We had the good fortune of connecting with Windy Lynn Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Windy Lynn, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Before I became an editor-for-hire I spent many years on the other side of the desk getting professional help with the stacks of short stories and essays I was writing. With solid advice, my writing blossomed and I found repeated publishing success. Those years gave me an appreciation for professional story-development advice. When my first book came out, I knew I was ready to move to the other side of the desk and become an editor other writers could hire. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I try to balance my writing life and my work as a professional editor, but its a constant push-pull of two favorite things. I have a variety of stories in progress on my desk that need attention and a long list of writers who sign up for time on my calendar. I love popping the hood on someone else’s writing and studying the engine, looking for ways to push the limits of the writer’s skills. I’d edit every day if it didn’t mean I’d have to leave my own projects on the side of the road.
To make it work I schedule writing clients on specific days and schedule my own work on the other days. That term “schedule” is important here. I treat my writing like it’s another valued client. Worthy of my complete attention. In the last year I’ve been able to finish eight short creative works and most of a novel during those self-appointments. It’s a plan I’m banking on for the foreseeable future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

For a fun writerly day in Phoenix I recommend Changing Hands Bookstore. It’s the only place I’ve ever been where you can grab a beer from the bookstore bar and walk around the bookshelves with it, finding terrific recommendations from their staff on every end-cap. I’d stay long enough to want a coffee next, and at least one of the many homemade bakery items on display. There’s also a large community space where you can write for a while or chat with friends.
Next stop: The Desert Botanical Garden for a nature walk. I like to take myself on field trips when I need time away from my desk and the Botanical Garden is one of my favorites. It’s a great place to see art on display while learning about desert life. Another favorite: The Japanese Friendship Garden to enjoy a self-guided meditation walk.


Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Local Arizona author Susan Pohlman (www.susanpohlman.com) has been an important mentor in my creative life for over a decade. She is one of the most talented writers I know and her editing skills always bring more nuance (and better grammar!) to my work. She’s one of the reasons I’ve kept at it for so long. Thank you Susan!

Website: www.windylynnharris.com
Instagram: windylynnharris
Twitter: @WindyLynnHarris
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windyharris

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