Editors who are just starting out or who are moving in new directions usually have an idea in mind of the work they want to do. Often this starts out as a very broad concept: they want to help novelists write better stories. Then they realize this is too broad – where do you find…
LinkedIn is the only social media I’m on these days because I enjoy the professional connections I make there and there’s far less drama than on other social media platforms. But because LI is about getting work (among other things), it’s very common to see freelancers posting that they’re looking for projects. And that’s fine;…
Where do freelance editors get work? Who is in the market for freelance editors? If you’re interested in freelance editing, these are probably the top questions on your mind. The Two Main Categories of Freelance Clients The answer is that freelance editors work (1) directly with authors (usually called indie authors if they’re self-publishing) and…
Several times recently, colleagues have asked what to do when a manuscript isn’t in shape for a developmental edit. Maybe there are obvious issues that the author needs to correct that the don’t require a full edit—a lighthearted romance that weighs in at 200,000 words, an unfinished draft, a first draft. Basically these editors want…
I’ve heard developmental editors talk about “sensing” that a story isn’t working, even going so far to say that “sensing” problems is their job. And sensing that something is going wrong is a useful skill for a developmental editor to have—all of us do, to one degree or another. But developmental editing isn’t about “sensing”…
As freelancers, we have a tendency to think that we’re in competition with all other editors and (especially if you’re active on social media and see how many other editors there are in the world) that can feel overwhelming. But we’re actually not in competition with everyone else who calls themselves an editor. Case in…
I’m here in Málaga, Spain celebrating Thanksgiving, which isn’t a holiday here. But my daughter and I are celebrating anyway because for us this has always been a day for reflecting on what we’re thankful for. And this year? We’re thankful to be basking in the Spanish sunshine. Moving here took years of planning and…
One of the perennial challenges freelance editors face is the need to fill their schedules with client work. No client work? No bills are getting paid – and that’s a road to financial disaster. But you don’t need me to tell you that. How to Get More Editing Business The best way to keep your…
Newer editors are often unsure of how to stand out from other editors. So they’ll do things that are the equivalent of wearing a fedora or a monocle. “Notice me!” these efforts say. But there’s a better way to stand out. My #1 Tip to Stand Out as an Editor The very best way to…
I’m frequently asked, “How do I get my first client?” This is one of those questions that can take three hundred pages to answer. But I did want to provide an overview answer to this question. First, I want to distinguish between a beginning editor who has no idea what they’re doing and needs to…