See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. In previous posts in this series, I talked about what kind of background and training are necessary to be a full-time editor. Then I talked about building a resume and defined how a qualified editor can find work to do from home by citing my own editing journey. In this part I describe what day-to-day life is like for a work-at-home editor (my experience may not match everyone’s). Curious to know what my typical workday looks like? Here goes: A Day in a Life 5:30 a.m.—Alarm goes off. Shower and get dressed. 6-6:30 a.m.—Eat breakfast (favorite: organic oatmeal), make coffee in French press, and enjoy my “God and I time” (lately I’ve been studying the book of James). 6:30-7:30 a.m.—Head to basement home office and do some housekeeping (check/reply to e-mail, invoice clients, put clients in income spreadsheet [next article will deal…
In Part 1 we looked at the skills and education necessary to be a professional editor. In this article we look at where to go next. Let’s assume you’ve passed the test—you’ve got all the necessary skills. (1) You have excellent English skills, (2) you love writing and words, (3) you understand how words work together (that’s not the same thing as #2), (4) you have a colllege degree in communications, and (5) you are constantly learning more about writing, editing, or both to stay on top of your game. Now where this article goes next and how it applies to you depends on who you are: whether you are (1) someone fresh out of college who is looking for an editing job and is willing to relocate or (2) someone who feels he or she has the skills needed to be an editor from home. Because those are two…
I get this question a lot. “Hey, I heard you edit books from home. I’m really good at seeing typos in restaurant menus. How can I do your sort of job?” Yikes. That’s like asking somebody who knows how to change a flat tire to change a carburetor. There’s a lot more to making a living as an editor than being able to spot typos in menus, though that skill is commendable. The fact is, not just anybody can do this job, just like not everybody can listen to your heart and tell you whether you need heart surgery. So let me break down what being an editor means and what type of education and experience are expected to make a living at this. 1. To be taken seriously and be effective in the trenches, let’s get to the foundation—you need to be really good at English. Ugh, English? Yes,…
I’ve written a new eighty-thousand-word novel—except for the ending, that is. That’s where, I confess, I’m struggling right now. “What? Why?” you may ask. When faced with seemingly too many good plot choices, my default is to become indecisive. I’ve been there, done that—written an ending I thought was the best one only to later discover it stank to high heaven. Wasted words. Wasted time. Wasted life. If only I could get it right the first time. <See me banging my head against the wall?> Indecisive Me Maybe you’re not like me. Maybe with every life choice you know instantly what you want and which path is best. But that’s not me. Picture me at an ice cream stand. Okay, which flavor do I want? Mackinac Island Fudge? Chocolate? Black Cherry? Rocky Road? Mint Chocolate Chip? Um, well, I like them all. So the question isn’t, which ice cream do I like…
