Stages of Learning How to Edit
As we learn the craft, we go through stages of learning how to edit—I’ve decided there are four stages.
When you’re first learning how to edit, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the learning curve and to wonder when it would be realistic to start charging for your services. The answer is at Stage #3.
4 Stages of Learning How to Edit
- You don’t know what you don’t know. (Unconscious incompetence)
- You know you don’t know stuff. (Conscious incompetence)
- You know stuff. (Conscious competence)
- You do stuff. (Unconscious competence)
If you’re not sure what level you’re at, you’re at level 1.
Or, possibly, level 4.
Tips for Editors & Writers
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Yellow (and Red!) Flags when Freelancing for Publishing Companies
I’ve freelanced in various capacities for a lot of publishing companies over the years, and overall, it has been a rewarding and happy experience. However. There are some yellow (and red!) flags to watch out for if you want to work as a freelance editor for publishing companies. The following are the most common. Edit
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Differences Among Publishers That Hire Freelancers
Over the course of my career, I’ve work as a freelance developmental editor for a number of publishing companies. This has been a good way for me to get regular work without having to stress too much over marketing. But there are some differences among the types of publishing companies that hire freelance editors. A
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What’s Your Problem? A Guide to Creating Believable Conflict in Romance
When I was a romance acquisitions editor, I learned that one of the biggest problems writers struggle with is creating a believable conflict, or series of conflicts, that will sustain the novel its entire length. Conflict is the core of any work of fiction – it’s what makes your readers keep turning pages. The Purpose
