See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. In previous posts I discussed various aspects of what is required to work from home as a freelance editor. In this post I discuss the nuts and bolts of what actual editing looks like (at least for me) with a focus on some of the tools and technology I use. Tools and Technology So let’s say that you’ve got a degree in communications—maybe even a BA in English—and you’re great at spotting typos. Are you ready to start editing? Maybe. But I recommend you become equipped with a few essential tools first. Even though I had fourteen years of experience editing with two different companies, I wasn’t quite prepared when I made the leap from editing all sorts of stuff to book editing in particular. I knew how to spot typos and fix grammatical problems, but that’s only part of what…
Any writer would do well to reflect on those in the past who had a part in molding his or her understanding of the written word. After all, without teachers, where would any of us be? So today I wish to honor a special lady who made a tireless impact on a multitude of Michigan students in her English classes for forty-four years. When I look back at my youth and reflect on those who especially encouraged my early interest in being a writer, after my parents the next major influence was Delores Forsmark, who went home to be with the Lord on September 9th. I felt so sad when I heard the news, and then memories took over from there. “Mrs. Forsmark” taught me English and literature at Genesee Christian High School in Burton, Michigan, between 1983 and 1987 (she taught at GCS a total of twenty-two years). But that’s not…
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,…
See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, and Part 7. Secondary Considerations: How Can We Know Whether Certain Words Are Vulgar or Profane? When I began this series, I mentioned participating in an online discussion about whether certain . . . ahem . . . words were ever okay to use in Christian fiction. One problem that hijacked the debate was the inability (or unwillingness) on the part of some to agree on the vulgarity of certain words. “Well, that word doesn’t seem vulgar to me,” they said. First, those in the discussion were all from the United States. Unless some of us grew up Amish, that we couldn’t reach some level of agreement doesn’t seem credible. Second, refusing to agree seems like a clever way to shift the debate. If the debate becomes about the vulgarity of certain words instead of about what God has said, then one need…
