by Anna Johnstone | Sep 29, 2017 | Blog, Service
It’s been a while since my last advice post and for that, I can only apologise. Things have been rather fraught since the sudden death of my father two weeks ago and a few things have had to be set aside while I process. I should hopefully be back on top of it over the next few weeks. All I ask is that people please bear with me. Please feel free to click around my nice new website and contact me with any queries etc. I aim to reply to all emails on the day that I get them.
by Anna Johnstone | Sep 14, 2017 | Blog, Service
Here it is!
I’ve now closed down the old editing blog and copied my posts across so I am only managing one website. This site allows you to send enquiries, view prices and services, as well as read news and advice on writing, editing and self-publishing, all in one place.
It also allows you to post testimonials and reviews of my service. Feel free to have a click around and explore and do let me know what you think.
by | Feb 20, 2017 | Blog
Update: 6th March 2017
Sadly, due to lack of takers, this event has had to be cancelled.
A couple of months ago I was kindly invited by another editor if I would be interested in attending a small but intensive writing workshop in Paris. Obviously, I jumped at the chance. It’s Paris! However, this isn’t the only reason I can’t wait to go (no, not the wine. Well, not entirely). What I am really excited about is the opportunity this trip will offer to learn from other writers and editors and improve the service I offer. I will admit I am a bit of a fangirl but with good reason. I have two courses on my Udemy account. Both of them are his and have been hugely helpful. His YouYube channel is another invaluable resource for new writers. The other guests have been carefully selected in order to provide expertise and insight into the writing process. It will provide a face-to-face forum for authors to take part in open discussion, storytelling, exercises and games.
Here’s the really good news: there are still four places left as far as I know. All you have to do is email Harry with the reason you want to be there. The details can be found on Harry’s website. The weekend will stretch from the 25th to the 26th May 2017. Booking will only remain open until the end of February so do hurry. ‘Inspiration and Games’ costs €200 for two nights. If you want to arrive on the 25th (which is what I am doing because the return flights from sunny Luton are a good deal cheaper on the 25th) and spend an extra day in Paris, it’s €225. This covers accommodation, two evening meals and breakfast (excluding the evening of the 25th and breakfast on the 26th).
by | Feb 3, 2017 | Blog, Service
Last Updated: 01, February 2017.
1.Upon receiving your enquiry I will issue an initial Work Unseen Quotation for the services you require. This quote will be itemised according to the services you have requested and it will be valid for one calendar month.
2. If you find this quote acceptable, prior to drawing up a Service Agreement, and during the active period of the quotation, I will do a free sample edit of up to five pages (1250 words) of the work in question. This can be submitted via email but I also use GoogleDrive, Dropbox and OneDrive if you would prefer. This service will appear on your quotation, as standard, and acceptance of the service by no means obligates you to take the process further.
3. If you are happy with the sample edit and would like to take on my services, I will arrange a time when we can discuss an Editing Plan, and the time it will take to complete the work. I will also issue a Final Quotation based on those details. These details will then be formalised in a Service Agreement Contract which we will both sign.
4. The Final Quotation and Service Agreement are specific to one document.
5. If you prefer a hard copy rather than a pdf, please let me know.
6. If you would like to pay in instalments, this must be included within the initial Service Agreement.
- Instalment payment is subject to fulfilment of all of the following conditions:
- A proven track record of prompt payment. This will be in the form of either references from two other editors or a successfully completed contract with AnnaProofing.
- The instalments will apply only to the balance after the deposit has been paid.
- The maximum number of instalments is six, earlier payment is encouraged.
7. The work will also be divided into sections (chapter sets). Each section will commence only when payment has been received. To facilitate this I have accounts with Toggl and Pacemaker, which will enable you to see how much time is being spent on each set, and I and will keep you fully updated as to progress of each stage
- Once the agreement has been signed and returned, and the deposit/payment has been received, I will commence work on your manuscript as per the schedule.
- You have ten working days (Monday to Friday), from receiving the Service Agreement, in which to sign it and return it, after which your Service Agreement will be marked dormant.
- Dormant Service Agreements will be marked as Expired after ten working days (Monday to Friday) of the date on the reminder.
- You have ten working days (Monday to Friday), from signing and returning the service agreement, in which to complete payment, after which your Service Agreement will be marked dormant. You will receive a single reminder. After this time it will be marked as ‘Expired’
8. Expired Service Agreements will not be revived. Negotiation will have to begin again from scratch.
9. Please do not send full documents prior to signing and returning the Service Agreement.
- Submission of the full manuscript prior to the aforementioned stages does not imply any obligation to commence work in any form. If a manuscript is sent without prompting, the following process will be carried out:
- If no Work Unseen Quotation or Final Quotation has been issued I will raise a Final Quotation and Editing Plan based on the document word count and level of service that I believe it needs.
- If a Final Quotation has been issued, but no Service Agreement has been issued/signed, I will either draw it up based on the quotation or send a single reminder to sign and return the Service Agreement and request the deposit.
- If a Service Agreement has been signed, but the deposit/payment has not been received, I will send a single reminder, via email. This will allow you two weeks in which to send the deposit. If the deposit does not arrive within this time your commission will be closed and your manuscript will be returned unchanged.
10. I will commence work once the signed Service Agreement has been returned, and the deposit has been received.
11. I will deal with academic work for assessment at the proofread only level. I accept no responsibility for the final grading of your assignment.
12. AnnaProofing takes no responsibility for any changes made by the client after the return of the finished work.
13. Edited work will be returned to you in the format in which it was edited;
- A word document, with all changes tracked for you to accept or decline as you see fit. You are under no obligation to accept changes but the decision to reject changes does not affect your obligation to abide by the terms of the Service Agreement.
14. All orders of more than ten pages are subject to an upfront deposit of 50% of the quoted price, payable once the service agreement has been signed. Once the commission has been completed, the remainder of the payment will be due within 14 days of the invoice date.
15. Small projects, of ten or fewer pages (up to, but not exceeding 2500 words), are payable upfront and in full.
by | Jan 20, 2017 | Advice, Blog
Writer’s First Rule.
People pay you for your work. Not the other way around. If someone asks you to pay money, ANY money, in order represent your work you need to do several things:
- Tell them you are no longer interested
- Block their number
- Add their email to your ‘blocked senders’ list
Preditors & Editors was an excellent source list of the good, the bad, and the evil in the world of writing services, but unfortunately, it appears to no longer be active.
The advance.
The sum that the publisher pays you which reflects expected sales. Unless you break the contract that’s yours regardless of how well your book sells
Earn-out
Well done. Your book has earned back your advance and then some. You now get to keep your royalties.
Rights
This is the permission you give to the publisher to publish your work in a specific form, language and place. A legitimate publisher will pay you for these rights as part of your contract, but not on a permanent basis. At the end of a set term they revert to you and if that publisher wants them back, they have to pay again. Do not sign any contract which gives the ‘publisher’ permanent rights.
Royalties
A payment structure which offers a percentage of each sale to you. An average figure would be 6-9% for paperback and 10-12% for a hardback. Ebooks earn a whopping 25%. Often the rate increases as more are sold. It is vital that you get a regular statement for these.
Getting paid
The publisher will give you an advance based on what they think they can sell, then royalties on each copy sold. If you have an agent, you will have to pay a small percentage in return for representation. Your royalties should be paid on at least a six-monthly basis from a large publishing house. Smaller ones may have a shorter schedule.
A £10k advance (lucky you) to sell your hardback novel at £10 each at a rate of 10% would earn the writer £1 per copy. They would have to sell 10,000 copies to earn out that advance. Selling anything over 10k copies is when they start paying you the rate switches around and the publisher gets £1 per copy.
Writer’s Second Rule
The agent only gets paid based on what you sell. You do not pay an agent to represent you. 15% is about average. and they don’t get paid until you do.
There may be odd business tax expenses that you need to take care of but these are infrequent and not the same as fees.
What are agents for?
- Handling contract negotiations
- Submissions of manuscripts to editors. Many of the big publishers do not accept manuscripts without an agent. You may struggle with this without an agent.
- Career advice
- Troubleshooting any problems between publisher or editor and you.
- Handling foreign rights, TV, film etc.
- Some might offer editorial assistance
How involved the get will depend entirely on the agent. Always be sure about what you want, and that they are prepared to provide it. If they want 15% of your hard earned royalty, they must earn it. Whether you opt for an agent is entirely up to you. Do not be tricked into believing you must have one for ‘legal reasons’. Anyone can hire a solicitor to look over a contract, but this is a one-off expense and it won’t mean giving up 15% of your sales.
How do I catch one?
You will need to write a convincing query letter along with a sample of the manuscript. Remember the agent won’t get paid unless it sells, they are going to need to be convinced that their time and effort won’t be wasted on a dead-parrot. If an agent accepts straight away or asks for a fee, walk away.
Writer’s Third Rule
Never pay a publisher. A publisher’s role is to print and sell books. The honest ones pay writers to produce work to print. If they ask you for money, run away. These publishers either have no ability or intention to provide marketing or distribution because you have already given them what they are looking for. Money. You would be better off doing it for free on Amazon, a free WordPress blog to serve as an author website, a free facebook page and a twitter account. Be aware that self-marketing without paid advertising is very time consuming and labour intensive (take it from someone who has been working their socks off trying to get a new start-up off the ground for the best part of a year).
Editors.
- Hired by a publishing house to buy the manuscripts for print and sale, or
- Freelancers who help writers get their work to a level where it is fit to be published.
Publishers’ editors are paid by the publishing house, not you, and will work with you until they are happy that the work is saleable. They are responsible for the quality of the finished product.
I am in box number 2. We’re hired by writers to help get your work to a standard where it can be sold. On average you can expect to pay between £25 and £100 per hour for their time and skill. Many of us prefer to charge by word count as it is never clear how much work will be needed on an individual manuscript. If you are looking to publish traditionally, you do not need to hire an editor to get the book ‘ready’ as the in-house editor will do that, but you will need to be certain that the work is of a professional quality. The publishing house should not be asking you for any money to do this work.
If you are looking to publish traditionally, you do not need to hire an editor to get the book ‘ready’ as the in-house editor will do that, but you will need to be certain that the work is of a professional quality. The publishing house should not be asking you for any money to do this work. If you are looking into self-publishing, then an editor is a must. A bad or cheap edit will stand out a mile.
You are not looking for cheap here either. Look at testimonials, look at their websites etc. If they are dirt cheap and have no testimonials, there will be a good reason. If a freelance editor demands more than a 50% upfront deposit, do not hire them.If they don’t offer free samples or refuse to offer a service agreement, these are also red flags.
Self-publishing is not the same as ‘vanity-press’.
Thankfully the stigma of self-publishing has somewhat decreased in recent years, and it has been made easy what with the rise of Amazon Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Smashwords and Createspace et al. which are generally free except in terms of time and effort. Traditional publishing has been known to take in excess of a year to get books from the author to the page and into the shops. The cost of self-publishing comes in the fact that you are in charge of your own cover, editing, marketing etc. There are also no advances. On the other hand, royalties are paid monthly, come at around 70%, you retain all the rights. It is very important to read all of the terms and conditions before signing up to any of these services. Exclusivity deals, while on the surface might look fruitful but be aware that in recent weeks Amazon has been known to delete whole accounts on the basis of a suspicion. You will have to look carefully into all your options before deciding which route to take.
Sources
More on editors etc.
