Editors and Writers discussion
New editor offering free introductory edits
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Just the first five, Alison?We offer free sample chapter edits and critiques to all authors before they ever pay us a penny - week in, week out. Just a thought.
Cheers
Tony
www.jefferson-franklin.co.uk
I'm actually offering a complete free edit of the whole manuscript to the first five in order to build my business - think that's pretty clear in my post. My normal terms include a free edit of the first 2500 words before any payment would be expected - details can be found on my blog.
Ah, that's a good incentive, fair play. We do a couple of free manuscript edits a year - as you say, builds business and it's great to be able to give something back to writers everywhere. Welcome to the business, and here's wishing you lots of success.Cheers
Tony
www.jefferson-franklin.co.uk
Can I make an unreserved recommendation that you consider Alison for her editing service. She has provided me with a first class analysis and edit which I can only describe as very constructive. I am sure it has transformed an otherwise mediocre text into something readable. Her observations have enabled me to see characters that needed development and abandon strands that lead nowhere.I am about to finish the revision and look forward to hearing what others think.
Douglas wrote: "Can I make an unreserved recommendation that you consider Alison for her editing service. She has provided me with a first class analysis and edit which I can only describe as very constructive. I ..."Thank you so much Douglas - I'm very much looking forward to reading your revised manuscript.
Tony wrote: "Just the first five, Alison?We offer free sample chapter edits and critiques to all authors before they ever pay us a penny - week in, week out. Just a thought.
Cheers
Tony
www.jefferson-frankl..."
Hmm. That is an interesting approach! And no doubt it's one writers like, but I'd actually advise the opposite path, generally. A good chapter sample edit is an hour or two of work; a full critique one or two full work days. That's serious time taken away from the clients you already have.
What we do, and I'd definitely advise this to new editors, is keep samples of past edits on hand as a way of demonstrating the work you do (with specific author and character information redacted, of course). In that way, you can show would-be authors what you can do and have done while still devoting all your attention toward your clients.
Of course, a lot of that depends on the kind of editing (developmental? copy?) and the amount of experience. What works for me as a nine-year developmental fiction editor with a couple dozen published books to my credit isn't necessarily going to work for someone trying to break through in an already crowded editorial field.
But, Alison, I do worry about the free edits. It's great for the authors, but five detailed edits, full-time, is a solid three months of work with no income. I hope it works out for you, but you may be better served with smaller critiques versus complete edits.
Harrison Demchick
Ambitious Enterprises
www.ambitiousenterprises.com
Harrison wrote: "Tony wrote: "Just the first five, Alison?We offer free sample chapter edits and critiques to all authors before they ever pay us a penny - week in, week out. Just a thought.
Cheers
Tony
www.jef..."
Hi Harrison
Thanks for your advice.
I view this as I would starting up any new business - you have to invest, and in this instance, that investment is time. I know I won’t be earning very much for a few months - and that’s fine. I’m just concentrating on growing the business by meeting the needs of my clients.
Anyone that works for themselves knows there will be times of low or even zero earnings and should factor this in when making a business plan. That is certainly what I have done. If I had opened a shop, for example, I would have to pay out for premises, equipment, stock etc., I wouldn’t expect to be making a profit straight away.
As I see it, an editing business is the same. It will take time to become established, build a client base etc. I am investing my time now in order to grow the business - testimonials from happy clients are already proving invaluable.
And I wouldn’t think of trying to start a business in a field in which I had no skills or experience. My background in journalism, freelance writing, copy editing and research and my qualifications in Journalism, English and Creative Writing seem to be standing me in good stead; as does the experience I have had editing and beta reading novels, short stories and essays on a less formal basis. I have had brilliant feedback so far.
Of course, as you say, what works for one person won’t work for another. I’m sure everyone has different strategies and ideas for growing and marketing their business. I wish you well with yours.
For sure! I hope it works for you. When I first started out, one of the things I did was offer a two-page single-spaced review for $99. It wasn't cost-effective for me--I was doing a lot of work for very little--but it did gain me some clients when I needed them. (I did occasional sample edits back then too.)If it works and it helps, that's all that matters.
Harrison Demchick
Ambitious Enterprises
www.ambitiousenterprises.com
As I begin on this new and exciting stage in my freelance career, I am offering the first five authors who contact me on my blog a completely free detailed edit of their work, in return for an honest testimonial to help build my business. You can find further details about me, my background and my work here: http://alisonwilliamswriting.wordpres...
Looking forward to hearing from you!