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Wit & Travesty

Meet Travis & Whitney

Welcome, writer friends! If you’re curious about who we are, read on. We’re sharing our backgrounds and fun facts about ourselves.

Meet Travis (he/him)

travis mcgruder wit and travesty freelance editor
Photo taken by Mitch Johnson @moose_mitch

I’ve been reading, writing, and loving stories since I was a little kid, and I’m looking forward to continuing to do so all my life. It took me a long time to decide where I wanted to end up professionally. Starting college it was this nebulous “I’m going to be a writer.” After a couple of years, I decided editing is what I wanted to make a career out of, though I still maintain the dream of a career as a published author. To that end, I continue to write!

I’m a big fan of genre fiction, what I refer to in not-at-all-biased terms as “the fun stuff.” Sci-fi and fantasy are my drug and imagination fuel, and almost every story I’ve conceived sits firmly in one of those two camps.

Outside of reading and writing, I gustily consume awesome fiction through a number of other mediums. I love video games, tabletop RPGs, and movies, and I’m known to friends for being fairly easy to please (you’ll never convince me that The Phantom Menace was a bad movie!), and I get a huge kick out of seeing places decorated with genre and fan art.

What can you expect from me on Wit & Travesty? I have always felt that the internet’s truest purpose is connecting people and letting ideas grow, so wherever I go on the web I go to discuss and engage. Of course, that’s got to start somewhere, so I will certainly be sharing things that have engaged me and got me thinking or excited.

I hope you’ll respond and bring your friend and fellow fans into discussions about new movies, stories, and challenges in writing and analyses of how these things are presented. Looking forward to getting to know you!

I can be found elsewhere on the web at:

Twitter
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitch

Meet Whitney (she/her)

whitney mcgruder wit and travesty freelance editor
Photo taken by Mitch Johnson @moose_mitch

Hey, friends! I’ve been an editor for 8+ years and a writer for what feels like a lifetime. I published the Destiny Seeker duology and The Throwaway Queen. In the meantime, I split my time between freelance editing under Wit & Travesty and working with authors via New Degree Press.

My top writing strength and joy is dialog. I’m a firm believer in crafting a good conversation so the readers can get to know my characters—and even learn something about themselves. As for editing, I’m really good at developmental editing. This is the part where authors really worry about whether their story is worth publishing—I enjoy being that first encouraging voice to help authors know what to keep and what to refine.

Beyond writing and editing, I’m pretty passionate about cosplay, cross stitching, comic books, weight lifting, PokemonGo, and nerdy fashion. You can also support my new Esty shop, YassStitch!

I know that social media is just a highlight reel but I love using Instagram to be as honest and transparent about all taboo things as possible.

Writing can be such an emotional experience. As a recovering perfectionist, I have a few things to say about writing joyfully rather than guiltily. I also have a lot of thoughts about building a more inclusive, creative writing community. I wax poetic through blog posts, social media, our newsletter, and in person if you let me!

Let’s be internet friends! You can find me here:

Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest

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2 comments on “Meet Travis & Whitney”

  1. The Galaxy Girls says:
    July 21, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    You guys are totally awesome! Keep it up! Writing is an art to be enjoyed by all and I believe that you two are truly proving how fun it is and can be. 🙂

    ― Reply
    • Whitney says:
      July 22, 2017 at 9:56 pm

      Aww, thanks so much! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your kinds words. <3

      ― Reply

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Jessica Thompson
Whitney was great to work with. The whole experience was professional, yet flexible. Helpful, yet kind. My manuscript improved so much through Whitney's guidance that I received my first book deal!
Brittany Olsen
Whitney helped me with two short projects written for children, and she was very pleasant to work with. She has an eye for detail, helping me with small grammar errors as well as insights about adding scenes that would enhance my story. Her turnaround time was extremely quick, which I really appreciated when on a deadline!
Tori Nix
Working with Whitney was a breath of fresh air! I enjoyed every minute of my experience with bringing my book to life! Whitney not only did an exceptional job, she is also a very kind, patient, and I hope to continue to do business in the future!
Rachel Barnard
I won a contest via Wit & Travesty in the summer of 2017. The prize was a professional edit of the first 100 pages of a WIP. My middle grade fantasy was only 90 pages, so she read the entire manuscript. She was communicative and positive about the project. Her edits markedly polished up my manuscript and were easy to understand.
Jonathan Baker
Whitney and I worked together in a writing feedback group some years ago and have remained in touch since then. From the beginning, I was struck by her absolute responsibility as an editor. Even in the capacity of a group member, not even being employed or contracted by me to edit my work, Whitney was unerringly punctual, thorough, and accurate with her feedback. Her advice is genuinely insightful and I believe the marketability of my work was noticeably increased due to her guidance. I so value her skills that I still turn to her as a resource after three years of working with her in-person have passed.
Jessica Frazier
Whitney McGruder has created a vast and imaginative world in Destiny Seeker with surprises to delight the reader at every turn. Readers can settle in to devour the diverse and ingenious magic Destiny Seeker has to offer. I highly recommend it.
Angelika Offenwanger
Whitney did a copy-edit on my third novel, Checkmate. She was a pleasure to work with, and helped me give my novel that final polish that it needed before publication. Put her on your list for editors that help your work shine!
Jessica Thompson
Whitney was great to work with. The whole experience was professional, yet flexible. Helpful, yet kind. My manuscript improved so much through Whitney's guidance that I received my first book deal!
Tori Nix
Working with Whitney was a breath of fresh air! I enjoyed every minute of my experience with bringing my book to life! Whitney not only did an exceptional job, she is also a very kind, patient, and I hope to continue to do business in the future!
Jonathan Baker
Whitney and I worked together in a writing feedback group some years ago and have remained in touch since then. From the beginning, I was struck by her absolute responsibility as an editor. Even in the capacity of a group member, not even being employed or contracted by me to edit my work, Whitney was unerringly punctual, thorough, and accurate with her feedback. Her advice is genuinely insightful and I believe the marketability of my work was noticeably increased due to her guidance. I so value her skills that I still turn to her as a resource after three years of working with her in-person have passed.
Brittany Olsen
Whitney helped me with two short projects written for children, and she was very pleasant to work with. She has an eye for detail, helping me with small grammar errors as well as insights about adding scenes that would enhance my story. Her turnaround time was extremely quick, which I really appreciated when on a deadline!
Jessica Frazier
Whitney McGruder has created a vast and imaginative world in Destiny Seeker with surprises to delight the reader at every turn. Readers can settle in to devour the diverse and ingenious magic Destiny Seeker has to offer. I highly recommend it.
Rachel Barnard
I won a contest via Wit & Travesty in the summer of 2017. The prize was a professional edit of the first 100 pages of a WIP. My middle grade fantasy was only 90 pages, so she read the entire manuscript. She was communicative and positive about the project. Her edits markedly polished up my manuscript and were easy to understand.
Angelika Offenwanger
Whitney did a copy-edit on my third novel, Checkmate. She was a pleasure to work with, and helped me give my novel that final polish that it needed before publication. Put her on your list for editors that help your work shine!