I went off to the Cotswolds for a short break towards the beginning of March. It’s such a beautiful part of the country, even in slightly cold and cloudy weather. I always think that being outside in nature is a great way to regain a little perspective on life. I knew that Bourton-on-the-Water is a popular tourist spot, but I didn’t realise just how popular – it’s a stunning village, but it’s not the best place to visit if you find yourself a bit anxious in crowds.
Book mail
When I got back from my trip to the Cotswolds, I had a lovely parcel waiting for me. Look at this cover design! Look at this book swag! It was accompanied by a lovely note from the author, and I can’t tell you how much it means to receive something like that.
I first worked with Ashleigh Bello in 2020, and since then, she has published six books. Her latest novel is A Myrmaid’s Kiss, which takes place in the same world as the Belvedor Saga, but it has, let us say, very different themes. I don’t often (ever?) work on spicy romance novels, but this is dark, complex adult fantasy, and it is always a joy to work with Ashleigh. The production of this one was a saga all of its own, but the reader response has made it all worth it. Congratulations, Ashleigh. I can’t wait to work on the next one!
What I’ve been working on
I finished off both the copy-edits I started in February: the speculative novel for an independent author and the fantasy fiction for a publishing services company. I moved on to the proofread of a writer’s guide to constructing short stories and the copy-edit of some contemporary fiction. My next critique manuscript arrived too – it is a new experience to critique a reworked version of a manuscript I critiqued some time ago. It is pretty remarkable to see how it has evolved. That will take me into April, alongside two proofreads. One is historical fiction and the other is mystical speculative fiction – I feel like I have been doing a lot of copy-editing recently, so I am enjoying the change of focus for a while.
What I read for fun
I think I’ve mentioned before how much I’ve enjoyed Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. I finally got round to reading The Bullet That Missed, which is the third book. Some unusual style decisions aside (I’m usually very laissez-faire about style, as long as it is consistent, but there’s something about ‘eight a.m.’ that puts me on edge), it’s an enjoyable, easy read, and an excellent example of how to write engagingly in present tense.
Looking ahead
I’m off to a pony day after Easter – I didn’t get to take part in one as a child, so it will be a new experience for me. The ‘lighter schedule’ I’d planned towards the end of March didn’t really work out, so my services and fee review is still on my to-do list.
Another year, another January. I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions, but I have the intention to get back into the habit of reading at least one chapter of a novel before I go to bed each night (unless I’ve had to go out and socialise or something). It’s easy to feel a bit of reading fatigue when you work with words all day, but books are joy, and I don’t believe you can be an effective fiction editor unless you read widely.
What I’ve been working on
I finished off two projects I started in December – the first was the proofread of a fictionalised memoir about growing up with multiple disabilities and the second was the developmental edit of a delightful YA fantasy novel. I moved on to the copy-edit of the second book (third, if you count the prequel short story) of a new series by one of my regular clients, and the end of January saw me take on the copy-edit of an account of an epic journey around the most picturesque areas of England, Wales and Scotland. Both of these will be with me until early February.
What I read for fun
I absolutely loved Legends & Lattes, so I was excited to return to Travis Baldree’s cosy fantasy world in Bookshops & Bonedust. Naturally, I pre-ordered the signed exclusive edition from Waterstones because I can’t resist sprayed edges (it’s still available at the time of writing). It did not disappoint. I think prequels can be hard to pull off, especially when we have to engage with a version of the main character before they went through all the character development of the original book. Here Viv is a young orc, desperate to prove herself and live a life of adventure, and Baldree has made the most of the opportunity to give the reader more insight into her. Like with Legends & Lattes, I would recommend acquiring a pastry or two before you curl up to read this one.
I’ll start with my apologies for failing to produce a separate November round-up and squishing it in with the December edition – I have been pretty swamped for the last couple of months. As is December tradition, though, I have some stats to report.
This is the sixth (!) December round-up for Black Cat Editorial services. My 2023 projects had a combined word count of 3,278,487, which is an increase on 2022 (as I had hoped and anticipated). That means that my career total word count is rapidly approaching 20 million words – a number that would have seemed entirely ridiculous when I was starting out. My tutoring time dropped, which was expected, but it still clocked in at a solid 128 hours.
What I’ve been working on
November: I finished off several projects that I started in October. The first was the copy-edit of the second book in a cosy supernatural mystery series. The second was the proofread of the conclusion of a duology about an international assassin. The third was the copy-edit of a dystopian YA novel that has been reworked for a modern audience. I moved on to the proofread of a coming-of-age novella, and the copy-edit of a dark fantasy romance that had been almost completely rewritten since I provided a critique of it earlier in the year.
December: The beginning of the month saw me take on the proofread of a thriller about conspiracy at the top of the UK government. Alongside this, I continued the copy-edit of the dark fantasy romance – it was a beast of a novel that took me right up to Christmas. Two other projects will finish in January: one the proofread of a fictionalised memoir and the other the development edit of a YA fantasy novel.
