Next Page Editing & Design is proud to be a Black-owned, woman-owned small business. We currently have a small but mighty team as well as connections to other freelancers that cover a range of services. Meet one of the faces behind Next Page: Darby.
Who am I?
Hi, my name is Darby. I’m currently based in Washington state and live with my spouse and my cat.
What do you do with Next Page?
If you’ve been around this blog for a while, you’ve read my writing before. I write blogs for the website, and I do some behind-the-scenes work with Next Page systems including automation, email copywriting, and business strategizing and administration. Primarily, though, I work as an editor; I edit at all levels (proofreading, content editing, developmental editing). I’m also going to be working more directly with our authors as a coach as we work to launch services for authors who aren’t quite ready for editing and self-publishing but want accountability and assistance in keeping momentum to make self-publishing happen (coming in 2023).
What sparks your passion for reading/editing?
I’ve always loved stories. Books, tv shows, movies. Since a young age, I’ve consumed stories in many different forms. I love to escape into fantastical worlds where magic and the impossible can happen. As I’ve grown older, I enjoy fiction because it provides a playground to have thought experiments. With fiction stories, one can imagine worlds where society works differently and play out various pros and cons of different ways of thinking. I also really just love feeling feelings and empathizing with characters to feel the full spectrum of human emotion without the messiness of those emotions in real life (heartbreak, betrayal, passion, etc without actually having my life upended).
Though I have a love/hate relationship with my own creativity, I’ve always found that I have a great attention to detail and a particular talent for seeing how to improve on something that’s already there or connecting pieces to make something new, complete, and beautiful. Those are the foundations of editing.
What’s your favorite part about what you do?
For me, there’s just something so satisfying about working with an author to bring their vision to life, finding ways to bring it from good to great, from great to perfect.
What’s your favorite genre?
When it comes to books, I love fantasy and have a particular soft spot for retold fairytales and mythology. Some of my favorite book series include The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard by Rick Riordan, and The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. For movies and tv shows, I enjoy sci-fi, and especially love the way Star Trek makes one think about society and humanity.
What do you do for fun?
I really do find editing fun. But outside of work I'm a serial hobbyist—sewing, crocheting, knitting, dice making—and I am currently learning aerial silks and other circus arts. I like to stay active in various fandom spaces, whether it’s writing stories with friends, cosplaying and going to cons, or reading and contributing on sites like tumblr. Pre-covid, I really enjoyed traveling—for cons, for renaissance festivals, to visit friends and family—and I’m slowly getting comfortable doing those things again.
About Next Page
Next Page Editing & Design produces high-quality books that reflect authors' brands, purpose, and impact. We do this through editing, book design, launch support, author branding, and coaching. Once we finish our job, you keep your rights to print, sell, and promote your work while retaining 100% of your book's profits. We call this a "no-strings attached" model.
To request an editing or self-publishing quote, click here.
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