Damian Saavedra
Author Mentorship & Revision Alchemy
Damian Saavedra (he/him/elle) is a fantasy writer and is writing a Chilean inspired fantasy novel. Our goal for our six weeks together was to untangle the second draft and gain clarity on the plot and worldbuilding.
Together, we clarified Damian’s message and goal for the book, untangling the confusing advice he’d gotten from a previous editor. We also focused on ways to integrate his trans and Chilean culture and experiences into the narrative, deeply infusing these into the world and characters he crafted.
With a clear vision in mind, we overhauled the plot and structure, creating a detailed outline and weaving the characters’ motivations, worldbuilding, and conflict into the plot. We worked through mindset blocks and created strategies for moving through them. He began rewriting the next draft, utilizing the tools, resources, and support inside Revision Alchemy.
Since working with us, Damian participated in QueerPit, a Twitter pitch event for 2SLGBTQIA+ writers and their stories, and garnered interest from literary agents and small presses, positioning him as a voice to watch in diverse fantasy fiction.
Damian’s Feedback
What specific results did you experience from working with me?
My book ended up taking proper shape and I found a clearer vision of what I was trying to tell, while the premise is of course not original, I feel as if story has become unique in its own way
What doubts did you have before hiring me?
Due to a previous bad experience I believed that it would lead to the same result as before, but I was proven wrong.
What did you like best about the experience of working with me?
That you met me half way and understood where, and what, I was trying to tell with this story. You were patient when I was having moment of unclarity and when I became overwhelmed you helped nudging me in the right direction
What is important for others to know about author mentorship?
That you help those who truly need a service like this but are unable to because of financial reasons and are usually ignored/sidelined when it comes to opportunities that you help provide. In short, you give everyone a chance no matter what background they have
How is your novel process now, compared to when we started working together?
The world feels more fleshed out and has a point. The plot has meaning and a clearer theme as do the characters, especially compared to the last drafts where it felt like I was going in circles.
What part of the process was most difficult for you, and how could I have helped to make it easier?
To prioritise the right thing and being honest when I got overwhelmed with certain parts, I believe you helped resolve why I got to those stages in the first place.
Were you pleasantly surprised by any aspect of working together?
I was surprised with how understanding you were about how important it was for me to add in more of my culture, but also to get more in touch with that aspect of my heritage and not be afraid to weave so much more of it into the story.
“The world feels more fleshed out and has a point. The plot has meaning and a clearer theme as do the characters, especially compared to the last drafts where it felt like I was going in circles.”
-Damian Saavedra
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