https://blue.feedland.org/?river=http://data.feedland.org/blue/feeds/Andy.xml Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:31:35 GMT feedland v0.5.59 https://cyber.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:31:34 GMT Andy Mon, October 2, 2023 8:31 AM EDT <p>Free sample edits 😀 Many editors offer free sample edits. And some clients – especially in the fiction self-publishing space – expect them.I don’t offer them because:</p> <ol> <li><p>For developmental/content editing, samples don’t really work because you need the whole manuscript to make informed decisions about the problems that most need fixing. I have many blog posts and a portfolio that showcase my expertise here.</p> </li> <li><p>For line/copyediting, a one-thousand-word sample takes a hefty chunk out of my working day. You need to come up with a style sheet, familiarise yourself with the author’s style, etc.</p> </li> <li><p>My brain doesn’t like working on very small, bitty projects. That’s why I edit books!</p> </li> <li><p>Carpenters, builders, and workers in other craft professions don’t offer services for free – why should language professionals work differently?</p> </li> <li><p>My experience is that authors who ask for a free sample are often not my ideal client base. More so if they assume the right to a free sample!</p> </li> </ol> <p>And perhaps most importantly: Who’s the one with the editorial expertise here? Authors can get a feel for how I edit (and how much I intervene) from a sample edit, but they’re usually not able to make a professional call on which edit is better quality.</p> <p>And while they can get a feel for customer service, free sample edits offer a “perverse incentive.” </p> <p>I’m not against free samples per se – they are especially useful for new editors and I know very experienced, busy editors who offer them and find them useful for estimating how long a project will take. They’re just not for me. </p> <p>Authors, I also totally understand the desire for a sample edit. Editing is totally unregulated and there be sharks! But I do things this way:</p> <ol> <li><p>If an author asks for a sample edit, if I really want the project, I’ll do one for a fee after the schedule and budget has been confirmed. </p> </li> <li><p>If an author doesn’t ask for one, then I’ll share a sample of my work with them shortly after starting the project to check we’re on the same page.</p> </li> </ol> <p>Editors: do you offer free sample edits? Authors: do you ask for them?</p> Mon, 02 Oct 2023 12:31:35 GMT https://blue.feedland.org/?item=139031 https://blue.feedland.org/?item=139031 Free sample edits 😀 Many editors offer free sample edits. And some clients – especially in the fiction self-publishing space – expect them.I don’t offer them because: 1) For developmental/content editing, samples don’t really work because you need the whole manuscript to make informed decisions about the problems that most need fixing. I have many blog posts and a portfolio that showcase my expertise here. 2) For line/copyediting, a one-thousand-word sample takes a hefty chunk out of my working day. You need to come up with a style sheet, familiarise yourself with the author’s style, etc. 3) My brain doesn’t like working on very small, bitty projects. That’s why I edit books! 4) Carpenters, builders, and workers in other craft professions don’t offer services for free – why should language professionals work differently? 5) My experience is that authors who ask for a free sample are often not my ideal client base. More so if they assume the right to a free sample! And perhaps most importantly: Who’s the one with the editorial expertise here? Authors can get a feel for how I edit (and how much I intervene) from a sample edit, but they’re usually not able to make a professional call on which edit is better quality. And while they can get a feel for customer service, free sample edits offer a “perverse incentive.” I’m not against free samples per se – they are especially useful for new editors and I know very experienced, busy editors who offer them and find them useful for estimating how long a project will take. They’re just not for me. Authors, I also totally understand the desire for a sample edit. Editing is totally unregulated and there be sharks! But I do things this way: 1) If an author asks for a sample edit, if I really want the project, I’ll do one for a fee after the schedule and budget has been confirmed. 2) If an author doesn’t ask for one, then I’ll share a sample of my work with them shortly after starting the project to check we’re on the same page. Editors: do you offer free sample edits? Authors: do you ask for them?