Steph (they/she) Editor
LightNews LightNews
banner
ottersediting.com
Steph (they/she) Editor
@ottersediting.com
1.1K followers 520 following 1.7K posts
Freelance editor, author, reader | 24 🌈 queer, nonbinary, AuDHD ♾️ leftist, disability advocate | Free 🇵🇸 No AI🚫

Need an Editor? | Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Sci-Fi | copyediting & proofreading
ottersediting.com 🦦✍️

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/ottersediting
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
shelleybwoke.bsky.social
However much you hate the "health" insurance industry, you don't hate it enough, frankly.
msgrumpybunny.bsky.social 🪷MsGrumpyBunny🪷 @msgrumpybunny.bsky.social · 9h
United Health wants its ‘swagger back’.

How? By dropping a million seniors from Medicare Advantage

Why? America's largest insurer wants to improve its profit margins, medical costs are skyrocketing because the GOP cut Medicaid and ACA subsidies.
( > News > MarketWatch > UnitedHealth is dropping a million senior... United Health is dropping a million seniors from Medicare Advantage as it aims to restore its 'swagger' MarketWatch Provided by Dow Jones • Nov 19, 2025 at 7:56:00 AM By Neal Shah America's largest insurer is making sweeping changes to its Medicare Advantage plans to improve profit margins United Health Group is dropping some of its Medicare Advantage plans. United Health Group announced last month that it plans to drop 1 million Medicare Advantage members. Two weeks later, at a UBS healthcare conference, Wayne DeVeydt, the company's chief financial officer, said many of the changes UnitedHealth is making will allow it to "get back to the swagger the company once had."
November 25, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
elizmanderson.com
it's awards season, and my queer cozy fantasy THE KEEPER OF LONELY SPIRITS is eligible for a Hugo, a Locus, and a Nebula!

there's a brief book description in the post, or you can click this link: www.elizmanderson.com/keeper-of-lo...

#author
The Keeper of Lonely Spirits: awards eligibility. Hugo Award for Best Novel, Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, and Nebula Award for Best Novel. Text is in a translucent text box against a background of yellow flowers in the sunset, with the cover of E.M. Anderson's The Keeper of Lonely Spirits to the right. The cover features a lonely cottage, surrounded by headstones, with smoke drifting from the chimney, atop a tall green hill dotted with trees and yellow flowers against a starry sky, with the tagline, "Living forever can be mighty lonesome..." An old man cursed with immortality hunts ghosts rather than making mortal friends who will die one day. When residents of an Ohio town beset by a vengeful spirit adopt him as their own, he must decide: leave to protect his heart, or stay to save their lives? Text is in a translucent text box against a background of yellow flowers in the sunset, with the cover of E.M. Anderson's The Keeper of Lonely Spirits to the right. The cover features a lonely cottage, surrounded by headstones, with smoke drifting from the chimney, atop a tall green hill dotted with trees and yellow flowers against a starry sky, with the tagline, "Living forever can be mighty lonesome..."
November 25, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
eliseswritings.bsky.social
If anyone's got a moment to give indie authors feedback on what does/ doesn't work for you as a reader re. Itch book bundles, please answer these 9 questions.

(They're mostly multiple choice 😉).
Book Bundle Questionnaire
Help organizers improve indie book bundles! If you've ever considered buying a book bundle on itch.io, but decided NOT to, let us know why!
docs.google.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
spookyxpickle.bsky.social
🎵 Back 'em, back 'em, gotta back 'em all🎵

🎵GOTTA BACK EM ALL, BOOK BAZAAR🎵

(Of course, only if you're able. One or a couple us also very good! @the-book-bazaar.com)

#BookSky #Silly #WeHaveFunHere #IndieAuthors #Writingcommunity #BookBazaar25 #Gottacatchemall

www.backerkit.com/c/collection...
a group of pokemon standing next to each other with gotta catch 'em all written on the bottom
Alt: a group of pokemon standing next to each other with gotta catch 'em all written on the bottom
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
seiu.org
Apple is anti-union.

Tesla is anti-union.

Amazon is anti-union.

McDonald's is anti-union.

Starbucks is anti-union.

Google is anti-union.

