I’ve limited the amount of editing I do for a long time because of the day job that was necessary for, well, existence. The day job recently got cancelled and, while I look for another, I’m totally open for business with old and new services.
Please visit my revamped website, for lots of info.
Services for writers and self-publishers
Editing, Critiquing
For 99% of wannabe novelists, this is a simple truth: your manuscript needs work before you send it out. This holds true even for strong writers with good critique partners—I know because I’m one of them. More than that, I’ve seen the opening chapters of more than 450 manuscripts, and fewer than 10 were ready to go as they were. You need fresh eyes and professional coaching.
But editing costs money, and these are tough times. I know that, and I’m offering quite a low rate for high-quality writing. I also offer a critique on which, knowing the amount of time I will spend (I’m a little compulsive about it), my hourly rate won’t be much. But the critique can help with macro issues, and applies to a full edit if you go there.
There’s a lot about what I do and how it works here.
I hope you'll check out the testimonials.
Book design
In this new age of self- and ebook publishing, your book cover becomes your most important and crucial marketing tool. Read a discussion of designing covers for the web here. The cover here is for a work in progress—a coming-of-age story set in Texas, 1958, during a hot summer.
Beyond the web and into POD (print on demand), interior book design becomes a factor. I offer that service, too. See samples here.
If you’re heading for the Kindle market, I can help with formatting your manuscript properly and navigating the Kindle system. And I can create ebook formats from your manuscript document.
Self-publishing help
While you can use services such as Createspace, Lulu.com, iUniverse and other services to self-publish a book, their fees can be costly and the amount you net from sales through their sites isn’t as much as it could be if you take an independent route.
I’m preparing a free booklet on the how-to’s of self publishing that will go into detail about what I’ve learned about POD printer/distributor Lightning Source, ISBN numbers, Library of Congress control numbers, and ebook formatting—in the meantime, I can help writers with those things. More info here.
I hope you’ll visit the website. And if you’ve rewritten and polished and rewritten and polished your novel and feel like you need to take the next step to either seeking an agent, submitting to a publisher, or self-publishing, consider submitting for a free sample edit.
Other creative services
I should probably add that I also offer other freelance creative services such as copywriting (ads, video scripts, brochures, whatever). Here’s my portfolio website.
Regular floggings on Wednesdays and Thursdays, as usual, and I’ll resume posting free chapters from my writing book, Flogging the Quill, Crafting a Novel that Sells.
I just want to share excerpts from two new 5-star reader reviews that appeared on Amazon this weekend.
We The Enemy is an unusual novel, both an action-packed thriller and a rational dissection of our legal system. This is a fast-paced yet thought-provoking book, muscular in style and ingenious in worldview.
I enjoyed the story. The writing is very good and the plot moves at a good pace. And I enjoyed the political content, which is a rare treat. Well done. A thoughtful and thought-provoking read.
As I said, Open for Business. I would love to help you with a creative project.
Do me a favor, would you? Please pass the word to your writer friends?
Best,
Ray