Could you use some editing?

[Mikaela Pederson]

Hello, all writers!
My name is Mikaela and I have recently launched A Step Up Editing, an online professional literary editing service. I've been quite lucky to get a bit of work, but I am eager for more, and my great prices reflect that! If anyone or anyone you know needs some editing done, please check out my website: http://www.a-step-up-editing.com/
I am offering a limited time only editing of your first chapter (up to 2500 words) for free, to enable you to see my work, as you will be some of my very first customers!

Currently, A Step Up Editing has a New Year's Special of 20% off all orders through January 31st, so don't miss your chance to use this offer to your advantage! There are always other rewards for ordering at A Step Up Editing, as well, such as a returning customer discounts, spreading-the-word discounts, and more! Also - look around the web, there are some promo codes out there, too!

Happy writing!

[Krista D. Ball]

Hi there - your bio on your website doesn't state your qualifications. I suggest making a note of them, since it will help with getting consistent work.

[E. S. Lark]

Sadly, there's nothing on your website that would intrigue me enough to take you up on your services. Reading your bio, it sounds like your 'editing' was self-taught--which is fine, but in most cases, authors (even us little guys) look for individuals who have experience in the field and have the education to back it up. Sure, I could make a new site and claim I'm a great editor, but I have nothing to back that up. So I stick to what I do best, which is my writing.

I suggest looking over your site with a critical eye and fill what you aren't telling us. What are your qualifications? Try getting a better customer testimonial as right now, it looks like you wrote it for yourself. I also suggest not talking about your hobby farm or writing from a young age in your bio. If you're an editor, we're more concerned with our education, magazines you might've edited for, publications you're a part of. That sort of thing.

Best of luck.

[Mikaela Pederson]

E.S. Lark, by the way, the current testimonial I have on my site, is, in fact, from a real customer - he's a psychologist in Texas. But thank you both; I appreciate all your pointers and will go ahead and fill in what I can. Keep in mind that I'm new to this business though, so I don't have a whole lot of qualifications to start out with. This is why I'm willing to give out free editing up to one chapter. I can say that I do have experience in editing both fiction stories and nonfiction, such as essays, though.

Thanks again, and happy writing!

[Jack Blaine]

Mikaela, we all started somewhere.  Keep your head up!  I bet you will do fine, and I know that many other editors started by giving free samples of their work, to demonstrate their skills. Hell, all of us writers started somewhere with no experience, too.   

[Mikaela Pederson]

Thanks, Jack!
 

Everyone, just a reminder that the sale ends on January 31st, so don't miss this opportunity! Remember that I am editing one chapter (up to 2500 words) for free! There's nothing to lose! Please, submit your work today at http://www.a-step-up-editing.com/

[BrianKittrell]

You don't have to have a degree to do editing or anything like that. If you do, you can state it, but if not, that's not the end-all, be-all for your editing services. Actually, when I look for an editor, the level of completed education is not a major determining factor for me. I've met teenagers who can write golden prose and 40-year-old PhD's who couldn't write a legible ransom note.

What I would recommend is refining the About Me section. What you have is fine, but I need some kind of idea about your standards. Are you "seat of the pants" editing, or do you strictly adhere to Chicago Manual? Are there any tacked-on services, like an additional proofreader? If not included in the price, do you have proofreaders available at an additional charge?

If you don't have editing experience, have you done book reviews for years? Have you published anything?

The free sample edit is a good idea and will help bring in some folks, and refining the About Me area to include attractive features about you would help bring in more, I think.

ETA: typo fix

[KayBratt]

E.S. Lark, by the way, the current testimonial I have on my site, is, in fact, from a real customer - he's a psychologist in Texas. But thank you both; I appreciate all your pointers and will go ahead and fill in what I can. Keep in mind that I'm new to this business though, so I don't have a whole lot of qualifications to start out with. This is why I'm willing to give out free editing up to one chapter. I can say that I do have experience in editing both fiction stories and nonfiction, such as essays, though.

Thanks again, and happy writing!

Mikaela,

Welcome and thank you for posting your generous offer. Just an encouragement to you, when looking at editors' websites, I always scan what books they have already edited and see if any of them have gone on to have any sort of success. I know this doesn't have to be a deciding factor and you might edit a book perfectly that does not go on to sell. But that is what I start with. Maybe you don't have anything yet, but work on getting that first big project that you really believe in! Edit it to the best of your abilities and then when it is published, use it as a reference for your work.

As an afterthought, I know one book that was edited by a professional with a stack of fancy degrees and she charged a hefty price and did a very poor job for the author. Later it needed to be edited again by another professional with less experience, but who charged much less and got it publish ready. You only have one reputation in this business, be sure to keep it clean!

[Italiahaircolor]

Congratulations on your new venture ... I wish you the best!

[J Dean]

I must admit that the free sample is tempting to take up.

[Mikaela Pederson]

I so appreciate all this encouragement! Transforming my business from virtually nothing to a success would be a dream come true!

