The Level Ground Comics team recently had the privilege to speak with professional Proofreader and Copy Editor Christina Lynn. She shared excellent insights with us about networking, the nuts and bolts of editing, and even described how she got to where she is today. If you’re interested in professionally editing or having your work edited, this article will help you with the tools you need to get started on your path. Read below for the full interview, and comment on Instagram with your thoughts!
Please give a brief introduction about who you are. This could include your job history, what type of content you prefer editing, or even your favorite food!
My name is Christina Lynn, and I am a freelance editor. I proofread and copy edit for indie writers and publishers. My favorite genres are comics, young adult fiction, and Christian publishing. Right now, most of my work is coming from comics. I work as a proofreader for manga publishers Seven Seas Entertainment and Yen Press. Also, the indie comics community is booming, and I have the honor of working with creators such as Jason Brubaker (Sithrah) and Doug TenNapel (Bigfoot Bill, Earthworm Jim).
P.S. My favorite food is anything with peanuts or peanut butter!
How did you get started as a freelance editor?
I graduated from Union University in January 2018 with a B.A. in English (Creative Writing) as my major and Communication Studies (Film) as my minor. During college, I loved workshopping my classmates’ writing. Not only was it fun to read everyone’s stories, but I also enjoyed giving feedback that would help them make their stories even better.
Originally, I had planned to focus on my own writing and work in animation (which I eventually realized wasn’t going to happen without moving to California). But during my last semester, I took the Editing class. My mentor Dr. Christine Bailey, who was also helping me with my senior thesis story, taught the class. I learned so much from working with my classmates to edit her young adult novel and the faculty journal. The most important thing I learned was I liked editing better than writing! (And it was fun to turn the tables and grade our teachers’ writing for a change.)
How do you find jobs? Do you approach artists, or do they approach you?
My first editing job was proofreading manga for Seven Seas Entertainment. I loved reading manga, so I checked their website and applied for the job! But most companies don’t list freelance jobs on their websites, so you usually have to email or message someone directly. Connecting with people on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook is essential. Also, many indie creators have YouTube livestreams, and jumping in the live chat helps you interact directly with the creators and community.
Normally, you have to approach creators and publishers about working with them. After you gain some experience, your clients’ friends might approach you. But it’s best to message as many writers as you want to let them know you exist! (And make an Excel spreadsheet to keep up with who says yes, and when their book might be ready for editing.)
What do you look for in a strong portfolio?
I’ve never worked as an editor-in-chief or acquisitions editor, so I can’t give a good answer to this question.
How do you work with publishers as a freelance editor?
To start working with a publisher, you can look for their email address in the Contact section of their website. But I’ve found that messaging people directly on social media has been more effective.
Before you start working with them, make sure the job is freelance and not contract, if you’re wanting to work with multiple clients. (And make sure you don’t have to move to California or New York if you don’t want to!) Even if there isn’t a contract for working with them exclusively, they might ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement saying you won’t share their files with other people.
What’s the difference between an editor, a copy editor, and a proofreader?
An editor is a general term for the business, which could describe someone who proofreads and/or copy edits (like me), or the editor-and-chief of a publishing company (not me). A copy editor makes notes on rephrasing sentences and points out story issues, in addition to grammar, typos, and inconsistencies. A proofreader just focuses on the basics, such as grammar, typos, and inconsistencies.
How do you figure out what to charge artists?
When you work with a publisher, they usually tell you how much they’re going to pay you per project or per hour. When I work with individual writers, I charge an hourly rate. I found it’s useful to charge by the hour instead of per page, since you might be asked to edit multiple versions of a PDF. I have one rate for proofreading, and a higher rate for copy editing. I researched the industry norms for editing prices, including how much the publishers I worked with were paying me.
What’s the most valuable piece of advice you’d give to someone who’s starting off as a freelance editor?
Here are a few important things I’ve learned:
Make a checklist for different steps of editing. If you have time, do separate passes for different things. For example, you could do one pass for dialogue, one pass for dashes and hyphens, etc.
Use a style sheet. Publishers will often give you a list of character names and terms, along with their preferences for punctuation (?! or !?) and spelling (OK or okay). Individuals normally don’t give you a style sheet, so you should make one for your own benefit.
Set working hours for yourself each day. As a freelancer working from home, it can be hard to get away from work. So set a specific time frame (like 9-5) for editing, emailing, and checking social media.
Never compromise your values. This is the most important thing I’ve learned. If a project contains content that goes against your beliefs, or if you know for a fact that the potential client is an evil person, you have the freedom of declining to work on it if you’re a freelancer. I’ve chosen to turn down a few books, and I often worried if I make the right decision. But every time that happened, another job opportunity would arrive that was ten times better than the one I turned down. I learned to trust that God would provide for me if I continued to follow Him. And He’s still leading me on adventures, with new opportunities I never would have imagined!
Thank you for the interview, Christina! This is great advice. If you are a professional editor, artist, or the like, and want to get in touch with us, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Join us each Monday for new updates on our website and social media!
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