Busyhead | Technoblade

Fifteen | The Editor

TEAGAN'S EDITOR WAS AN EXTREMELY NICE WOMAN, BUT SHE TERRIFIED HER. She had been in the business for longer than Teagan had been alive, and while she promised Teagan that she was one of her favorite clients of all time, the younger girl couldn't help but wonder if she sometimes thought her to be too young or too immature to be in this position. After all, she would be just 22 in February.

Edie was wonderful at her job, and that made her all the more frightening. One of Teagan's professors her freshman year had connected the two of them, and Edie showed no skepticism in taking her on as a client. Every once in a while, after a particularly annoying bout of indecisiveness, Teagan would ask if Edie was having second thoughts yet. The answer was always no.

Needless to say, Teagan was both looking forward to and dreading their Zoom meeting. When Edie joined the call, Teagan was forced to stop fiddling with her fingers and offer a small wave. "Good morning," she politely greeted.

The graying woman on the other line smiled, adjusting her glasses to peer at the screen. "Look at you. So much more colorful since the last time we spoke. Something new in your life?"

"Multiple somethings, I guess," Teagan chuckled shakily. Her nerves were drumming against every bone in her body. She didn't know if she could sit through any small talk. "I'm just excited to finally be figuring this out."

Edie gave a knowing smile. She laced her fingers together and rested her chin on her hands, her inquisitive gaze piercing even through a screen. When Teagan didn't know what to say, Edie motioned for her to speak. "Well? Update me!"

"Right!" Teagan jumped, fumbling to move her phone out of the way, just to have something to keep her hands busy. "Sorry. I'm finally at the point of my first draft being done." She said it with a confidence she didn't know was within her, and Edie's jaw dropped.

She stared at her client with wide eyes. "Did those words just come from your mouth?" Teagan bit her lip and nodded, and Edie clapped her hands excitedly. "Teagan Kato, you beautiful brain you. I was beginning to worry this day would never come."

A shy laugh left Teagan's lips as a bit of embarrassment coursed through her. She pushed her hair away from her face. "I know, you and me both. But if you have time, I'd like to send it your way for the first edit."

Edie nodded, "Of course, of course. Have you had anyone proofread it?"

"My sister has been proofing it as I've been writing it. Should I send it to someone else before I send it to you?" she asked cautiously. She was suddenly worried she had wasted Edie's time.

But the older woman waved it off entirely. "I can take a look at it the beginning of this week. I will suggest that after I go through it, and after you go back through and finish up your second draft, you send it to someone different for another proof. Then we can talk about publication."

Teagan nodded emphatically, her excitement unbridled. The idea of publication always seemed so far away, yet here they were, discussing it like it was a very real possibility. They had both been keeping their hopes to a minimum throughout the entire ride, but the spark in Edie's eye looked dangerously close to belief.

After a moment of consideration, Edie spoke again, "Now, I know a few publishers we can send to immediately. They specialize in the genre you're writing – a good choice, by the way. Fantasy is all the rage right now." She paused to chew on her thumbnail, a small smile hidden by her thin hand. "I'll admit, I think we can do this, Teagan. I genuinely think that this gift of yours is something that the world needs to see, and I'm almost sure at least one publisher will feel the same."

Teagan's chest swelled with a mixture of terror and excitement. The hopefulness that she was finally allowing herself to hold was terrifying, just as was the very real idea that there was still plenty of room to fail. They had discussed this before. If this novel wasn't published, it wouldn't be the end. She wouldn't quit.