[Mikaela Pederson]

Attention, everyone! Unfortunately the New Year's Special has ended. Keep a look out for sales like this in the future, though! And remember - there are other discounts constantly going on at A Step Up Editing!

[T.L. Haddix]

Do you mind if I give you a small tip? Most editors don't charge to do a small edit - like a five-page edit of someone's book - because the customer needs to see what they're getting. Also, this allows the writer to judge whether or not your editing style meshes with their writing style.

Instead of emphasizing that you run specials on editing the first chapter for free, you might emphasize that you'll do a small, five-to-ten page edit as a sample. I think a lot of writers would be turned off if told they have to pay to see what you can do. It also adds an air of legitimacy to your services.

[ETS PRESS]

Do you mind if I give you a small tip? Most editors don't charge to do a small edit - like a five-page edit of someone's book - because the customer needs to see what they're getting. Also, this allows the writer to judge whether or not your editing style meshes with their writing style.

Instead of emphasizing that you run specials on editing the first chapter for free, you might emphasize that you'll do a small, five-to-ten page edit as a sample. I think a lot of writers would be turned off if told they have to pay to see what you can do. It also adds an air of legitimacy to your services.

I agree with T.L. You are not doing me a favor. I am hiring you to complete a job. You must prove to me that you are worthy of my time and expense. You may need to edit a few books for free to get jump started, and you should definitely offer free sample edits for anyone interested in your services. That's standard operation.

[Mikaela Pederson]

ETS: I will consider your idea of editing a few stories for free, thank you!

As for both ETS and T.L., it appears you might have been mistaken - the free chapter was not part of the special; it's a permanent deal right now. The New Year's Special only included the 20% off the sale price.

Happy writing!

[emilyward]

Mikaela, I think you need to make that clearer because in your first post you said:

I am offering a limited time only editing of your first chapter (up to 2500 words) for free, to enable you to see my work, as you will be some of my very first customers!

And there's nothing on your website about the first chapter being free.

[T.L. Haddix]

ETS: I will consider your idea of editing a few stories for free, thank you!

As for both ETS and T.L., it appears you might have been mistaken - the free chapter was not part of the special; it's a permanent deal right now. The New Year's Special only included the 20% off the sale price.

Happy writing!

Mikaela, I think you need to make that clearer because in your first post you said:

Quote from: Mikaela on January 05, 2012, 12:00:06 AM
I am offering a limited time only editing of your first chapter (up to 2500 words) for free, to enable you to see my work, as you will be some of my very first customers!


And there's nothing on your website about the first chapter being free.

Hey, what do I know? Apparently, I'm illiterate, since I misunderstood what "Limited Time Only" means.

And one more thing you should probably consider - your thread title, "Could you use some editing?" Perhaps you should consider changing it to "Could your manuscript use some editing?" Because the last time I checked, people can't be edited. Unless we're all living in the Matrix, and our physical bodies are just ones and zeroes.

Have a nice day, now.

[ShayneHellerman]

In order to get some experience and add to your credibility, you might consider trying to get some work as an editor at a small press. There are plenty of small presses out there, and because they can't afford to pay a lot, many of them are usually willing to give an opportunity to someone with little experience.

[Mikaela Pederson]

Hey, what do I know? Apparently, I'm illiterate, since I misunderstood what "Limited Time Only" means.

And one more thing you should probably consider - your thread title, "Could you use some editing?" Perhaps you should consider changing it to "Could your manuscript use some editing?" Because the last time I checked, people can't be edited. Unless we're all living in the Matrix, and our physical bodies are just ones and zeroes.

Have a nice day, now.

Now, now, no need to jump to conclusions or become defensive. I just thought it was fairly apparent that "a free chapter" meant "a free chapter." My apologies.

As For ShayneHellerman, I appreciate your advice, but unfortunately that's not something I'm in the position to be able to do at the moment.

EmilyWard, you're right, I did not post that information on my website. The reason for that is because I wished to direct this free chapter to Kindle Boards people in hopes of getting manuscript work.

[Bethany B.]

Hi! Just wanted to say good luck to you. I also wanted to offer a suggestion. I see that you do paid reviews and want to suggest you not. Not only does it tend to turn off authors but if you post them on Amazon the bring down the hammer hard. Now maybe I'm misunderstanding and you do this purely for the author. If so, sorry and never mind. Just want to save you potential trouble.

[Mikaela Pederson]

Hi! Just wanted to say good luck to you. I also wanted to offer a suggestion. I see that you do paid reviews and want to suggest you not. Not only does it tend to turn off authors but if you post them on Amazon the bring down the hammer hard. Now maybe I'm misunderstanding and you do this purely for the author. If so, sorry and never mind. Just want to save you potential trouble.

Thanks so much, Bethany B. - advice from those who are experienced is as good as I can hope for getting! These reviews are only for the author in my case, just to let them know my personal views on their writing and story, etc. I see how you might have wondered if they were reviews for the public, though! I'll clarify that on my website as soon as I can! 

[Bethany B.]

Sounds like a good idea.