Looking ahead
I managed to have some downtime during the festive period, but I’ll be more or less straight back to work in the new year.
This might be the last time I mention the unfortunate broken rib incident: I have returned to riding. I look like I’m heading off into battle in my body protector, but lessons have been learned.
In other news, I had a lovely day out at Studley Grange’s Butterfly World and Farm Park, as my last birthday event and as I attempt to explore a little more of my new home town. The butterflies were pretty wonderful, but my highlight was the goats. They are adorable, cheeky little things – and I admire anyone who has to cope with their naughtiness on a daily basis.
What I’ve been working on
I finished off the copy-edit of some contemporary fiction for one of my long-standing indie clients and moved on to the copy-edit of a cosy supernatural mystery by another returning author client. It’s always a pleasure to see authors embracing their style and growing in confidence – that’s when stories really start to shine. It’s also exciting to work with a new client: the copy-edit of an accomplished dystopian YA novel will take me into November.
Alongside these, I completed the copy-edit of a relationship-focused novel for one of my publishing services clients, and then I took on a slightly unusual project: the proofread of both books in a series. It’s rare to be in this position, but it has its benefits. Style consistency and story details can be checked and confirmed while both books are at proof stage – and while the manuscripts are fresh in the memory.
What I read for fun
The Sun and the Void, by Gabriela Romero Lacruz, was the first book I received as part of my Illumicrate subscription. The cover design is simply stunning (in fact, the whole box was – I love all the goodies in the June edition), and the premise of the novel is intriguing and exciting. From the author’s website: ‘In a lush world inspired by the history and folklore of South America, a sweeping epic fantasy of colonialism, ancient magic, and two young women’s quest for belonging unfolds.’ I would say, though, that some of the themes are dark. Some truly monstrous things happen in this book, and the central characters appear able to sweep them aside without much trouble. There are some curious choices here, from characterisation to descriptions, and I wonder if improved editorial support would have produced a more compelling and enjoyable story.
As predicted, August was not an exciting month – turns out that having a broken rib is both very painful and very boring.
What I’ve been working on
My run of non-fiction projects continued – including one that has got to be up there as one of my longest proofreads ever: 222,500 words. This was an autobiographical look at the work of local politicians. A much shorter, but still substantial, proofread followed of an exploration of modern law enforcement. I hadn’t had any on-paper proofreads for quite a while (at least six months, I think), so it was nice to be able to get out my red pen again. I found myself much more in my comfort zone, though, with the development edit of an epic YA fantasy.
What I read for fun
I’ve had Juno Dawson’s Her Majesty’s Royal Coven on my TBR shelf for a while. (I’m hoping that a TBR shelf rather than a TBR pile will prove harder for me to neglect – this remains to be seen.) The idea of a secret government department of witches is an intriguing one, and there’s clearly lots of potential in that premise. The focus, however, isn’t so much on this, but rather on a prophecy about a possible imminent apocalypse. I enjoyed the world-building, but I wanted a little more exploration of HMRC itself. The writing is mostly engaging, and I always appreciate cultural references that are very much ‘of my time’. The ending, though… I don’t know if I can bring myself to read the next book in the series for a while.
Book reviews
My latest book review for the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading has been published. Arika Okrent’s Highly Irregular is interesting and entertaining, and I loved her reminder that language is ‘not […] something we control but […] something we do’.
Looking ahead
September is the month of my birth. It’s cake time.
April saw another visitor at Black Cat HQ – this time it was my parents’ spaniel, Ella. She’s always a joy to have around, and we were fortunate to have some good weather to enjoy on our walks. Oscar pretends to be a bit miffed when she’s here, but then they go and do disgustingly cute things, like holding each other’s paws while they sleep. I mean, just look at this nonsense.
What I’ve been working on
I finished off the three projects I started in March: the proofread of a contemporary romance novel, the copy-edit of a book of travel advice, and the critique of a sci-fi/fantasy novella. This is one of the things I really like about my job – there’s so much variety in the projects I edit. I moved on to the copy-edit of a memoir – I haven’t worked on a memoir for some time, but I was reminded why I do enjoy taking them on occasionally. There’s something quite special about helping someone share their memories and experiences with the world and leave a book as part of their legacy. The copy-edit of a biography of a notable dancer and the critique of some contemporary fiction will take me into May.
