Pricing editorial work – SfEP conference session preview

8 Jul 20163 Aug 2016

I’ve been invited to present in a ‘Speed start-up: what newbies need to know’ session at the SfEP conference in September on the subject of pricing work, alongside Sue Littleford…

Clients I like to keep

4 Mar 20164 Mar 2016

In the last couple of weeks I have had several experiences that have made me think about what I value most in my clients. Focusing on the positives, here's a quick…

Establishing a stream of work

4 Feb 2016

My business is eight years old today! It wouldn’t have reached this ripe old age if I hadn’t become good at one thing in particular: finding work. Here’s what I have…

How to Skype a client

21 Jan 2016

Your client wants to talk, and they've sent you a Skype request. You've accepted with a trembling mouse. Now – don't just turn on and dial up. [Query: This is the twenty-first…

Reflective practice for editors

15 Jan 2016

I'm a little bit odd. I quite like waiting for the green man to appear before I cross the road at traffic lights. (I got some funny looks when I lived…

Editorial resolutions

8 Jan 20168 Jan 2016

Here are some of the work-related things I’m looking forward to in 2016. My business is firmly established (it turns eight next month), and I see this as a time…

The art of being flexible

17 Dec 201517 Dec 2015

How far will you go to accommodate your clients' needs? Are you a complete pushover when it comes to their demands (reasonable or otherwise), or do you refuse to compromise on…

Editornomics

12 Dec 2015

Like it or not, if you want to earn a living as a freelance editor, you have to get to grips with the money side of things. Here are some informal economic principles…

The lure of the (editorial) dark side

4 Dec 20154 Dec 2015

Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Yoda, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi Have you ever had the feeling, on…

Horror projects

30 Oct 201531 Oct 2017

We’ve all had them ... For every bunch of perfectly pleasant, unremarkable, bread-and-butter editorial projects that keep us ticking over, there always seems to be the occasional one where all…