Editor Insight: Shauna McIntyre
I’ve been talking with newer and more established freelance editors about how they find clients and deal with ups and downs in freelancing.
This week’s editor is Shauna McIntyre. Here’s our Q&A:
How long have you been freelancing as an editor?
I’ve been freelance editing and writing on and off for almost twenty years but I launched Creative Roots Editorial, focused on developmental editing of fiction, two years ago. Editing is my only job but I don’t often work full time hours. My work schedule varies depending on the needs of my family and my work load. Some weeks, I might struggle to fit in ten to fifteen hours a week. Other times, I am working around thirty hours a week. The flexibility is one of the reasons I love running my own business.
Tell me a little about your background and the kind of editing you do
My background is in academia and nonprofits and that is the type of editing work I first started doing. In 2015, I decided I wanted to shift to editing fiction but I knew I needed to build a solid base of knowledge first. I took a smattering of editing classes, writing classes, and spent time in writing communities. Then in 2021, I started taking courses with Club Ed and working towards my certificate in developmental editing of fiction. Now, I offer developmental editing and book coaching for historical fiction writers.
How do you typically find clients? Through social media, content marketing, etc.?
The two main ways clients have found me are through conferences for historical fiction writers (I attend and advertise) and through a search that lands them on my website. Content marketing is my main draw. I do occasionally get a client who found me on a directory listing or by referral.
What is your top marketing tip for newer editors?
Figure out what works for your business and personality and then be willing to try new things. I know lots of editors that get work through social media but I am never going to engage enough to make that happen. Having a very specific niche meant that getting clients through search (SEO and AI) was feasible for me so I focus on creating good content and having a great website. This strategy is working for me but it took time to gain visibility so connecting with potential clients at conferences helped get me started.
What is your top tip for handling the ups and downs of freelancing?
This can be really tough. My first few years have definitely followed the feast/famine cycle a little bit. My advice is to make the most of the fallow times to get ahead on marketing and admin tasks so when a flood of clients does come in you are able to say yes as much as possible. Also, remember that most clients don’t mind waiting a bit if your schedule is full at the moment.
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Jennifer Lawler has been a freelance editor for more than twenty-five years and has been teaching editing skills for more than fifteen years. She is the founder of Club Ed LLC.
