Will Edit For Food
I belong to an editing network that does tons of online marketing and sends me job ops. I pay a commission to the network if I land a job from a network client. The commission isn’t small. Most of the people contacting the network for bids disappear; they often do not realize that buying professional-level services costs ACTUAL money, not that paper stuff from their kids’ board game. It can take a frustrating amount of time to bid on a job, communicate back and forth with a potential client, only to have him or her eventually say, "Well, I didn’t know editing my 85,000-word masterpiece novel would cost more than $50." Sometimes the client accepts another network editor’s bid over mine. It’s OK, mostly. A month ago, my bid was rejected by a novelist who wanted someone with experience editing African American fiction (I think my friend C.A. probably got the job). The novelist didn’t think I could hack the Ghanaian place names, to which I wanted to say, "Madame, if I can keep track of 5,000 specific Pokémon terms from a 90,000-word manuscript in two weeks’ time, I can handle a book set in Ghana." I didn’t say that, however.
All this is prelude to my report that I have finally landed a network client: a novelist. It’s my first network job in two years, but to be fair, I took more than a year’s leave of absence after Asher was born. I’m kind of a nervous Nellie when it comes to contracting with individuals. They can be really freaky. I live in fear that someone will blame me for their book’s lack of financial success, so I have very clear disclaimers and indemnity written into my contract.
So far, this project looks like a good thing. My client didn’t balk at my rate. He liked my sample edit of a few pages of his book. He happily signed my contract and sent me 50% of my fee up-front. Now if I can please him stylistically with my edits and meet my deadline, we’ll be golden. I hope this goes well. I begin this project as soon as my client’s check clears.
Wish me luck.
October 3, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Yay. Congrats and good luck.
October 3, 2008 at 12:45 pm
You’re going to rock it!
And if you ever doubt that, call me and I’ll remind you!!
October 3, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Sounds like a fun endeavor. Congrats. Way to keep work life interesting and also, word about Pokémon. I’ve dealt with just a slight fraction of what you’ve encountered and I already know more than any grown, childless woman should know.
October 3, 2008 at 12:53 pm
much luck, lady! It’ll be great. Just remember:
http://www.xkcd.com/483/
October 3, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Hee. Hee. Hee.
October 3, 2008 at 1:44 pm
WOO to the HOO and a WOO HOO to you!
This silly message brought to you by wishes of good luck and the day after effects of a fever.
October 3, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I know you’ll wow your client with your mad editing skilz, lady! Congrats on landing him. 🙂
October 4, 2008 at 1:49 am
Yay you!!
October 4, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Woot! and here is a *muah* to an amazing wordsmith!
October 10, 2008 at 11:48 am
Thank you. I’ve got my fingers crossed for good luck.
October 10, 2008 at 11:48 am
Great! What time are you available for phone counseling sessions?
October 10, 2008 at 11:50 am
Thank you. The Pokémon thing is crazy, isn’t it? And when I think about all the Pokémon knockoffs and copycats, and how much of all their crazy style stuff I know, well, it’s no wonder I don’t have room in my brain for useful information, like what all those propostitions mean.
October 10, 2008 at 11:51 am
Thank you, Mister!
October 10, 2008 at 11:51 am
Thanks! I guess I’d better do the work now, eh?
October 10, 2008 at 11:52 am
Thanks! It should be fun. I wish it weren’t quite so sappy a subject, however. Oh well.