How Much Does Editing Cost?

 Editing  Comments Off on How Much Does Editing Cost?
Aug 082019
 

I have been asked this very question over the years and have answered it by saying that it depends on the type of editing you need. The Editorial Freelancers Association, for which I am a part of has an entire cheat sheet of Editorial Freelancer Rates, which I find helpful.

I hope you also find these rates helpful in your quest to finding a good editor for your manuscript or project!

Are any of you surprised at the cost of these services? Let’s talk about it!

Good luck!

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Oct 042011
 

I’ve recently re-written my chapter synopsis and changed the storyline for my middle grade novel. This means I am in the middle of a major overhaul. I am cutting, pasting, re-writing, and adding in new bits of information. Trust me when I say, it’s for the best.

My MG novel is in pieces and it’s making me anxious. I’m second guessing and editing when I should be writing. I feel like I’m walking the line between sanity and insanity, between being normal one minute and then sputtering some bizarre thought out loud, when such thoughts should remain unsaid, between wanting to sleep and worrying.

Who knew that such an undertaking could lead to madness? Okay, maybe I knew. I was warned. I knew the signs, but the descent into madness is a slow one, easily missed if you aren’t paying attention and I wasn’t paying attention. So here I am.

I’ve completed my chapter synopsis, character analysis, and my two-sentence pitch. I started writing my proposal. I’m gathering lit agent information. I write and read every day.

I’m not worried about getting it all done. I know myself. I know I’ll get it done. I always do. I just need to relax.

Now, how do I do that?

I normally…

1. Sit in silence.
2. Breathe deep.
3. Drink a hot cup of coffee.
4. Eat candy, cheese, or nuts.
5. Read.
6. Shop.
7. Vent.
8. Go to the movies.
9. Sing songs to my son.

And if all else fails,

10. I make myself a drink.

Share with me how you did it. What are some ways you all relaxed through the novel writing process?

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Mar 102011
 

A month is all it took to get 103 followers. That’s it – one month. I now know the secret to getting blog readers. All it takes is, wait for it, wait for it, PARTICIPATION. I believe that joining online events, commenting on other people’s blogs and re-posting your blog links on Twitter and Facebook increases your readership. And as much as I like to pretend that I don’t care who is reading, the truth is that I do. I want readers and I want people to comment.  So, I want thank all of my followers to date. Thank you, thank you!

This week I’ve been thinking about self-belief and how so many people are scared to take the next step. Well, I say don’t let fear halt your life.

I have fallen victim to the fear monster as recently as last year when I started doubting myself and my writing. I was in a funk and I needed to get out of it quick if I was ever going to create again. And then one day I had an epiphany. I know who I am and I know what I need to do. Two weeks before the New Year, I took action and made a list. Here’s what was on it:

Join writing societies or associations
Meet more writers
Attend writing conferences
Find a mentor
Get my short stories published
Go to more Chicago literary events
Publish my collaborative children’s book
Finish my middle grade novel

I’m happy to say that I’ve already completed some of these goals including joining the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Through the SCBWI Illinois Chapter, I was able to attend a writing conference/workshop in mid January. It was all about creating your own marketing plan. There was a lot of pertinent information, but one of the most important things I learned was how to generate potential sales for your children’s book. I wanted to share some of these with you. Please note that I have not tried these, but I believe they are useful for any writer.

Here are some ways to generate sales for your book:

  • Network at events, through writing groups and conferences and through social networking sites like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
  • Create relationships/connections through your personal website or blog and get blurbs written about your book.
  • Ask blog owners and other authors if they are interested in interviewing you about your book and offer to do the same for them.
  • Call bookstores and schedule readings and book signings.
  • Be there for the book sellers as much as possible.
  • Join professional or trade associations.
  • Go to American Library Association (ALA) Conferences.
  • Guerilla market through t-shirts, postcards, bookmarks, etc.
  • Use word of mouth to promote your book.
  • Talk about your book to librarians and teachers and see if they’d be open to you scheduling a reading.
  • Schedule 30-40 school visits per year.
  • Create a swag bag for school librarians and teachers. Include a copy of your signed book and postcards of your fellow author friends that are also doing the library/school visit rounds. Think about karma and the idea of what comes around, goes around.
  • Find connections. Can you co-market your book with another product?
  • Try to get your book on Tag.
  • Put your book on amazon and have it formatted for the Nook and Kindle. Your publisher may already do this.
  • Use keywords on your web site and blog to help promote your work.
  • Send info to local chapters (Mondo Times).
  • Follow up with people constantly.
  • Write a press release about your book and submit it.
  • Contact children’s indoor playrooms and schedule a book reading/signing.
  • Think about promoting through: http://www.authorbuzz.com/kids/
  • Promote your book on home schooling and mommy web sites by purchasing ad space.

What are some other ways you can think of to generate sales for your books?

I’m also attending another conference/workshop this month and I can’t wait.

As far finding a mentor goes, earlier this year, I contacted an old professor of mine, Mark Costello. He is somebody I respect and one of the best teachers at the University of Illinois. He is a great writer and gives excellent writing advice. Most importantly, he believes in the craft.

Through our letter writing exchange, (who does that anymore?!) he reminded me that you can’t let anybody dampen your writing spirit, you need to self-teach and you need to go forward. It reignited the fire in me and for that I will forever be grateful.

I realized that although it would be nice to have a mentor, I can be my own and so can you. You just need to believe in yourself and your work. You need to keep reading, writing and submitting and you can’t stop. If you get the opportunity to mentor another writer and you have the time, I say do it. It’s always good to pay it forward.

You can check out Mark Costello’s work here:

The Murphy Stories

Middle Murphy

In other news, I’ve been doing a lot of reading, writing and submitting. I have a series of short stories that I am editing and two are out and about looking for homes. I have also found a trustworthy and incredible editor for my work, which will help me to complete the rest of my short stories in a timely manner.

Here’s what I’ve accomplished so far:

Join writing societies or associations
Meet more writers
Attend writing conferences
Find a mentor
Get my short stories published
Go to more Chicago literary events
Finish and submit my collaborative children’s book
Finish my middle grade novel

That leaves me with half of the things to complete by the end of this year. Will I do it? I can’t say, but I’ll try.

I wanted to leave all of my readers with a few words – make a plan, take action and keep on truckin’ no matter what. Like Mae West said, “you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

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Hanging on by a Thread

 Life  Comments Off on Hanging on by a Thread
Dec 022008
 

I have this goal to re-work the short stories I’ve written this past year. Is it doable in a month? Possibly, if I were somebody else, but this year has been nothing short of strenuous. I got pregnant in January and delivered a baby boy last month. I have been learning to take care of my baby and maintain my household while trying to keep up with writing and maintaining two businesses. My immediate family has moved away, so the only support I have is my husband who works a full time corporate job. He has taken almost all of his PTO for the year. He has been here helping with the baby, but that doesn’t change the fact that we are both exhausted to no end. How do other people balance their families and careers? I don’t get it.

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