Steve Jobs was right on this point. Give the customer an experience, not just a product. And that applies to those of us providing freelance services in the publishing industry (yes, it does!). I see the customer experience as being 50% product quality, 50% customer service. In the end, my job is to service the customer experience. Product Quality I'll start with the most obvious half of that experience. It's comparable to the "experience" section of a resume if you were looking to …
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Revealing Your Genius: The Manuscript Evaluation
I've worked with self-publishing authors for several years now. They often live in an isolated writing world without that traditional publisher to guide them along. They might send their finished manuscript out to friends to "evaluate" but otherwise aren't sure if their story is a good read. The Purpose When I work with a self-publishing author, I begin by proposing a manuscript evaluation, which is the first step in developmental editing. This first pass gives the writer an overall idea …
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Professional vs. Peer Editing
As a professional editor and proofreader, I am about 99% in favor of professional editing and proofreading. Not just because it's my bread and butter, though. I've been a voracious reader since age seven, and I really want good copy to make my reading experience awesome. Self-Publishing Cost Trade-Offs I do understand that indie authors who are self-publishing may find it difficult to afford professional assistance in all areas of getting their books out into the world. Do you put …
Master Pages in InDesign
After several years of working interior book design, I still wonder why Adobe makes their InDesign software so complex. I know that the idea may be to provide a rich palette of tools and options, but it's still a bit intimidating. I've worked with Photoshop before, so I know how much Adobe loves "tools" and "layers." I think part of the difficulty is that we get so used to the flatter, simpler systems in Microsoft's document management software. It's really like going from amateur to pro with …
Capitalization: The Consistency Challenge
Dear Writers, I'm your reader (as well as being an editor/proofreader), and what I'm looking for is a smooth and engaging experience with your words. Inconsistent capitalizing of words that normally aren't makes me stop and wonder if this instance is different and how it relates to the rest of your story. Don't make me stop and wonder unless you really want me to pause to absorb a new idea. The Consistency Challenge This may sound like I'm being too picky, but if you're going to …
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