Editor Insight: Shellah Inman
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 Shellah Inman, who has been editing part-time for four years. Here’s our Q&A:
Tell me a little about your background and the kind of editing you do.
I’ve always been an avid reader, getting through more than a hundred books a year. I started out writing and then joined a writing group, where I realized I enjoyed giving feedback on other people’s work even more than writing my own books. That’s what led me to developmental editing.
Once I knew it was the path I wanted, I looked for solid training and found Jennifer Lawler at Club Ed Freelancers. I signed up for the Club Ed Certificate in Developmental Editing, and the rest is history. Today, I provide developmental editing for thriller, suspense, dystopian, and post-apocalyptic fiction.
How do you typically find clients?
Mostly through social media, particularly Instagram, and word of mouth.
What is your top marketing tip for newer editors?
Consistency and perseverance. Results aren’t instant, so you have to keep showing up.
What is your top tip for handling the ups and downs of freelancing?
Ha! I picked up a part-time job to cover the slower stretches. It takes the pressure off when work ebbs and flows.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I genuinely love what I do. The best part is helping a writer strengthen their book and then getting to read the finished version. There’s nothing quite like seeing how far a story has come.
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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.
