How can someone effectively combine writing and editing skills to make a good living? By establishing what I call a “hyphenated career”: becoming a writer-editor! Combine Writing and Editing Skills In my book The Business of Storytelling, I talk about how to create a writer-editor career, where you use what you learn as a writer…
My best book editing tip is just three words: Less is more. The deliverables for a developmental edit are (1) an edited manuscript and (2) a revision letter. It doesn’t get any more basic than that! Basics of Book Editing Deliver an edited manuscript and a revision letter. That’s it. Sometimes newer editors also add…
The other day, I went to an expat gathering here in Spain, and one of the people in the group, an American who retired here a few years ago, confided that she was worried about her retirement savings. What with all the drama happening in the US (not to mention in other hotspots around the…
As someone who recently moved to Spain from the US, I’m part of a few expat groups online, and people are constantly posting warnings such as, “Watch out! My friend didn’t get her visa renewed because she didn’t keep her private health insurance!” The backstory: For some types of visas, you have to have private…
Once upon a time, I was a columnist for a business magazine. I was accustomed to doing more of what we might call journalism – reporting on a topic in as unbiased a way as I could, interviewing experts for background information and quotes, and otherwise effacing myself from the story. My editor was constantly…
One of the things I love about having a freelance editing career is that I can do it from anywhere. Sometimes this is not a very fun place, like my daughter’s hospital room. Other times, it’s Paris. The Flexibility of Remote Work Recently, out of a burning desire to escape the circus that is my…
Last year at the ophthalmologist’s office, I got the “Do you need a doctor’s excuse for work?” question again. I’m always shocked at this question. There are jobs where a GROWN ADULT has to provide a permission slip from Mommy? I mean the doctor? Are you kidding me? No, I don’t need a note. I’m…
A tale of three aspiring editors. This post is based on real people, but I’ve changed names and other identifying details – I’m not trying to embarrass anyone, I’m trying to inspire action. About three years ago, three students started taking classes at Club Ed at the same time. Let’s call them Jane, Martha, and…
Editors often aren’t sure how long it takes to edit a manuscript, from the first read-through to the final review of the revision letter. I’d say that editors underestimate by about 25% (sometimes more) much of the time. If you underestimate badly enough, you wind up earning less than you would shaking a fry basket…
If you’re interested in learning how to become a freelance book editor, you’re probably wondering what kind of person thrives in the environment—what kind of skills freelance editors need. Training for Fiction Editors First, you have to have training (and that’s where Club Ed comes in). Without a specific understanding of editing methodology – whether…