Freelance

Jul 20

My online volunteering experience: Why I proofed free e-books for free

By Cristina N. Freelance, Inspiration, Proofreading

This post is about my online volunteering experience between 2015 and 2020. During this period I proofed English texts for Distributed Proofreaders, a not-for-profit organization that digitizes books and converts them to e-books, which you can download for free from the Project Gutenberg website. Most of them are public domain books, and the rest are copyrighted texts distributed with permission in the United States.

(Unfortunately, Italy has blocked access to Project Gutenberg since May 2020, because its website was blacklisted as containing material that infringes copyright laws.)

Here’s what I did as a proofreader volunteer and why I loved contributing to creating free e-books for Distributed Proofreaders and Project Gutenberg.

How I became a proofreading volunteer

Jun 05

What’s the difference between hourly and fixed-fee editing?

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Short and sweet

The difference between hourly and fixed-fee editing lies in the type of contract you sign with your freelance editor. In this short post I’ll examine hourly vs. fixed-fee editing so you are better prepared to negotiate a fair rate with your freelance editor. Read More

Mar 15

Why give detailed instructions to your freelance language editor

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Short and sweet

Not even the best freelance language editors can read their clients’ minds. Sure, experienced language editors can make an educated guess, but they can’t be sure what you want unless you tell them.

In this short post I will list the three main things to tell your freelance editor, especially if you’ve never worked with them before, to increase your likelihood of being happy with their service. Read More

Nov 26

Things your freelance editor should tell you

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Tips

If you’ve never hired a freelance editor before, you may not know what to expect if you choose to work with one. You may be concerned about what editing entails, how the editor works, how you’ll pay for editing services, and more.

Getting your questions answered before you hire a freelance English editor will give you peace of mind that your manuscript is in the right hands. Although no two independent editors are alike, there are some things any freelance editor should tell you from the get-go. Read More

Jul 30

What freelance editors can learn from project managers

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Project management

If you’re a freelance editor, you’ve likely chosen this career because you love the written word and the chance to learn from every new editing project. But how do you manage your editing projects? Do you underestimate costs, overestimate requirements, and go above and beyond to make your clients happy?

To keep your editing business thriving, take a cue from project managers. Here are seven project-management-related concepts you should know more about if you want to manage your editing projects better.

Jan 21

What I tell people who hire a freelance editor half-heartedly

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Writing

People hire a freelance editor for various reasons. Here are just some of them:

“I want to hire a freelance editor to make sure my research paper has the highest chances of being accepted by a top journal.”
“Our paper was rejected, and we need to have it professionally edited before we can resubmit.”
“This is a patchwork report, so it needs a coherent voice and style.”
“My English is a bit rusty and I know I make mistakes, so I must hire a freelance editor.”
“The copy needs to be flawless, but I don’t have time to edit it myself.”
“Some reviewers said my [self-published] book needs language editing.”

Apr 27

How to minimize the cost of editing

By Cristina N. Editing, Freelance, Tips

Freelance English editors charge different rates depending on many things, including their location, experience, and specialty. However, professional editing services do not come cheap. The recommended hourly rates for editing nonfiction documents are between $40 and $70 according to the Editorial Freelancers Association and at least £31 according to the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.

If you have a nonfiction book manuscript, technical course materials, or a few hefty business reports, hiring an experienced editor may end up costing you as much as a nice overseas vacation.

Whether your budget for editing is tight or limitless, keeping the cost of editing low means you’ll have more money for marketing your publication or for other writing projects. Here are four things you can do to minimize the cost of editing regardless of which freelance editor you hire. Read More