I’ve spent part of the past week helping fiction writer Kay Camden edit her synopsis and query letter for her first novel. My love for dictionary work has met its match.
Is this post blatant self-promotion? No, just survival. Editor for hire, and here’s a lovely reference from Kay: How to Write the Perfect Synopsis. Many years of working on dictionaries and reference books have taught me that every word counts.
Perhaps there are other writers out there who may need this service. A girl’s got to make a living.
Find an Outlet 
Go girl…good luck.
Thanks Bill.
Hi,
I was looking for a contact email on your blog and could not see one?
Hi Piglet, click on my gravatar in any post with comments and my e-mail address is right there. I’ve been advised by several bloggers not to post my e-mail address directly on a blog post because of spammers…is this true?
Piglet, I’ve inserted a new email address for this service on my sidebar, thanks to your suggestions. I appreciate your advice very much.
What a great reference! Makes me want to write a novel just to hire you. Kay is right about the long stuff being so much easier than the short. The short forces you to think. Some author who was preparing to travel told a friend he’d write him a long letter because he probably wouldn’t have time to write a short one. When I was in the newzbiz my years with a tabloid were the best training in this regard, you had to condense the whole essence of the story into a concise and readable lead. And no, this blog is not blatant self-promotion, it’s casting some good bread out onto the waters. I hope lots of synopsis-seekers read it. And I loved the term “grammar tyrant!” We need them!
Hi Ann, thanks. One of my favorite all-time quotes is Blaise Pascal’s “I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter.” It’s so true.
Yes, years of concise writing due to space restraints will be reflected in all of your writing. No rambling allowed in newspapers and reference books, like you said—condense the essence—but make it flow.
Ah…it was Pascal!
Hey Darlin –
Way to go! – I wouldn’t be shy about self promotion of a skill like that. Pay attention to poorly written blogs for specific websites. I have run across many people in the past who wish they could find someone to create, post, maintain, and edit a blog because they feel they have something to share but like many of us, we sometimes tend to offer self descriptive information – like in this sentence that often says the same thing twice 🙂
Keep at it and you might run into something very worthwhile ~
Giddy~Up~Go !
Hi Cowboy, thanks for encouragement. And send those folks over here!
Oooo, along with your beautiful paintings and drawings, working with dictionaries, you can now add editor. WAY TO GO. Talented, talented, talented!
Thank you Char! I’m hoping to be of service to those needing editorial assistance at an affordable price. I have to try, right?
I think it is GREAT and I hope it works out really well. And, of course, we all need to ‘keep on truckin’ which means we have to try. 🙂
Great idea, and good luck! In these days of the internet this may well be an efficient way to make a living. I truly hope this works out for you.
Thank you Wild Bill. Instead of seeing the Internet as a vast body of competition, it’s time to view it as an opportunity. Thanks for your encouragement!
I love the positive way you are looking at this “Instead of seeing the Internet as a vast body of competition, it’s time to view it as an opportunity.” In my opinion the best indicator of future success is attitude with which a project is taken on. I will be sure to mention your services to my writer friends. This is wonderful!
Great to hear that. I will send word out on my twitter account immediately. I’m still a way off finishing anything close to a WIP (having not even started) but will put you top of my list for the day I need it.
Thank you Scribbla, appreciate you passing my name along very much. All types of editorial work accepted with pleasure, no job too small.