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

Gabrielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I think like most creative business owners… I was the artist before I was the business. I loved stories and reading from an early age. For many of us, that youthful creative passion and joy can start to feel muddy as one grows into adulthood in our capitalistic society and then we are asked the big question “what do you wanna be when you grow up?”

It took me many years of floundering in my early twenties and being unhappy from random job to random job to find my way back to storytelling and books. When the spark was lit, it didn’t take very long to consume my entire being in its sense of rightness and I threw myself into writing my first manuscript without hesitation. I was sharing snippets of my writing with my closest friends and riding that euphoric high of having the world at my fingertips. It was during this uniquely vulnerable time in my life where, for the first time, I felt a sense of hope, relief, and direction that I was introduced to elements of the writing world that just didn’t sit right with me.

In those first couple of years, I was driven by so much excitement and purpose that I threw myself into the world of publishing because I was determined to commit fully to the craft. I honestly can’t think of a time prior to when I had taken myself so seriously. I attended writing workshops, conferences, local events, online events, and much more. If you could think of it… I was there. I met some really amazing people during that time, but what stood out the most was this sense that I couldn’t find a place where I felt I belonged.

The gatekeeping, the thick air of superiority amongst writing circles, the money and status, the perfectionism, and at times, competition over connection became too disheartening to bear. I quickly began to feel lost and alone when I was surrounded by writers and publishing professionals who were supposed to “get me”.

I don’t think my experiences were particularly unique. I believe many writers out there can commiserate over shared experiences that often lead to misplaced doubt, shame, and many other demotivating emotions. It was because of these difficulties that I became highly motivated to create something different, an environment for writers to feel safe and supported while growing in their craft.

It was during the pandemic that I, like many others, had been forced to really examine my life and what kind of difference I wanted to make in the world. It was in 2021 that I decided to quit my day job as a manager for a small local business and start my career supporting other writers in the field that I had always been the most passionate about – storytelling. This was how it all started. After months of research, educational workshops, and those first few clients of building experience, I launched my career as a developmental editor.

I spent two years helping authors develop their stories and nurturing their ideas and dreams when I knew there was more I could do. I then started a local writing group back in Portland, OR where I made some life-long friends with some of the most soft-hearted, kind, and creative humans one could ever hope to meet. We spent months getting together to write, socialize, and find strength in one another. That sense of purpose came roaring back to life as I discovered all the different ways I could help the community that I loved with every fiber of my being. It was not long after this that I expanded my business, and my reach, and co-founded The Writer’s Hem with my amazing creative partner, Lore Alexander (they/them).

Over the past three years I have cultivated my business through my sheer determination to change the way we view creatives, raise the standards of support and education for writers, and elevate and invest in underrepresented voices and their stories.

The Writer’s Helm is now my pride and joy. A place where writers can connect with one another, have access to educational content, ask industry professionals their questions, and have access to both community and individual support. It is the safe space I needed when I was younger, and it is now giving back in ways I could have never imagined. The Helm is everything it is because it is made up of the most wonderful group of humans and I have no doubt they will continue to make waves of change in the writing industry for the better.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Ahoy! I’m Gabrielle Goodloe (she/they) and I am a queer and neurodivergent developmental book editor for indie authors, co-founder of The Writer’s Helm, and a writing mentor. I help writers at every stage of the process, from brainstorming the story idea, finishing the rough draft, developing the manuscript, and even supporting authors through the publishing process.

I started editing back in 2021 in my tiny little apartment in Portland, OR and have since moved to a small village in central Portugal where the coffee is worth writing home about. I am well-known in my circle of colleagues as the person to go to when you need encouragement and advice and that shines through in the foundation of our writing community.

As an immigrant, as someone who started their business during a pandemic, and as a well-established risk-taker, I know first-hand what it is like to strive towards goals many would dismiss as “not possible.” I am a huge believer that no dream is too big, no goal too small, and that everyone has a story worth telling. I believe all of this while sticking to my values that real growth and success are rooted in a nurturing, patient, and supportive environment with our peers and mentors that honors our unique identities and backgrounds.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Only one? haha! No, but really, I am so glad you asked this question because I think it is really important for people to see how messy it can be for people behind the scenes. When the path forward gets dark or haunted, lean into these stories from others and let them hold your hand as you take that first step forward.

Doing something for the first time is hard. Starting a business is hard. Playing big and stepping into the ring with some incredible minds is wildly intimidating (and hard!). My first year in business I did not make enough to pay the bills. My dog slipped a disc in his back and piled on thousands in vet bills right after I quit my day job, I was investing money into my editing and business education, and I was just a newbie that was barely treading water. There were so many moments when I thought, “what do I do? Do I quit? Do I try part-time?”

Like I said earlier… I am a risk taker… and if I was betting on anything in my life I was betting on myself. In those hardest moments, I thought of all the writers out there who were feeling how I once felt and I refused to give up, if not only for myself, but for them. So, I did what I know I needed to do and I started looking for help.

In my search for help, I found a community that was designed to connect and help freelance editors run by a wonderful human who would then become my mentor for the next two years, Tara Whitaker. I got in the room with people who knew things I didn’t, shared knowledge new to others, and learned the real power of a supportive community at a very critical time in my life.

I survived that first year in business, but only barely. The biggest lesson I learned during that time was that my mission to change the status quo in the writing industry was non-negotiable and I was willing to risk it all… because I did.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Honestly? My personality. My neurodivergence. My core values.

With editing, there are so many of us who share similar skills, abilities, and resources. We take the same classes, workshops, and network in similar circles. Our individualism is where we are the most unique and stand out.

I’ve never been one for hierarchy or status, groundless rules about what makes a “professional”, or this idea that only those who get a masters in creative writing are the “real writers.” I am aggressively encouraging, I swear and give high-fives, I dress for comfort and personality. I surround myself with people who know more than me, am always eager to learn, and always eager to teach.

I have often heard that I am rebellious in my approach, as it is again, considered risky because its very nature rejects the elitism that is so often accepted in writing and publishing. I care more about making people comfortable, accommodating our differences and levels of support needs, and making storytelling more accessible than I do about anything else. I like to laugh, have fun, and be that much-needed encouraging voice that we all need in life. I am always considerate of the long-term goal when mentoring or editing with an author. My style is mindful, playful, and educational. I work with authors from an approach that nurtures their motivation to keep going, to get excited about the editing process, and to feel empowered in their publishing decisions.

My reputation is built on the fact that this has always been more than a job for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gabriellegoodloe.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authentically_gabby/
• Other: https://thewritershelm.substack.com/

Image Credits

Michael Hemmingsen