Looking ahead
Ella will be back with us at the end of May, as my parents are jetting off for a relaxing holiday in Portugal. I’m not jealous. I’m sure the weather in Wiltshire will be perfectly lovely…
I had a visitor at Black Cat HQ for the beginning of March. My sister and her partner went off on holiday for a week, and so their furry pride and joy came to stay with me. Oscar, my cat, wasn’t particularly keen on sharing his house with a clumsy food-thief, but he managed to cope. Here’s Rocky looking tiny and adorable on the sofa he entirely took over – this is very much in contrast to what he looked like when he realised he could get a good look into the neighbours’ gardens from the top of my shed. It’s not easy to get a twenty-kilogram dog off a roof when he’s decided he quite likes it up there.
What I’ve been working on
I finished off the critique of the horror novella I started in February, along with the copy-edit of a contemporary novel. I moved on to the copy-edit of an epic historical saga set during the Albigensian Crusade. I was glad to have the copy-edit of a cosy(ish) noir short story for some light relief – and I look forward to working on the first novel in the series it introduces. The proofread of a contemporary romance novel and, unusually for me, the copy-edit of a book of travel advice will take me into April. There’s nothing like editing passages about glorious sun-filled holiday experiences while the rain beats against your office window… I also have the critique of a novella that is part of a sci-fi/fantasy series I’ve worked on previously – the other books are definitely epic in scope and length, so it will be interesting to see how the author handles this departure from the norm.
Looking ahead
I’m trying out a new riding school in April – I’ve enjoyed my time at the old one, but it is a long journey for me to get there now I have moved to a different county. The new school is nestled in the countryside, and I have booked a hack as a taster – fingers crossed for some good weather.
November was my first month in my new home and it has taken quite a lot of adjustment. I’ve done a lot of cleaning and built a lot of furniture – but now I’ve got a bookcase with some space free in it! My books aren’t in piles! There have also been some trials, the most concerning of which was the not-working downstairs heating. I was very glad it was fairly mild early in the month. But it has been overcome, and I am pretty much back up and running (not literally – the occasional walk will do).
What I’ve been working on
I had an unusual proofread from one of my publishing services clients – a fictionalised memoir – and it was interesting to see how the author handled this concept. Where’s the line between truth and fiction? Does it matter? I suppose it depends on the reader and their expectations. My other project this month was the critique of a contemporary romance with a twist, and that will take me into December. I’ve also had a book to review for the CIEP – I’ll post a link to my review once it is published.
A new blog post
I mentioned the start of my editorial business in my previous round-up post and that prompted me to write a blog post about it. (I’ve titled it ‘Editing essentials’, which I might adopt as a series to go along with my sporadic ‘Fiction essentials’ posts.) How do I get started in proofreading? is a question that pops up a lot in editing forums, and I know I’m not the only editor to have people email them with similar questions. When I was a local group coordinator for the CIEP, we’d often spend a good chunk of our meetings talking about this – and I think that’s only natural. It is hard work and it is daunting, but it can be done. I wanted to share how I did it in case it helps anyone else at the beginning of their journey.
Looking ahead
I will probably take a short break for Christmas and New Year’s, but I expect to be working through most of the festive period.
Every so often an email will drop into my inbox from someone who is thinking about starting a career as a proofreader, and so I thought it may be helpful to write up some advice based on my own experiences. This will, therefore, be UK-centric and presume that you want to be self-employed. It has been a while since I took my first tentative steps towards building my own editorial services business, but I can still remember the swirling mix of feelings. Here we go:
Training
There is, I think, a popular idea that anyone who enjoys reading and who has a reasonable grasp of grammar can become a proofreader. That is a good foundation, but professional proofreading is complex – it is a skill that has to be learned. Training is key. I started with the Publishing Training Centre’s Basic Proofreading by Distance Learning course. As far as I’m aware, the Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One course is the current equivalent. I chose it because it’s an in-depth course that provides an industry-recognised qualification at the end, but there are other options out there. One is the proofreading suite from the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (I am a tutor for the second and third courses). Anyway, I passed the PTC course with merit (I was less than one percent off a distinction mark – I ate a whole tub of Ben & Jerry’s Baked Alaska to console myself).
Many people start looking for work once they have completed their initial training, but I am a big ball of anxiety, so I felt that I needed to do more before I put myself out there. How could I ask someone to pay me for my work if I didn’t have confidence in it? So I took a sort of ‘bridging’ course from the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (the previous name for the CIEP). At that time it was called Proofreading 2: Progress, but much of the material from that course is now in Proofreading 3: Progress. (Course providers like to have a shake-up every now and then!) That went well and I was able to join the mentoring scheme. I was beyond lucky to have Margaret Aherne as my tutor – she is a legend for a reason. The mentoring scheme is not open at the time of writing, but I know the CIEP plans to re-introduce it sometime in the future. I would certainly recommend it – it’s Margaret’s encouragement that gave me the confidence to take a skills test for a publisher, and that was when things really started rolling.
Join a professional body
One of the best decisions I made was to join the SfEP (now the CIEP). It provided a wealth of information and support, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. One of the great things the CIEP does now is discovery meetings. You can join one and ask pretty much anything you like about proofreading, editing, and the organisation.
