Self-Publishing with ALLi

Interview: The Creative Process Through an Editor's Eyes with Matty Dalrymple and Brenna Bailey-Davies

Jan 28, 2026
Brenna Bailey-Davies, editor and writer who runs Bookmarten Editorial and writes sapphic romance, talks about seeing publishing from both sides of the page. She explores how editorial work shapes writing, balancing client edits with creative projects, and practical proofreading tactics. She also covers choosing editors, using calls to clarify feedback, and running editing as a business.
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ANECDOTE

Editor-Turned-Author Origin Story

  • Brenna started professionally as an editor and later returned to writing after being inspired by client work and podcasts.
  • Her spouse's encouragement pushed her to take the leap back into authorship.
INSIGHT

Switching Between Editor And Author Minds

  • Editing other people's work requires objective outside-observer creativity while writing demands intimate, internal involvement.
  • Brenna says you must mentally switch roles because the skill sets and emotional investment differ greatly.
ADVICE

Protect Your Creative Energy

  • If you write while editing clients, limit your client work to copyediting or proofreading to save creative energy for your own developmental drafting.
  • Reserve big-picture developmental editing for when you're not drafting your own projects.
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