by | Nov 24, 2016 | Blog, Courses
Rayne Hall, for those not familiar with her, is a horror writer but she also writes some very helpful writing-guides. The subjects of these vary between marketing ideas, advice on how to write specific scenes, and how to self-edit (all very helpful to new writers or those who fancy a change of genre). You’ll still need an editor. Even editors use editors.
Now she is offering a free workbook when you sign up to the mailing-list. Be aware that it might take a day to come through so make sure you have the email address (from the confirmation) on your safe-senders list or it will end up in the junk file.
What is it?
This is a twenty-six-page collection of fifteen individual writing exercises, aimed to develop your own voice within your existing work. These exercises are very helpful and will aid you in your self-editing process. By all means allow your favourite authors to influence your work, there is even an exercise to pick your top five (harder than you think to narrow down: I came up with ten on the spot), but the idea is to emulate, not imitate. This will be a great help to new writers, and those who want to improve their work.
by | Nov 20, 2016 | Advice, Blog, Reblogged
There are certain storytelling clichés writers go back to again and again. And they shouldn’t. Because they are terrible, and they need to be destroyed.
Source: Top 10 Storytelling Cliches Writers Need To Stop Using | LitReactor
by | Nov 13, 2016 | Blog, Offers, Service
This is just a quick note to let you know that I am now on Fiverr. You can find my profile here. I have one active Gig for proofreading, and another for Beta-reading which is pending approval and should be up in a couple of days. They are both basic packages but I am open to suggestions for others. Please add these to the comments thread. I prefer to quote on an individual basis rather than have a block pricing scheme like Fiverr, however, I have been advised that it’s a great place to get noticed.
by | Nov 10, 2016 | Blog, Service
There are two main features to my service that I feel makes me the place to go for your editing needs. Forget about price. You don’t want cheap and cheerful. You want an editor who cares as much about the standard of your work as you do. You want someone who doesn’t vanish as soon as they have a copy of your work and a healthy deposit. Before you ask, yes; I do charge a deposit but once you have read the rest of this post you will understand why. The other reason behind this post is to explain why I think my service is great. Aside from my administrative experience, and my own writing and love of literature, you might be asking yourself what makes me different. For the most part its this: I have noted on the writers’ boards that a recurring bug-bear with some editors appears to be the difficulty in contacting their editors for updates once the work is underway. I might not be a member of Sfep yet (I’m saving up) but I intend to start as I mean to go on; with honesty and integrity. I am immensely grateful to my friends and fellow OU Alumni who have assisted me with some great marketing advice etc. along the way, and I ask them to please bear with me while I continue to get myself properly set-up. I might have to pick your brains a bit more (but I promise to put everything back the way I found it…).
Lets get on with it then. Why my service? First and foremost it’s trust and close behind that comes accessibility. Documents I am working on are processed as a copy of the original document, saved under a distinctive filename, from a shared folder in Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive (the preference is theirs) and the author retains viewing access to the file I am editing while I am working on it. I have decided on this method for a very specific reason: to avoid any changes being made by someone other than me while it is undergoing the editing process, but enabling the client to check on the progress as it goes. I understand this is an emotional time and your work means a great deal. You don’t want to wait around wondering what is happening to your work. I also understand the need for trust on both sides of the service agreement. To build trust between client and service provider, especially, with a new service, you must display a certain degree of trust. I am aware of what I leave myself open to by operating this way but I need to show my clients that I trust them to behave honestly, or why should you trust me? The Service Agreement is a promise. Honouring those terms and providing what I have promised is what will earn me my reputation in a competitive industry. I also need to cover myself in the hopefully very rare event that my trust is misplaced (hence the deposit). Showing you that work is underway by allowing you the ability to check-up my progress without having to chase me for it, and show you that work is on schedule is very important to me. Once editing is complete the sharing permission, will change to ‘can edit’, and you will be able to respond to suggestions and queries I have left for them, ready for the subsequent stage (if any), without having to volley attachments back and forth.