Research
There are so many resources out there and it is worth spending some time going through them and making a plan. Your business plan doesn’t need to be Dragons’ Den level, but a basic outline is a good idea – having a direction and knowing what steps you need to make will help you to achieve your overall goal of a successful business.
If you’ve joined the CIEP, you’ll get access to all their wonderful guides. These are probably the most relevant for our purposes:
Going Solo: Creating your freelance editorial business, Sue Littleford
Marketing Yourself: Strategies to promote your editorial business, Sara Hulse
Pricing a Project: How to prepare a professional quotation, Melanie Thompson
Some people start as generalists, and that’s okay if it works for them, but it won’t give you a selling point. How are you going to stand out? There are thousands of people offering their services as proofreaders. What is going to make a client pick you?
When I was starting out, the obvious thing for me to do was to make use of the BA I’d gained in politics and international relations. I had specialist subject knowledge and I understood academic work. You may have a degree or work experience or a hobby that you could harness in the same way. Of course, I moved away from non-fiction and academic proofreading, but it gave me an opening and I was able to use that experience to position my business where I really wanted it to be.
Finding work
This is probably the bit a lot of readers will be most interested in. I don’t think there’s a simple answer here. It’s important to be market ready – that’s where the training comes in. But that doesn’t entitle anyone to work. We have to go out there (metaphorically, probably) and find it. Once I’d built a basic website, I started with online directories. As a newbie proofreader, you probably won’t have the experience required for an entry in some of the most lucrative directories, but you can build up to those.
The most obvious candidate is Find a Proofreader. This is where I got my first ever job. Anyone can join this directory, and there is a lot of competition, but it is possible to pick up good work and some experience here. Entries start at £35 a year (at time of writing) for proofreaders, so you won’t be losing too much if it doesn’t yield results, and you’ll get some SEO benefits from linking your own website to one that ranks quite highly in Google. Find a Proofreader has a sister site, Freelancers in the UK, but I didn’t find that as rewarding – others may have a different experience. If you took the PTC’s proofreading course, you can have an entry in their Freelance Finder database. I’ve never had any work from it, but I have heard that other people have. It’s free, though, and reciprocal links will be good for your website’s SEO, so it’s worth setting it up.
The next thing I did was invest in a copy of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook. This is updated every year, and it contains lots of information on the world of publishing. The part we are most interested in, though, is the comprehensive list of publishing houses – and their contact details. I sent lots and lots of emails and letters, and I made it on to a few lists. From there I found a publishing services company that I still work with now. This approach will take time, and the response rate is likely to be fairly low, but you ‘just’ need to get your details in front of the right person at the right time.
Summary
I’ve been a proofreader for more than seven years now and I am so very glad that I stuck at it in the beginning, no matter how anxious I was about the training or how demoralised I was by the lack of response to my marketing efforts. Other proofreaders will have similar experiences; some proofreaders will have completely different experiences. But I hope the above gives some insight into one way it was possible to get started in proofreading.
Hannah McCall is a line-editor, copy-editor and proofreader who specialises in working with independent authors and publishers of commercial fiction, particularly speculative fiction. She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and a Partner Member of The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).
This round-up is a bit late, and that’s because something pretty momentous happened at the end of October. I bought a house. It took three very long months from offer to completion, but I am finally sitting in my very own home. To be honest, there were times when I thought it would never happen – and the declining health of the UK economy meant circumstances were not exactly ideal. Mixed with the relief, though, there is a sense of achievement. When I first started my own editorial services business, I hoped that one day it would be successful enough for me to be able to buy my first home, and I have done that. It’s a point in my life that shows me just how far I have come. I have to thank all my colleagues and clients for your support along the way. I appreciate you all, very much.
What I’ve been working on
October has been a fairly quiet month, in terms of work. My usual tutoring commitments have been ticking along nicely. In addition to that, I had the opportunity to work with a new client. It was a pleasure to copy-edit her debut murder mystery novel – it was impressively crafted and I hope it finds the audience it deserves. My other project for this month was a proofread of a sci-fi novel for a client I work with regularly – and it’s always exciting to see where her storytelling is going to venture next.
What I read for fun
This is a bit of a cheat because I haven’t completely finished it yet (I’ve been a bit distracted, for obvious reasons), but I’ve been enjoying Natasha Pulley’s The Half Life of Valery K. As you would probably expect from Pulley, this is historical fiction with shades of fantasy and a delightful smidgen of romance. This time, we find ourselves in Soviet Russia during the Cold War, exploring the secrets of a hidden nuclear research facility. I always enjoy Pulley’s writing style and storytelling, and this is no exception.
Looking ahead
There’s likely to be a lot of disruption in November as I get things sorted out in my new home, including setting up my brand-new office space. I hope to be back to normal as soon as possible.
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