We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarah Flores a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

It was April of 2018 when I wrapped up an edit and realized I had an immediate gap in my schedule. I thought, “Hey, I’ll take a few weeks off and maybe line up a trip to somewhere beachy.” That sand between my toes was not meant to be. The following day, a new writer named Cap Daniels reached out to me about editing a story he wasn’t sure would be a series or a standalone novel. After a fantastic phone call and a scan of his manuscript, I abandoned all thoughts of a fruity drink inside a tiki hut because I immediately knew this guy was writing best-selling material—that something amazing was already written in the stars for him.

I knew something great was going to happen for him based on this original manuscript called The Opening Chase, and it did happen for him. The Opening Chase, along with the next 18 books he’s written in the Chase Fulton Novels series (and we’re not done yet), have been Amazon best-sellers.
Every draft he’s sent me since that original one has only proven to me his vehement desire to learn and improve upon his writing, immediately turning those “weaknesses” (of course, that is far too strong of a word) around and creating something even greater than he did the day before. I worry that someday soon he’ll produce a draft that lands on my desk and has no need for the scary red pen he pretends to fear so much.

It has been such a privilege to work with Cap and play at least some role in helping to share his incredibly creative, funny, and immersive stories all over the world. He writes with pure genius and spirit and makes my “job” feel like a playground.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I’m a book editor who specializes in line editing and copy editing, and I work on almost all fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books, though I specialize in action/adventure, thrillers, and young adult fiction. I’ve helped authors take their books from rough drafts to best sellers.

The thing I’m most proud of about my company is the feedback I’ve received from clients. It’s been five stars across the board, and I believe it’s because of the personal attention I give to every client. I try to go above and beyond by not only giving the authors’ books the dedication and diligence they deserve, but I also guide authors through any part of the publishing process they might need help with.

I also give authors all the feedback I can to help them improve their writing in subsequent books, and I do it in the kindest way possible. I never want them to think I’m ridiculing their work. It’s cliché, but in this case, it truly is constructive criticism.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Hands down, word of mouth.

I have so many clients who are absolutely talented, entertaining, and driven, and who write such exciting stories that they never let me forget just why I got into—and never want to leave—this business.

Because of that, I give each author the respect and attention they deserve. I know just how much time goes into writing a book—often at the expense of family or social time—and when they trust me to put that same amount of effort and heart into their edits, I feel lucky and proud.

I’ve worked hard to maintain that reputation simply by working in a way that I know is right for the author/editor relationship. I believe this is why many clients will not only book me months in advance, but why they recommend me to other authors. Word of mouth has absolutely been the best channel for being discovered and contacted by new clients, and I appreciate it immensely.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.writedowntheline.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writedowntheline/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writedowntheline
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/writedowntheline/

Image Credits
Shannon Stroubakis Photography