Anyone want editing for free?

Hello,

My girlfriend is trying to get into the publishing industry with a long term goal of editing. She has started with work experience and internships but I made a casual suggestion about maybe getting some direct experience of editing fiction.

The offer would be to edit your work for free (probably up to novella size) and maybe a 'Pay What You Want' arrangement for anything longer (though she may not even worry about that). The main interest for her is to acquire some editing experience, to feel the mindset of the role and to have feedback on what's she's done so that she can learn and develop.
If you were interested, I guess the best thing would be for her to have a look at sample chapters of your work, give her thoughts and you could then judge if she could offer you something useful, even if it's just a second pair of eyes.

So I'm here to gauge interest for her really as she wasn't convinced that people would be interested. I'm hoping she's wrong! If you have any questions or thoughts, please let me know.

Thanks,

Simon.

 

But we don't know you or her. I'd be leery of sending my stuff off to a stranger. I would think the best way to get editing experience would be locally by word of mouth.

 

Honestly, she's better off to post a gig on Fiverr or submit proposals for elance.com if she wants to reach more people than locally. That way, she's technically bound to do as she described, so people will trust her farther, and she won't have to do anything completely for free. I, for one, would be interested in a cheap editor in the near future. As far as interest goes, if she has any interest or talent, or can just sound confident, she can probably get at least some experience from those sites.

 

She needs to be able to do a sit-down with the writer, so best hit up local writing groups instead of an international forum.

 

What kind of editing does she do? How much experience does she have doing it?

 

Yes, that's my question. What are her qualifications? I don't mean necessarily her formal qualifications (although this might help if she's got some) but what is it that makes her feel she can help an aspiring writer?

I think you might be on to something here, if she's focused on building up a dossier of writing she has helped to improve, but I think we need to know more.

Maybe she should be here on this forum too?

 

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.
She has copy-editing and proof reading experience academically, where she's studied up to Masters level. She's recently completed internships within publishing companies (more in the publicity departments). No editing experience as such, hence why I thought it would be an idea to try and build up some experience here.
Further research, however, makes me think that beta-reading might be more suitable for her to start with?

 

why are you asking for her instead of her asking us directly?

 

I'm asking on her behalf because she didn't think there would be interest, so she didn't think to sign-up and write a post. Sometimes people need a little push, which is what I'm doing

 

Maybe have her join up and do a sample edit on someone's work in the workshop, that way we can see what she's got to offer.

 

Cha-ching!

 

Good advice, Peachalulu. Thanks.

 

i agree that's the best first step...

does she have a website?... if not, she'll need to put up a professional quality one, not just a free blogsite or other freebie that shouts 'amateur' or 'wannabe' at first glance...

 

There has been, I think, an awful love of negativity here.

Someone is offering to provide their help and assistance for free.

I do not believe that she has to prove herself before she can be found worthy of seeing any of our precious manuscripts.

I will take the plunge. I have a novelette that would be a good starting point. I will be able to judge her ability from the suggestions, choices and edits she makes. If I am not happy, then naturally, I would not employ her to work on my novel.

But I would be willing to give her the chance to convince me.

Sign me up.

 

Thanks for the reply, Mike. I have sent you a message

 

I suggest she should join any of these freelance site it will be very helpful.At least to know her strength and weakness by the time she does one or two jobs.

 

You know what? I have a 10,000 word short story that I'd love to have looked at if she's interested. It's surely not my best work, but It's the only thing I have ready at the moment.

 

Send me a PM too, I can send something shortly. It would be longer than some others have said, close to 20k words.