Frequently Asked Questions

Fees
Jobs and Freelancing
Editing and Writing
Design — Print and Web

Fees

Will you work on speculation or for commission?: No.
How much do you charge?: It varies by project. More information can be found on these pages:
Do you accept credit cards?: You can pay by credit card through PayPal. PayPal accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express (except for American Express Corporate Cards), and you need not have an account with PayPal.
I have a project that has to be done immediately. How much will it cost and how long will it take?: I can usually handle editing and proofreading jobs of less than 10 pages within two business days — depending on other jobs in progress — for my normal fee plus an additional 50 percent. Please contact me.

Jobs and Freelancing

Do you use freelancers? Are you hiring employees now?: I have no employees. When I need help, I call people whose work I know and trust. Try joining a professional organization that offers job listings or networking opportunities, such as these:
I want to be a freelance editor or writer. Do you have any suggestions?: I recommend starting with on-the-job experience. While working, build your reference library — dictionaries, style manuals, business books. These books are excellent references.; Lots of good books cover how to get started in far more detail than I can here. I found this book helpful: How to Open and Operate a Home-Based Writing Business by Lucy V. Parker. You can search at Barnes&Noble.com for books of interest and then request them at your library.; Also visit these sites for descriptions of what editing entails:

Editing and Writing

I have written a book and want to self-publish it. How can you help me?: I’ve worked on most stages of book production, including copyediting, obtaining the PCN, designing the interior, designing the cover using artwork supplied by the author, scanning and adjusting interior photos, writing cover copy, and coordinating with the indexer. I don’t draw and I don’t index.; If you plan to sell your self-published book, the first thing you should do is read The Self-Publishing Manual by Dan Poynter. Go to the self-publishing page for more information.
Can you write or edit documents for the medical or financial services or insurance or legal or real estate industry?: If your audience is the public, you may find that someone outside your industry can present your material so that it’s easy to read and understand. For highly technical documents targeted at other professionals, you may wish to find someone who specializes in that field. My background is business, electronics, and English. For a list of editors and writers who specialize in other subjects, go to the Freelancers’ List.
Do you write press releases?: No, not any longer. Getting your press release to the right news sources is as important as writing it well. Public relations specialists subscribe to up-to-the-date databases of news outlets such as Bacon’s (a media guide), and they also have made personal contacts.
Do you write articles for syndication?: No.
Do you edit for authors? How long will it take to edit my book?: Yes, I will work directly with authors. If you’re self-publishing and want to produce a professional product, having your manuscript edited for grammar, punctuation, and style is a necessary step.; If you plan to submit your manuscript to a publisher, you don’t usually need to have it edited first. The publisher should handle the editing, including selecting the editor and paying for editing.; If you have doubts about whether your manuscript is ready to be published, I suggest running your manuscript through a tough critique group.
How can I tell if my half-finished novel has potential?: I recommend working with a critique group. Not only will you get valuable feedback from fresh eyes, you’ll also improve your skill in evaluating manuscripts — including your own! — for pace, characterization, language, and so on.
Can you help me write a novel about my life that will make lots of money?: Can you afford thousands of dollars in writing fees before the book is even submitted to publishers? Your book then, if published, must compete with the other hundred thousand titles published that year. You might get rich faster and more easily by playing Lotto.; If you’re writing a memoir to share with your family, I’d love to help you. Please go to the editing services page.

Design — Print and Web

Will I get a chance to see my book, newsletter, or Web site before it’s finished?: Absolutely! You’ll get a mock-up, or sample layout, of the preliminary design. After you approve the design, the rest of the project goes forward.
How long will it take before my project is completed?: The time needed to complete a project varies according to the projects’s size and complexity, how many jobs are ahead of yours, and whether you provide all the information required to finish the project.; Allow at least a month for book design and layout, a month for brochure or newsletter design and layout, two months for Web site design and layout, and two months for book copyediting. These times include client review and subsequent changes or corrections. These are just rough guesses; your project may go faster or slower.; For example, designing a Web site involves several steps: determining what information your Web site should include, organizing how the information is presented, designing the template page, presenting the design for your approval, creating the actual pages with content.; We would set up a timeline with dates for each of these stages as part of the services contract.
Can you give me any valuable tips or templates for creating an attractive company newsletter?: I can create an attractive custom-designed template that you can use to produce the newsletter issues yourself. It would be valuable, but it wouldn’t be free.; For design ideas and tips, try Dynamic Graphics Magazine.
What program should I use to put together a brochure? Can I buy or download a program that will allow me to just type my information in a designed brochure?: What programs do you already use? Your word processor may be all you need.; You may save time and end up with a more polished brochure if you hire a professional — like me! For more info on doing it yourself, read my Build Your Brochure in Five Steps article.
Can you create an animated graphic for my Web site?: I create rollover effects for sites I’m building, but I don’t make animated graphics or work with Flash. Some people find animation so distracting they put their hands on the monitor so they won’t have to look at it. (Source: Web Site Usability: A Designer’s Guide, Spool et al.); If all you want is an animated graphic, I suggest you search at Google.

Williams Writing, Editing & Design, 5714 Folsom Blvd. No. 190, Sacramento, Calif. 95819, USA
telephone (916) 456-0625