Walmart is anti-union.

These mega-corporations aren’t on workers’ side and their actions make it painfully clear.
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
ottersediting.com
#FirstDraftFall I haven't written in a week but I finally got something today!

500 words on AnimalsWIP! I needed that break and I hope to write more this week.
weeknightwriters.bsky.social Weeknight Writers @weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 16h
#FirstDraftFall Check-In: How did your writing go today?
Image of orange and brown leaves on the ground overlaid with the text “#FirstDraftFall Check-In: How did your writing go today?”
November 25, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
voicesofvalhoon.bsky.social
My birthday is this friday! Which means my gift to you is that Songs of Broken Bells is on sale for the whole week!

Universal Link: buy.bookfunnel.com/rktaq3muij
Payhip: payhip.com/b/hKG10
Itch: voicesofvalhoon.itch.io/songs-of-bro...
November 24, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
blackshirtboy.bsky.social
Let's Keep Calling!
An image of a huge jackboot crushing a comic artist and a bunch of comic pages. The boot is marked by the logos for MasterCard, Visa, Paypal, and Stripe. Below the image there is text which reads: Don't let Payment Processors tell YOU what you can buy! It is not a payment processor's role to decide what kind of content you can or cannot spend money on, so long as it is a legal transaction. Fight back against the unjust policies hurting artists and creators online! https://yellat.money/ https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/
July 31, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
diannalgunn.bsky.social
This is the link with the core info you need to make your calls: stop-paypros.neocities.org
Stop payment processors from censoring games!
stop-paypros.neocities.org
November 25, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
amaralynn.bsky.social
Thanks to another pledge we're at 41% funded now!

Let's gooo! And don't forget there's e-book, paperback, and hardback tiers, as well as exclusive art up for grabs!

www.backerkit.com/c/projects/a...

#booksky #tbb25 #thebookbazaar25 #crowdfunding #queerscifi #lgbtqbooks #indieauthor #alienromance
November 25, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
joannamasters.bsky.social
Wanting to avoid megacorps? Want to support an indie author? You can buy directly from me!

MG sci fi and fantasy, YA steampunk, and chapterbook silliness await!
Dawnsbrook Press
Visit the post for more.
dawnsbrook.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
anotherindiewriter.com
18 days until Opus releases.

Current preorders across all platforms: 41 (15 Itch, 12 Ko-Fi, 10 Amazon, 3 Kobo, 1 IRL [really])

Goal before release on December 12: 65

Goal for fancy bookmark reward: 69

Time is running out for handmade bookmarks

books2read.com/opus
anotherindiewriter.itch.io/opus
anotherindiewriter.com S. Morgan Burbank @anotherindiewriter.com · 5d
I fell off updating this. Oops.

23 days until Opus releases.

Current preorders across all platforms: 39 (15 Itch, 11 Ko-Fi, 10 Amazon, 3 Kobo)

Goal before release on December 12: 65

Goal for fancy bookmark reward: 69

Hey! Next preorder is 40!

books2read.com/opus
anotherindiewriter.itch.io/opus
anotherindiewriter.com S. Morgan Burbank @anotherindiewriter.com · 21d
Four weeks post novella announcement

Current preorders across all platforms: 27 (11 Itch, 8 Ko-Fi, 7 Amazon, 1 Kobo)

Goal before release on December 12th: 65

Goal for the fancy bookmarks below: 69

Thank you to all who have supported so far💚

books2read.com/opus OR anotherindiewriter.itch.io/opus
November 25, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
ddwardiswriting.bsky.social
Just a heads up.
I don't use Gen AI in my writing and never will.
I don't use Gen AI for illustration and never will.
I won't willingly or knowingly use Gen AI at all.
I write because I love it.
I pay indie artists because they deserve the work and the credit.

Gen AI is not art.
November 24, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
bookspotlight.bsky.social
If you want to support me outside of my books, buying me a coffee is always most appreciated! 🧡

ko-fi.com/rjcrunden
Buy Rebecca Crunden a Coffee
Become a supporter of Rebecca Crunden today!
ko-fi.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
sadhbhgirl.bsky.social
Shoutout to @ottersediting.com who saved my bacon with a tight turnaround on proofreading my latest story. With their help I actually made my deadline, with a polished manuscript to boot!
susanarendt.bsky.social Susan Arendt @susanarendt.bsky.social · 1d
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.

Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.

So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 24, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
olinj.bsky.social
My editor, @mollyrookwood.bsky.social, is a great editor plus she gets me.
susanarendt.bsky.social Susan Arendt @susanarendt.bsky.social · 1d
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.

Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.

So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
ottersediting.com
This Thanksgiving, I'm giving thanks to all the people, communities, and organizations that have supported me on my freelance journey.

Authors, I would not be here without you. I love reading your stories, all of them.

Thank you to the Indie Author community for allowing me to be an #editor 💜
Otters Editing gives thanks to the Indie Author community for supporting me, my career and supporting each other. The graphic contains a butterfly for Bluesky, a typewriter for the authors, and fall decorations: a leaf and a pumpkin.
November 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
caitgauthor.bsky.social
What’s fun for me as an editor is seeing my clients’ books finally published. I feel proud and excited when they do well too.
November 24, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
acvalens.com
Spoke to my source familiar with internal workings at Mastercard. The holiday call campaign re payment processor censorship is working, there is a lot of pressure being felt from your calls. This is resulting in increased response times at a core moment for Mastercard due to the holiday season
November 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
sahuntbooks.com
If you want free or more affordable books, don't steal them - advocate for universal basic income so authors can write the damn things without having to work a day job 8-10 hours a day or subsist on Venmo money.
rowennam.bsky.social Rowenna Miller @rowennam.bsky.social · 23h
People who pirate books: “I just think art and literature should be FREE to everyone!”

Yes, I too would love to live in a world where art is accessible freely to all and yet artists are paid a living wage, but as this magical wagical pixie wixie land does not exist, please don’t steal from us.
November 24, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
ingloriousgigi.bsky.social
Hi, just a friendly reminder that Freydis Moon just released an audiobook last week and that you should not buy purchase that book at all because Freydis a brownfishing white person who likes to bully their fellow trans and queer authors.
November 24, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
anotherindiewriter.com
Look. I get it. Sex sells. And I have not been appealing to you with attractive people in my posts enough. Well no longer! Lust. Drool over their visage. Do as they say. Consume. Acquire.

anotherindiewriter.itch.io/opus

or

books2read.com/opus

or

ko-fi.com/s/994d56a7cb
A pair of white rectangles superimposed on a beach. On the left is hand scrawled text reading "pretend a hot person is here". On the right is the cover of Guitar Concerto in C Flat Major, Op. 12: Lucina. It is a beige/off-white cover with the book's title in gray-blue text. At the top is the text "A novella in three movements" and at the bottom is the author's name, S. Morgan Burbank. At the bottom reads "bottom text"
November 24, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
scalzi.com
If you like an author's work, the best thing you can do is buy it. The second best thing you can do is ask your local library to buy it. Or, do both!
laurenbeukes.com Lauren Beukes @laurenbeukes.com · 22h
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
A profession struggling to sustain itself - The Society of Authors
ALCS report on author incomes shows 60% drop in median incomes since 2006
societyofauthors.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
applesncinnamon.bsky.social
@amphipodgirl.bsky.social edited Sweet & Wild and is working with me on The Need for Dandelions! Her work is fantastic! The feedback I got back from her is so helpful and makes my work so much better!

@ottersediting.com worked with me on a short story coming out in December and they are great!
susanarendt.bsky.social Susan Arendt @susanarendt.bsky.social · 1d
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.

Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.

So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Reposted by Steph (they/she) Editor
spookyxpickle.bsky.social
@ottersediting.com, I appreciate you and I'm excited to work with you in the near future!!!

Editing is so important. It helps create a solid narrative. And having an editor that you like to work with only helps your writing.

Thank you, editors, for your dedication to the craft!
susanarendt.bsky.social Susan Arendt @susanarendt.bsky.social · 1d
By the way, it's National Editor Appreciation Day.

Nobody ever reads a great article and thinks, "Dang, that was some tight editing." But editing is a big part of how it got to be great.

So writers, if you've ever worked with a good editor, shout 'em out.
November 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM