Someone left a comment on one my posts about freelance editing rates basically saying he didn’t need to know about editing rates because he would never pay anyone for editing—he does his own editing. Of course, everyone should self-edit his or her own work. I’ve written several articles on self-editing, including Ten Tips for Self-Editing, … Read more
In a comment on a post about freelance rates, Chad asked, “Can you recommend an alternative to providing samples to prospective clients? Would a resume be a good substitute?” In my reply to Chad’s comment, I explained why I think a sample edit is good for both the freelance editor and the potential client for … Read more
We all know styles change. What’s fashionable today—in clothing fashion, home decor, and even writing—is passe tomorrow. Most of us would agree that some of the great classics of all time probably wouldn’t be published today because the writing style is too different from what publishers like now. But did you know that you might … Read more
In the first installment of the series, I discussed my first meeting with my client Borge Hansen, who had dictated his life story into audiotapes. I transcribed the tapes one side at a time. Understanding and spelling the names of places Borge visited and people he encountered in his world travels turned out to be a … Read more
Most of us tend to overuse certain words and phrases. Sometimes we recognize the problem. I often reply to comments with “I’m glad you found the post helpful/useful/valuable.” I know I’m repeating myself, but few blog visitors read comments and those that do probably read the comments on a single post rather than on multiple posts. So … Read more
A comment posted on my recent post on Freelance Writers Appreciation Week alerted me to another week for freelancers. Janice Campbell, Director of National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE), let me know that March 2-6 is Words Matter Week. NAIWE, which describes itself as “The professional association with the business-building difference,” is an … Read more
Helen Ginger is hosting me at Straight from Hel again today with my guest post: How Things Change—Editing a Manuscript Ten Years Later. Helen read the manuscript before it was published and gave me some valuable suggestions. In my post, I talk about some of the changes I had to make in the story because of … Read more
I hope you’re reading The Blood-Red Pencil regularly. It’s a great blog with daily posts from a group of professional editors. My latest post there is When Should I Start Editing?
John Hewitt of Poewar.com Writers Resource Center is taking a vacation and has lined up 21 guest bloggers for the month of June. My post Get Rid of Ugly Wordiness: How to Cut Your Novel Down to Size appears today. John wrote: [The guest bloggers] are involved in a friendly competition to see who can get the … Read more
You’ve edited your manuscript several times, and you’re convinced it’s the best you can make it. Should you consider having someone else edit the manuscript? I always think it’s important to get another perspective, another opinion, another set of eyes looking at your work. No matter how hard we try, we’re bound to overlook something. … Read more