Shelf Potential

For all your professional development needs!

Grant Writing 101: The New Canada Council Portal The Canada Council for the Arts has a new portal and truth be told, it’s going to take us all a while to get used to it, but I’ve gathered up all ...

A guide to grants and the new Canada Council Portal open-book.ca/Columnists/G...

Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.

Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.

They are not the same.

I love this not only for the praise of editors, but also for the look at how the feedback is incorporated into the art! Very cool!

A silly thing about editing spicy scenes is that sometimes you just gotta ask "what happened to their underwear?" #AmEditing

On my desk these days: comics, fantasy, and promotional materials. And all of of these are for repeat clients or folks I've worked with before, which is pretty cool!

How To Find Anything In Microsoft Word Save yourself time scrolling through your manuscript by learning how to use Advanced Find, wildcard search, and ASCII codes.

Was discussing efficiency and how helpful it is to master Microsoft Word search tools with a fellow editor recently, which reminded me I have a blog post on the topic shelfpotential.com/2025/04/11/h...

I had a great time at the Eastern Ontario Writers' Festival last weekend, and it's given me a lot of ideas for blog/social content. Hoping to have time to get that together to share soon! But first, I have some copy editing to do✒️

a cartoon drawing of snoopy sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper Alt: a cartoon drawing of snoopy sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper

Anyone have questions about finishing and revising first drafts? I'm presenting on the subject next weekend and would love to address writer's questions

Witch hunt - Iva Cheung Bonus panel!

SEPTEMBER CARTOON: ivacheung.com/2025/09/witc...

Lessons I Learned As A Failed Debut Author I'd like to start by saying that the bookish community scares me. It doesn't take much for one post, one word, or one misunderstood comment to spiral out of control. I've been watching this circle onl...

While so many in the small press world are amazing and dedicated, it's still really important to do your research and understand the publishing process before signing a contract. These kinds of stories show why
www.morgansloan-author.com/post/lessons...

a cartoon of spongebob and patrick looking at a computer with the watermark 2000ish Alt: a cartoon of spongebob and patrick looking at a computer and shaking it angrily

Bonding with clients over shared Microsoft grievances

Just got an email saying my session is full! I'm so excited to connect with writers. If you missed out on registration, reach out to the festival to get put on the waitlist!

Meet Emily Stewart in a workshop titled "To a finished first draft and beyond" at 10 a.m. at the Eastern Ontario Writers' Festival. They say writing your first draft is telling yourself the story, so how do you know when you're done? And what do you do after? Emily will start the workshop with a discussion about scrappy first drafts; what they should include, how to finish them, and when to move on. She will then guide participants through the steps of self-revision (chapter breakdowns, draft analysis, and revision blueprints), ending with high-level tips on working with an editor. Great for writers of all levels. To bring: Pen and notebook.

Come on out to the Eastern Ontario Writers Festival next month! I'll be discussing scrappy first drafts, revision, and working with an editor

"Line Edit: 96,000-word supernatural novel" marked "done"

I usually stick to copy editing, but occasionally a manuscript can benefit from a bit more feedback. And this author is so lovely to work with, I don't mind including some suggestions for flow, coherence, and style #AmEditing

a penguin sits on top of a stack of books reading a book Alt: a penguin sits on top of a stack of books reading a book

I have a gap in my schedule that'd be perfect for a manuscript evaluation, so here's a non-exhaustive list of things I'd be interested in:
- character driven narratives
- soft sci-fi
- dual POVs
- monsters
- summery vibes
- stories with short timelines

Canadian writers, there are now a couple of AI class actions for Canadian authors. Please check out both links below.
If you have found your books in the Books3 or LibGen DBs, you are likely to be included in the class(es).
www.cfmlawyers.ca/class-action...

www.cfmlawyers.ca/class-action...

Recent newsletter tells me there's just a few weeks left to access the 2024-2025 Fold Academy sessions
thefoldcanada.org/webinars-act...

Reminder that it is still possible to purchase 365 without Copilot, at least for the time being.

Schools that subscribe to it should also insist on the same arrangement before renewing.

a cat wearing glasses and a bow tie is sitting on a laptop Alt: a cat wearing glasses and a bow tie is sitting on a laptop

Snuck in a walk before the heat/thunder gets too bad and made coffee. Now it's time to get into #editing. Today, I'm working on a fantasy novel, which means I'll be contemplating the qualities and capabilities of spirits, demons, and other beings to make sure terminology stays consistent

A post it on a green background reads "copy edit: 140,000-word romantasy novel done"

Another #CopyEdit done! Next up: a stylistic edit on a supernatural fantasy novel ✒️

Exciting Augur news! SFF writers take note!

I'll be presenting at the Eastern Ontario Writers' Festival in September! Registration is open: www.eventbrite.ca/e/eastern-on...

Spent all day working reviewing second drafts of comic scripts, and I'm so pumped to get these into artists' hands soon! #ComicEditing

#Copyedit catch: "chalk" ➡️"chock." Always watch out for homophones, y'all ✒️

MS Evaluatoin: 65,000-word supernatural fantasy novel - done!

Finished a manuscript evaluation last week! This story had spirits, magic, demons, and some quirky worldbuilding, so it was super fun to read 📖

"fractured humorous" ➡️ "fractured humerus" #AmEditing #CopyEditing

I don't always get to see manuscripts again after I send out my edits, but when I do, it's so fun to see what changes an author has made! Y'all are so creative!

#Copyedit catch today: "deep-seeded" ➡️ "deep-seated"