Shannon | Writer of Words | Editor of Words | Lover of Words

I was just fucked over $1k so if you guys could like sell this bundle into the stratosphere, I'd appreciate it

Y'all follow my author account, please??

@authorkalibenson.bsky.social

That's where all my writing updates will be since I apparently really am doing this publishing thing...

#WritingCommunity #AmWriting #PublishingJourney #MMRomance

My bank account demands I work.
My heart demands I write.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #WriterSky #AuthorSky #MMRomance #ShortStory #Novelette #AllTheWords

It's going to be the third week of the month before I can poke my head up.

🤔 Memoir proofread
🤔 Queer YA paranormal proofread
🤔 Thriller line/copyedit
🤔 ACES #VCON25 speaker
🤔 Story coaching client

I can't complain. I thrive under pressure. (Most of the time.)

#AmEditing #EditingCommunity

Text reads: ACES: The Society for Editing. VCON25: September 17–19, 2025. I'm presenting!

Doing a little thing in a few weeks. 😏

For the third year in a row, I count myself truly lucky to present a topic that drives what I do and how I do it: Theory versus Practice in Developmental Editing of Fiction

#ProfessionalDevelopment #ACESVCON25 #ConferenceSpeaker #AmEditing

I don’t want to be that cranky old lady, but it’s hard seeing people excited about a celebrity’s engagement when the world is on fire. Not a peep on climate change, Palestine, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, reproductive rights, etc. but a football player & a singer gets y’all worked up. Make it make sense. 🤷‍♀️

It's been a long couple weeks of direct labor, trying to put together website resources, working on my own fiction, and keeping my newsletter going. So what did I spend this morning doing?

Signing up for submitting my Reedsy editor profile for review. 🫣

#FingersCrossed #AmEditing #Freelancer

On top, business header with text "Sage Editing. Reflecting On Your Story One Word At A Time". On a pinkish background, dark purple text "The Editor–Author Perspective. On left side, selfie of me drinking from a coffee mug with text "Zero [image of fox] Given".

The tenth edition goes out tomorrow!

In the first of four blog pieces, I'll be talking about how to expand your flash fiction and short stories into longer pieces, starting with ways to adjust your plot.

Sign up here to find out more: shorturl.at/worAQ

#AmWriting #AmEditing

Of course.

1,242 words tonight! First draft is done!

#AmWriting #WritingJourney #PublishingJourney #WritingCommunity

Today's end-of-the-month admin work (read: bookkeeping 🥴😭), but I'm still also determined to finish my short story. I'm putting plans in place, slowly, to get my fiction out as soon as is reasonably possible. But I can't release it if I don't write it. or something like that.

Most of my short stories, if not all, will be in MM romance with fade-to-black/closed door s*x scenes. I'm really liking how this one is turning out, too.

Added another 1,700 words to this baby. One more night of writing should see it done.

(I'm handwriting these out, by the way...)

#AmWriting #WritingJourney #PublishingJourney #WritingCommunity

a woman is saying oh boy in a peacock ad Alt: Amy Poehler saying "Oh Boy"

I just bought my author domain for my fiction works... I... I'm really doing this publishing thing, apparently...

#WritingJourney #PublishingJourney #AmWriting #WritingCommunity #MMRomance #EEK

Now that I've finished up @andrews-wilson.com's Sons of Valor: War Machine, I can maybe get some writing done.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #ReadAllTheWords #WriteAllTheWords

Restarted a short story from a few weeks ago? Got in 1,823 words tonight. Hoping to reach 5,000 words before the week's out.

#AmWriting #QueerRomance #WritingCommunity #QueerFiction #SoManyWords

Excited at all the writing I'm (hopefully) going to get done this week!

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #MMRomance #SapphicRomance #WritingWorkbook #MeTime

This is my lightest workweek in months. I may or may not be panicking. Literally all I have to do is end-of-month admin work and prepping my newsletter to go out tomorrow.

You can sign up here, bee-tee-dubs: shorturl.at/worAQ

Got a pretty sweet deal inside!

#AmEditing #EntrepreneurLife

No cheating. Post the last pic of your pet.

On a blue-tinted background, a theater marquee sign with black text reads "Happy International Drag Day". White text reads "July 16, 2025. Hashtag Pride is Every Month." On the left is an image of a blonde drag queen in a pride-colored dress. On the right is an image of a drag king with a goatee and wearing a white t-shirt.

Yesterday got away from me. I went to my first drag show in college. The outfits, makeup, swagger each Queen (and King) showed was magic. Here's to ALL the Queens and Kings slaying the stages worldwide. Keep glowing like the royalty you are!

#InternationalDragDay #DragQueens #DragKings

Tomorrow's newsletter goes out at 8 a.m. Eastern. You've got until then to subscribe for early access to one hell of a service deal. Link in attached post!

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #MMRomance #QueerRomance #FFRomance #TransRomance #CrimeFiction #AmEditing

On a grayish background, circle in nonbinary pride colors (yellow, white, purple, black). Inside, text reads, "Happy Nonbinary Awareness Week. July 14 to 20, 2025."

Nonbinary is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine‍ —‌ identities outside the gender binary.

I feel comfortable enough, finally, to say that I'm genderfluid. I'm not particularly attached to either identity on any given day. 🌈🙂

#GenderIsASocialConstruct

On a pale pink background, the Sage Editing business banner with text that reads "Sage Editing. Reflecting On Your Story One Word At A Time". On the bottom left, a selfie of me drinking from a mug with the text "Zero [Fox Image] Given". On the bottom right, in dark purple font, the newsletter name "The Editor–Author Perspective".

Hard to believe I've had my newsletter for 4 months now. This coming week is special, though. Subscribers get early access to a deal that's been in the works since I started The Editor-Author Perspective.

Join the mailing list here: shorturl.at/worAQ

#AmEditing #WritingCommunity #AmWriting

I wouldn’t tell anyone if I won the lottery but there would be signs.

On a grayish background, omnisexual pride flag graphic in top left and right and bottom left and right corners. Text reads "July 6, 2025. Happy Omnisexual Visibility Day! #PrideIsEveryMonth"

Omnisexuality is an attraction to all genders, with an emphasis on acknowledging the nuances between them. Although one of the newer terms, omnisexuals are just as multifaceted as any other Rainbow Family member.

Here's to celebrating you!

#OmnisexualVisibilityDay #PrideIsEveryMonth

Last night, I finished my first original fiction short story. This crazy thing happens when you dedicate time every evening to write....

Stories get written. 🫢

I'm thrilled (and terrified) to see what my brain comes up with next.

7/7

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #QueerAuthor #WriterSky

At the same time, I also like challenging myself creatively on a regular basis. Writing fiction has always been a safe space to explore the darker themes undergirding society, even in romance. So, I put my butt in my desk chair and got to work on the first story...

6/?

You see, I hate writing short stories. Flash fiction is okay, I can deal with writing less than 1,000 words every now and again. For those longer stories, though? I'm obsessed with character development, and there's just no way I can truly dive into that in less than 7,500 words.

5/?

"Why do you write like you're running out time?"

Once I got the Trello cards set up with deadlines and prompt ideas and checklists for those prompts, I didn't really give myself a choice. This was happening, whether I liked it or not.

4/?

I finally decided to just write brand-new stories, but I had no idea where those stories would come from or how long they would take to finish. I mean, I've already got two nonfiction booklets in the pipeline and a full-length fiction novel. I feel like Alexander Hamilton...

3/?