In this episode of Daggers & Daydreams, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most intimidating parts of the writing process: editing.

When we first started out, we didn’t know what editing meant. We thought it was fixing typos and grammar—but we quickly learned it’s much more than that. From facing tough feedback for the first time to learning how to restructure entire plots, editing has been one of the most challenging (and most rewarding) parts of writing books.

We’re sharing our early editing experiences—the overwhelm, the trial-and-error, the feedback that nearly broke us—and how we eventually found what works. We talk about how our approach has evolved over time, what resources helped us, and how editing has become something we no longer dread (most of the time).

If you’re just starting to revise your first draft or wondering what editing really looks like behind the scenes, this episode is for you. Think of it as the editing chat we wish we’d had when we were starting out.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: What we used to think editing meant01:05 – Part One: Editing as beginners—our first big edits and feedback moments02:22 – What are the different phases of editing03:58 – What totally threw us, and what surprised us16:34 – Part Two: Where we learned how to edit

16:47 – Books, podcasts, and peers that helped21:44 – The feedback that changed everything (in a good way)

23:05 - Lessons learnt working with beta readers26:05 – Part Three: What our editing process looks like now29:36 – Tools, habits, and how we tackle messy drafts31:11 – Outro: Advice to our past selves, and how we stay open to learning

Keywords: editing for beginner writers, revision tips, writing advice, debut authors, how to edit a book, editing feedback, writing motivation, women writers

If you’re revising your first book—or bracing yourself for feedback—this episode is full of real talk and lessons learned. Have questions or stories to share? Send us a DM on Instagram. We’d love to include your voice in our Q&A later this season.

Welcome to Season Two of Daggers & Daydreams — in this episode, we’re going back to the beginning and talking about what it really looked like for us when we started writing.

We know how overwhelming it can feel when you’re trying to write a book for the first time. Plot, character, word count, structure—there’s a lot to juggle, and it’s easy to feel stuck before you’ve even begun. We’re sharing how we approached those early stages, how we shaped our first projects, and the tools we leaned on to keep going.

We also talk about some of the bigger questions that come up: How do you balance what you want to write with what sells? Would we ever change something in a book to make it more marketable? And how has our process shifted as we’ve gained more experience?

This episode is all about our honest, behind-the-scenes experience. We hope it helps you feel less alone and more confident as you take those first steps.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to Season Two

01:18 – Where we started as writers

03:51 – Deciding on structure and length

09.47 – How we approach new projects

14:20 – The tools that help us keep writing

18:54 – What holds us back—and how we move forward

20:57 – Balancing creativity and market expectations

24:38 – How our process has evolved

26:00 – Early writing advice we wish we’d had

27:12 – Outro: Final thoughts and next episode preview

Keywords: beginner writing, writing advice, debut authors, how to start writing a book, writing motivation, creative process, women writers

Have a question you want us to answer in our Q&A episode? Send us a DM on Instagram—we’d love to hear from you @shwriterstudio

Sophie and Helen have talked about their writing processes, their books, publishing and so much more but today they're going to delve into more unorthodox questions.

Some you’ve probably never considered, but would love to know the answer too, like what’s in their internet search history, scenes they've deleted, or describing their writing like a cooking show.