We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Welch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Starting Inkdrop Lit in 2017 was the biggest—and best—risk I’ve ever taken. There’s a lot to appreciate about a “real job”: the steady paycheck, the PTO, the better health insurance, the predictability… But, despite the challenges, being my own boss has come with far more benefits than I could have imagined.

I have the power to structure my work in a way that allows me to invest in my family as much as I invest in my job, and I’m able to be flexible in the way I work with my clients, serving them in ways that truly benefit them, connecting them in a community that adds even more valuable support to their writing practices, and simply being there for them in the way that the structures of a larger company wouldn’t really allow.

I was fortunate to have unconditional support from my husband, as well as a financial safety net, that made this risk a lot less…well, risky. Still, I’m someone who always dips a toe in rather than jumping in head first, so I started slow. I built my business on nights and weekends around my 9-5. Then, when I was ready, I scaled back to part time at my day job to maintain some regular income while growing my business even more. Finally, in December of 2017, I left my day job altogether and never looked back.

Sarah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In college, I double majored in English and theater. At the end of my sophomore year, I was accepted into the advanced poetry sequence and the advanced poetry sequence. Throughout the year, I came to learn that, while I very much enjoyed writing for myself, what I looked forward to most were the workshop days, where I would get to help my peers problem-solve, overcoming blocks and challenges in their own work. It was in these moments of connecting with an author, championing her work, that I knew I was doing what I was supposed to do.

Once I realized this might be something I wanted to pursue after college, I began looking for internships in the publishing field, just to be sure. I was fortunate to find some incredible mentors, from poetry editors to independent press owners to literary agents, who took me under their wings and showed me the ropes, helping me confirm that books—in some form or fashion—were the right path for me. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I went on to Emerson College in Boston, where I earned my master’s degree in publishing, with a focus on editorial work. While there, I had the opportunity to intern for a wide range of publishing houses in a wide variety of departments, learning not only the art but also the business of book publishing.

Upon graduation, while I knew the epicenter of the publishing world was New York City, I also knew that wasn’t my scene. At the time I was finishing grad school, my boyfriend (now husband) was looking for a new job. We were both from Texas originally, so we decided to move back closer to home, where we had family nearby and it didn’t snow so much! There, I landed a marketing role at a small startup, where I learned a lot about running a business and made some incredible friends and connections along the way, all while building up my editorial business as a side hustle before making it my full-time job in December of 2017.

I offer one-on-one coaching and editing services for authors, but in 2024, I’m working on building group offerings and programs that provide my clients with both professional guidance and all the many benefits of community and accountability. This includes one-off workshops (both virtual and in-person), longer-term courses and critique groups, and eventually even a subscription-based writing community to help independent authors keep confidence, camaraderie, and joy in their writing lives.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I’ve always had a clear vision of how I want my clients to feel about themselves as authors during and after our work together. I know that sharing your writing — whether it’s a novel or a memoir or even a business book — is a very vulnerable process for many authors, and first and foremost I want to honor that.

When I work with an author, I’m always going to provide honest feedback — fake compliments for the’ sake of making someone feel good don’t help anyone — but I’m careful to do it in a way that is constructive and empowering. I want my time with authors to feel collaborative and uplifting, and I want my clients to walk away feeling confident not only in their finished books but in their own writing skills.

Putting that philosophy at the forefront of every client relationship has helped me build a reputation as an editor and coach who has high standards and true compassion.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

Building multiple and supplementary revenue streams is one of my primary goals right now. While the foundation of my business has always been one-on-one editing and coaching, I am working in 2024 to implement group offerings—from one-off workshops to multi-week programs—that are more accessible to more authors, in terms of both finances and time commitments. I also offer a variety of workbooks that provide authors with truly asynchronous skill development at a low cost of entry (and provide me with a little bit of passive revenue).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.inkdroplit.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkdroplit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inkdroplit
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmwelch/
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sarah-Welch/author/B09NL7HQ7N

Image Credits
Mabel Rodriguez Sarah Welch