It’s finally here! I’m excited to celebrate the launch of my freelance services website today, and here’s why:
First, I finally have a place where authors and nonprofits can approach me for help. In my past few years of editing and ghostwriting, I’ve worked mainly through online job postings and word of mouth. I worked with great people on great projects, but my network was limited: people couldn’t find me unless I found them first. Now that I have a stable online presence, my audience has a better chance of finding me when they need me. I’ll also be able to point people here when they take a look at my business card, resume, or social media profiles.
Second, I now get to offer so much more than the work I charge for. I’m here to help people, and that help shouldn’t be limited to my paying clients. It might be a series of blog posts. It might be a posted resource or my reply to your email. Whatever helps the most, I want anyone—writer, nonprofit staff, or word lover—to come away with something valuable once they’ve been here.
I have pages describing my experience and my services, and I’ll be adding some written guides for writers and nonprofits this summer. Here on the blog, you can expect 2-3 weekly posts addressing writing and editing tips; books and reading; and other relevant news, links, and resources. If you like what you see, don’t hesitate to subscribe, comment, and share! There’s no spammy junk here.
Now for the free stuff.
As I promised to my Twitter community, I’m offering two giveaways to celebrate the new site. To enter either giveaway, comment below to tell me (1) your favorite book of all time and (2) which giveaway you’re interested in. Entries will be open all weekend, after which I will assign a number to each comment and randomly select the winners. Winners will be announced on Monday, so be sure to check back! I’ll also contact you by email if you win.
Giveaway #1: Book—Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
The first freebie is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print by Renni Browne and Dave King. This book has amazing tips on editing dialogue, exposition, and other key elements of your novel. I love the real-life book excerpts that the authors use as examples in each chapter. If you’ve been advised on your book’s structure but want to clean up the content before sending it to a copyeditor, this book is definitely worth checking out (and for one lucky writer, it’s free!).
Giveaway #2: Five-Page Sample Edits with Feedback
For the second giveaway, I’m offering two identical prizes. If you win, you will receive a sample edit and analysis of the first 1200-1500 words of your manuscript. If I think that we’d work well together, I’ll offer you further details and an estimate. Otherwise, I’ll point you in the direction of the person or resource that will be the best help to you at this stage of your writing. In either case, my corrections and comments will be geared toward giving you an idea of what you can be doing to help your story grow stronger.
That’s all there is to it! Comment with your favorite book and preferred prize any time this weekend, and I will announce the lucky winners on Monday. I’m excited to have you join me, so please accept a huge thank you for helping me celebrate this special day!
My favorite book will and always will be Harry Potter (I realize that’s more than one book, so for a single book I’d say Water for Elephants).
Good luck in your freelance career!
I still haven’t read Water for Elephants, but I know a lot of people really like it! I’ve got you down for the book giveaway. 🙂
Oh, and I would prefer the self-editing book if possible, although both are fantastic prizes. 🙂
I’m still thinking about favorite “all time” book, so don’t put my name in the bucket just yet. As I look back, Outlaw Red by Jim Kjelgaard stands out as a grade school re-read.
Thanks for stopping by! I definitely enjoyed growing up on dog stories. 🙂
Ever since I was nine and discovered my father’s set of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it remains my all-time favorite series. I generally pick it up and reread it every 2-3 years.
I am interested in the copy of Self-editing For Fiction Writers as I have a short story I wrote last year that I would like to clean up a bit before putting in front of anyone.
Best wishes to you and your success with today’s launch!
Thanks for stopping by! I love the Jeremy Brett television adaptation of Sherlock Holmes but haven’t read more than bits and pieces of Doyle’s actual writing, shamefully. I’ll enter you in the book giveaway!
I feel like my favorite book changes all the time! There’s so much good stuff out there. I guess if I had to choose it would be a toss up between THE GREAT GATSBY or EMMA by Jane Austen. If I win, I’d love to win the sample edits because I need all the help I can get!
Congrats on the new site 🙂
I read the Great Gatsby in high school, so I naturally don’t remember a thing about it. Emma is great! I’ll be sure to enter you in the sample edit drawing. 🙂
So happy for your new site opening!!! 🙂 Elizabeth has been awesome to me. She definitely knows what she’s taking about and doing and is so sweet and helpful! Definitely a great person AND editor!
Thank you for the support and encouragement! I’m glad that I’ve been able to help you out. 🙂
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m terrible at following rules and at making decisions so I had to give you a list. I think Stumbling on Happiness is the one I have thought most of repeatedly since I read it in 2009 so I’ll pick it as No. 1. Konrath and Crouch were instrumental in me starting writing fiction so I wanted to include them. These are all phenomenal books.
My favourites:
*Best Non-fiction: Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Best book read at a young age: To Kill a Mockingbird
Best foreign culture book: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Best autobiographical account: Night by Elie Wiesel
Best Thriller: anything by J.A. Konrath
Best Horror: Thicker than Blood trilogy by Blake Crouch
Best Science Fiction: Wool by Hugh Howie
I like both prizes, but put me down for the EBook. I may try your freelance services down the road as well.
Thanks,
Silas
Wow! You’ve definitely read widely! I might have to look up a couple that I hadn’t heard of. I will put you into the book drawing!
One of my favorite books is Out by Natsuo Kirino. So hard to pick just one! I’d prefer the five-page edit with feedback! Thanks for the chance to enter!
I haven’t read anything by Kirino. I love all the titles I’m being inspired to look up! I have you down for the edit. 🙂