The fateful call from the largest newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area, where I worked as an editor, left me unprepared. It was the same for the other 17 people who were laid off this year, almost all of whom, like me, were over 40. It felt as though …
When a client comes to me for editing, one of my first questions is how they hope to publish. Why? Because an author who is self-publishing will use freelancers for each stage of the editing process, whereas an author who secures a traditional publishing contract will receive additional editing through …
After a book has been professionally copy edited, a book designer will begin the layout. My goal is to help you, your self-publishing clients and their book designers work smarter, not harder. I often say, “It’s not the doing but the re-doing that costs.” More than just money, re-work costs …
Laura will be co-presenting “Introduction to Picture Book Editing” at Editors 23: Editors in Real Life, taking place from June 17 to 18 at Toronto Metropolitan University. Conference registration is limited, so reserve your spot now! Do you want to know the trick to keeping it together when freelancing with …
For self-employed editors and writers, knowing how to manage your social media content is a key ingredient for growing and maintaining your clientele. The following are some factors that need to be taken into consideration, regardless of the platform. 1. Know your audience(s) This one is obvious. Questions start coming …
In the first part of this series, I described the circumstances that led me to vocational discernment. The parish in which I was serving could not afford a full-time priest. Was there another career that I could combine with Anglican ministry? Vocational discernment revealed the intriguing possibilities offered by editing. …
As a freelance fiction editor, I find it incredibly rewarding to help an author shape their story or find their voice. And as an author, I know firsthand how transformative the insights of a strong editor can be. But professional editing can be expensive, so what do you do when …
In Part 1 of this series, I discussed how getting to know yourself well, setting up your environment for success and exploring scaffolding strategies are keys to freelance business success for editors with ADHD or other forms of executive dysfunction. In this article, I will share my next two tips: …
Neurodivergent or neurotypical, freelance business owners share many of the same struggles: choosing a niche, finding clients, balancing admin time with billable time, juggling deadlines and allocating time, money and energy. In my previous article, I shared my story of how I discovered I had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) just as …
I had been losing sleep for the better part of a year. The Anglican church in Toronto’s St. Clair West area, where I served as incumbent, could no longer afford a full-time priest. In a part of the city bounded by Little Portugal and Corso Italia, the prospects for Anglican …