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- Mar 27, 2015
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I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this, being a newbie here and all--if not, let me know, and I'll move it.
I am interested in providing some low cost proofreading (not copy-editing at this time) services to indie and self-publishers, but I need some feedback about how to go about doing this without stepping on toes or swimming badly in an industry I'm pretty ignorant about.
My inspiration comes from reading self-published books that really need a good proofreading and the many comments out there from self-publishers about how they can't afford to hire professional editors (Yes, Yes, I know they should, but many just don't).
I don't have a huge amount of "official" editing experience outside of being the go-to person for friends and family for the past 25 years for editing and proofreading. Nevertheless, I do have some experience copy-editing cookbooks and experience working as an assistant to the editor for a medical journal doing copy-editing for scientific papers.
I also have an M.A. in English, a doctorate in a Humanities field, and I have taught writing in all kinds of different capacities for the last 20 years, as well as graded, like, thousands and thousands of student papers and corrected their grammar.
However, there's some things I'm trying to take into consideration.
I've read some threads here and there from editors who don't like places like elance etc. because there's low-cost "editors/proofreaders" on there who underbid professional, experienced editors and who take away their clients, or who do bad jobs for low prices. I don't want to be that person, but I want to help self-publishers with the skills I have.
I plan to charge .003 per word, and I know that based on my education etc. I am underpricing myself. Also, I know that this is not a professional going rate, but the point is to be affordable specifically for self-publishers and indie writers.
I also not sure how to market this service, either, other than go through some of my twitter connections and connections from my blog.
I'm not looking for tons of clients either or to make a living with this as I have plenty of other income streams. It's just something that I'd love to do on the side and that I've thought about doing for years.
Any feedback you all have is more than welcome. Now off to run errands!
Cheers!
I am interested in providing some low cost proofreading (not copy-editing at this time) services to indie and self-publishers, but I need some feedback about how to go about doing this without stepping on toes or swimming badly in an industry I'm pretty ignorant about.
My inspiration comes from reading self-published books that really need a good proofreading and the many comments out there from self-publishers about how they can't afford to hire professional editors (Yes, Yes, I know they should, but many just don't).
I don't have a huge amount of "official" editing experience outside of being the go-to person for friends and family for the past 25 years for editing and proofreading. Nevertheless, I do have some experience copy-editing cookbooks and experience working as an assistant to the editor for a medical journal doing copy-editing for scientific papers.
I also have an M.A. in English, a doctorate in a Humanities field, and I have taught writing in all kinds of different capacities for the last 20 years, as well as graded, like, thousands and thousands of student papers and corrected their grammar.
However, there's some things I'm trying to take into consideration.
I've read some threads here and there from editors who don't like places like elance etc. because there's low-cost "editors/proofreaders" on there who underbid professional, experienced editors and who take away their clients, or who do bad jobs for low prices. I don't want to be that person, but I want to help self-publishers with the skills I have.
I plan to charge .003 per word, and I know that based on my education etc. I am underpricing myself. Also, I know that this is not a professional going rate, but the point is to be affordable specifically for self-publishers and indie writers.
I also not sure how to market this service, either, other than go through some of my twitter connections and connections from my blog.
I'm not looking for tons of clients either or to make a living with this as I have plenty of other income streams. It's just something that I'd love to do on the side and that I've thought about doing for years.
Any feedback you all have is more than welcome. Now off to run errands!
Cheers!
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