So who is Sam really?
Who I am:
I am Sam.
According to my parents, I was reading before I turned four. I wrote my first stories on primary paper. My mother staple bound them between sheets of brightly colored construction paper to make books.
All my life, the written word has been a core part of my identity. I love reading. I love writing. I love editing. That’s why I came up with what I call The Writer’s Wheel: “Every writer needs an editor. Every editor needs a reader. Every reader needs a writer.”
I firmly believe that no one owns too many books, only too few bookshelves.
My thoughts on writing:
Literacy is magic.
By memorizing the appropriate arrangements of ancient glyphs, we unlock the ability to transcend time and space, taking brief control of others’ minds in order to deliver messages, images, thoughts, and ideas. Writing is perhaps the closest thing the real world has to wizardry.
My thoughts on editing:
It shouldn’t take a thousand words to paint a picture.
That’s my philosophy. An editor is similar to a sculptor—we both chip away everything that isn’t necessary. Everyone knows “show—don’t tell,” but the corollary may be more important: “show just enough to force the reader to take over.”
The most powerful images are those that we develop on our own, in our own minds. The “book is always better” because it has been filtered through our own unconscious preferences, hopes, dreams, and prejudices. Trust in the intelligence and imagination of your readers.
My thoughts on reading:
No one owns too many books, only too few bookshelves.
Storytelling is vital to life. Reading is one of the main ways we take in stories. Reading opens doors in our minds and allows us to explore. Reading builds empathy and wisdom. Reading connects us to other humans and levels playing fields.
If I had to choose between oxygen and reading, I would choose reading and die with my nose in a book.
FAQs
What services do you offer?
I handle all kinds of writing, editing, or content strategy projects. I also do publishing consultation to help you figure out the best way to get your book into the hands of your readers. I can help you tweak your resume or polish a cover letter to land the next job. I can develop a style guide to help your brand stay on message with a consistent voice. I can take your podcast transcript and transform it into a related blog post. I can critique your book manuscript to get it ready for the next step of your publishing journey.
What are your editing rates?
I charge $40/hour, but will negotiate flat rates for individual projects.
What are your writing rates?
It depends on the size and scope of the project and how many drafts you expect. Contact me and we can figure it out together.
What kind of editing do I need?
Sadly, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer to this.
If you have just finished the first draft of your work, you probably aren’t ready to hire a professional editor, believe it or not. Let the manuscript rest a while, then read it and make revisions on your own.
If you’ve got a second or third draft that critique partners have read, you likely need structural or developmental editing to determine if it all makes sense and the sections are in the best order.
If you have written and re-written many drafts, you may be ready for a round of simple proofreading to catch any misspellings, punctuation errors, or incorrectly used words that may be lurking in your work.
How can I get better at writing?
Read twice as much as you write. Write twice as much as you want to. That’s the best advice I can give.
How can I publish my book?
It depends on what you mean by publish. If you want your book to be published and distributed by a large, traditional publishing firm, you almost certainly need an agent. If you just want to get your book into the hands of your family and friends as quickly as possible, you may want to look into self-publishing. If you aren’t totally sure the difference between traditional and self-publishing, reach out to me. I do consultations, and would love to help you figure out how to birth a book baby.
Should my kids book rhyme?
Only if you are sure you can nail the meter (or want to hire me to help).
Remember:
Rhythm-less rhyme is a terrible crime—a crime that too many commit.
Hire me now and then trust my know-how. Good meter brings great benefit.
Why do you go by OneWheelONeil?
In college, I rode a unicycle around campus, and eventually this moniker was born. I rarely ride anymore, but I have kept the nickname because it’s too much fun to say and too much work to change all my social media handles.
Did you feed the dog?
OK, so admittedly, only my wife asks me this one, but she asks it often enough to make it on the list. The answer is usually yes. Occasionally I forget, and he gives me the saddest look in the whole world and breaks my heart. Then I go feed him, so we end up at “yes” either way.