!
Thank you so much! I need all the luck I can get.
THIS IS SO GOOD NICOLE!!
THANK YOU JO.
Omg “Knight life” I’m LIVING for this design!! And AHHHHH, I’m so excited for you! I hope this new venture leads to all the success and incredible new opportunities. Which I’m sure it will because you’re amazing and so passionate about everything that you do. <3
RIGHT? Kat did such a wonderful job and I cannot believe how wonderful it looks!! Ohmygosh, Kathy, you’re going to make me bawl my eyes out in public. THANK YOU. <3
So I finally got home and took a look at this new blog of yours…and…well…
OMG IT SO FUCKING ROCKS!!!!
I love it. Seriously it’s awesome. I love the colors scheme, the dragons, the castle, the sword in the stone, the little shields, your gemstone rating scale, the font, your The Knight Life avatar with ink. I’m seriously jealous. I’ve been pondering updating mine and even wondered about paying for someone to really do some work on it and this convinces me I really should save up and do it. This is just so cool. I also hope you get lots of editorial work in the near future (but not so much you don’t have time for fun).
AGH….this is just f’ing sweet!
JASON, EEEP. THANK YOU.
I just love how it all came together and just feels…like me, really. Like it should. I’m just in awe of it. It has been worth every penny and I cannot recommend Kat enough. She was so kind and SO fast and she has a lot of different packages and her prices were really affordable to save up for! Gosh, thank you! I’m *really* nervous it’ll flop and I’ll get none at all, but I’m also hopeful, because I LOVE editing and I’d love to work with others in this way!
You’re the BEST, thank you! <3
I love the new look!
Thank you so much, I do, too!
Congratulations! It looks beautiful. Good for you for launching your freelance editing! I wish you all sorts of success. 🙂
Awww, thank you so much, Lisa! That really means a lot!
I adore the new layout 😀 (especially the dragons!)
Your book rating system is similar to mine, although I don’t have the awesome fantasy theme! I’ll only 5 star something I adore, but a 3 or 4 from me is in no way bad either 🙂
And congratulations on starting your editing business 🙂 (Starting my own is totally on my to do list, but with uni being so busy it’s taken a back seat!) I’ll add you to my list for whenever I finish something 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m really stoked with how it turned out!
Nice! It’s a book rating system that works for me, though I’m still pretty lenient when it comes to five stars. *shrugs*
Thank you! I’m hoping it does well. Fingers crossed that your own business does well, whenever you’re able to launch it (though I don’t blame uni taking the front seat, as it can be a monster!). Good luck, on all fronts! 🙂
You’re welcome 😀
I’m such a critic for 5 stars, I have to adore it and want to read fanfiction and draw fanart and fall headfirst into fandom xD
Same, I hope it goes well: Imagine being able to spend all day working from home with puppy cuddles 😀
Totally fair! Sometimes, I wish I was more of a critic, but…*shrugs* Each to our own!
YES, I am very much ready for that.
OH MY GOD IT ALL LOOKS SO GOOD AHHH NICOLE AHH I LOVE IT SO MUCH. What a stunning blog you have, I adore these new graphics so, so much yay! And I’m so happy about the new services you’re offering and wishing you all of the very best in this new adventure! <3 <3 <3
I AM IN LOVE, I CAN’T QUIT STARING. Kat did such a great job and I am just in awe. Thank you so much! I am so nervous about it all, but I am so excited at the same time! <3 <3
You will do AMAZING <3