I’ve never been happy with the look of my website, shortishard.ca. Yet, I’ve never needed to update it, because I get all my work through referrals, word of mouth or my monthly column, Ask Dr Editor. In 2021, though, things are going to change: I’m hiring an undergraduate student to …
In this series, experienced editors reflect on their Top 3 tools, rules and suggestions for clients and colleagues. Erin Brenner is an author and an award-winning copywriter who has been running her own business, Right Touch Editing, for more than a decade. Her company specializes in business publishing and indie …
Many thousands of office employees who were forced to work from home because of COVID-19 will continue to do so. Only 36 per cent of Canadians anticipate returning to their “place of work” when the pandemic subsides, according to an Angus Reid study. Freelance editors have been working from home …
The Government of Canada is the first to admit that it’s not easy to do business with them. But change is on the horizon. The latest step toward simpler procurement involves replacing the buyandsell.gc.ca tendering site. In July 2018, the government awarded U.S.-based InfoSys Public Services a contract to build a …
The Government of Canada is eager to buy from small businesses. My 2017 post Winning Contracts With the Government of Canada explained how to register as a supplier to this annual $15-billion to $20-billion market. How to Market Your Services to the Feds, meanwhile, suggested ways to continually keep your small …
On Facebook recently, a colleague reported being the victim of a phone hijacking. You might recognize the feeling. A potential client calls to ask about editing services and then spends the better part of an hour telling her story with barely a breath between sentences, leaving you with no room …
Last year, we published this post on the freelancer’s holiday blues. This year, we’re following up with our readers. Have you implemented any of these ideas? Do you have other tips for avoiding the holiday lull? When projects disappear in other months, the freelance editor adjusts her schedule and cash …
The Government of Canada, one of this country’s biggest markets, is eager to do business with the tiniest of firms. Its Office of Small and Medium Enterprises launched in 2005 to help small companies land contracts. And, after many attempts to simplify procurement, a new e-commerce web portal is planned that …
The key to a successful freelance business is a steady supply of projects. First, decide how many hours a week you’d like to work — 20, 40 billable hours? — and then set out to achieve your goal. Your professional life and income will become almost predictable. Here are some …
The federal government spends between $15 billion and $20 billion annually on goods and services, including editing and writing. Communication skills are in high demand. The government’s massive web renewal project faces much work ahead in streamlining 1,500 websites into one overarching website, Canada.ca. Small businesses across Canada, including solopreneurs, …