When I was approached to work on New Hero by Robin Laws, I panicked. Not because of “who” Robin was, but because of my admiration for all that he has done and his attitude toward the Work. An impressive author and game designer in his own right, I was certain his tastes would steer more towards perfection. As an author, I pictured a very high bar and expectations to boot. This wasn’t just about writing “a” short story; this was about writing “the” short story to fit a lofty goal — to develop a new iconic hero for an anthology that included stellar writers.

I’ll be honest with you. My first draft reflected my anxiety and Robin caught onto that right away in his comments to me. It wasn’t until I tossed out those sticky emotions that I started having fun. Everything that he said to me I already knew, but I needed those friendly reminders about technique spelled out in a way that made it easier for me to focus.

My second draft was indeterminable from the first because of Robin. He was patient with me and after that initial pat on the head (and a compliment about my vampires) I was merciless with my first draft. He recognized that effort, too, and I found the exchange to be very motivating.

To me, that’s the sign of a good editor. It’s not just about telling a great story — it’s about the care and feeding of the writer behind it, too. I only hope I can do Robin and the folks at Stone Skin Press proud as I move forward with my fiction career.

If you’re remotely interested in my stories or discerning Robin’s editorial touch for yourself, I invite you to back the Stone Skin Press Anthologies of New Fiction Kickstarter.