If you have not been on the main site in a couple of days, you might not have noticed that I have now added a calendar to the ‘Contact Me’ page so current potential customers can see my availability and book a time to speak to me that suits them. As it says, in black and white, I am more than happy to conduct online meetings so I have made sure that both Skype and Hangouts are fully functional and that I am contactable. This means you can book an appointment in a free slot, that is convenient to you, and discuss your needs face to face. While my service is based on the written word, and my near obsession over clear and accountable paper trails (once an admin, always an admin) when dealing with people, there is no substitute for eye contact. Written communication lacks tone and inflection, you risk giving or taking offence through carelessly worded letters and emails and that can mean the difference between a client using you again and going somewhere else. I want to be the service people go to because I am contactable and reliable and to be the service people recommend to friends and colleagues. To do this I must deliver what I promise and I hope to start that with you…
by | Nov 8, 2016 | Blog
I have a favour to ask. Would you be able to help me or willing to share my gofundme page?
Since graduating from the Open University earlier this year I have been endeavouring to become self-employed in order to maintain control of my own time and be there when my children need me. I decided upon starting up as a freelance proofreader and editor in order to make the most of my existing skills and experience,
I am currently in a difficult position as I lack startup capital, so am asking for assistance to raise the entry level membership and admin fee. This will help to elevate my business from the kitchen table, to being a respected and recognised enterprise. Membership of this society will help me to get my business off the ground or at least to the point where I can afford advertising because many customers look for this membership when deciding whether to use a service.
The money I raise from this campaign will be used to fund my first year’s membership of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders. Any funds raised over the requested amount will be invested in sfep training courses which will make me better at what I do, because I am of the view that there is always something more to learn.
Being self employed and not reliant on the benevolence of an employer means the difference between my being a slave to childcare expenses and running to the beat of someone else’s drum, and being in control of my own time and my children not having to go without me being there for them. I want to teach my children by example as well as instruction, that they can be independent if they are willing to put the work in.
The timing is flexible but ideally I would like to have raised this amount by the end of the month. To any who can help, I would be truly thankful, and you can be assured that the opportunity this will offer me will not be wasted.
Details of sfep membership can be found here.
by Michelle Dunbar Editing Solutions | Oct 26, 2016 | Advice, Blog, Uncategorized
Having spent months, and possibly years on your manuscript, writing, editing, rewriting, editing, and then tweaking it a few more times for good measure, the time will come when the services of an editor will be required. But with so many editors to choose from, all with a wide range of pricing and experience, how do you work out who to hire?
And where do you even begin?
My advice, first of all, would be to seek out the personal recommendations of your fellow authors. Some may have been lucky enough to have found an affordable, yet excellent editor.
Armed with a short list of names to consider, you should take the time to visit each of the editor’s websites with a view to finding answers to the following:
- Do they offer the editing service you are looking for?
- Are they experienced in the editing service you are looking for?
- Do they have a good knowledge of your chosen genre?
- What does the editor charge? (Please note that not all editors list their prices on their website)
- Do they have testimonials/reviews you can read?
- Your initial impression of their website? Does the editor seem organised? Professional? Is their website in disarray and littered with typos?
- Do they offer free sample edits?
With some of your questions answered, and a chosen editor in mind, it’s time to make ‘first contact’ so you can continue your assessment of them.
Introduce yourself, the genre and word count of your manuscript, what editing package you are considering, and enquire about sending them an excerpt of your manuscript for a sample edit. When engaging in communication, consider their level of professionalism and knowledge, as well as their response time. Do they reply within 24/48 hours or are you left hanging on for days? Initial communication can be a good indicator of what to expect if you hire this editor.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to find an editor who is not only experienced and knowledgeable but who you like and feel comfortable with. Likewise, the editor needs to feel comfortable about working with you too. Editing isn’t about going to battle over a particular scene or style of punctuation, it’s about working together with the shared aim of making your book the best it can be.
