The Concierge (Blog)

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…

If you’ve been in love with stories for a while, you’ve probably thought about making them the center of your working life. But if you’re also a realist, you know how unlikely it is to make a living from the stories you tell. And since you like to eat (or so I assume), you may…

I’ve been featuring the success stories of newer editors on the website. This is Leanne Wickham’s story. I wanted to include it because it illustrates the power of networking and referrals – Jennifer Lawler The nonfiction developmental course I did a few years ago with Club Ed was so helpful in my editing journey. I…

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…

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…

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…

I’ve been asking a few newer editors to share their tips about creating successful editing businesses. This week, Elyse Lyon responded with her thoughts. – Jennifer Lawler My background is in creative writing/literary fiction and EFL (English as a foreign language) teaching. That background has absolutely helped me in understanding clients and providing services that…

An editor is someone who takes written works (called “manuscripts” before publication) and helps to shape them so that they better serve the reader and, not incidentally, the author. Typically the editorial process involves the editor receiving the manuscript, marking it up with edits and suggestions (called editorial queries), and returning it to the author…