As I review 2024, I realise how eventful it was for me because I achieved things I hadn’t done before in my freelance life.
Doing new things
Tall Tartan Talks here … A quick snapshot of my achievements this year: I self-published my non-fiction ebook in April; completed a course called Understanding Mental Health First Aid; did more freelancing proofreading work for publishers than in previous years, and took on work from new-to-me publishing clients. I turned 60 halfway through the year; and one more event happened that I shall reveal later …
Reflecting on 2024
Looking back, here’s my review through the blog posts I wrote.
Winter and spring
I spent the first three months, during a very quiet period of work, collecting my blog posts into a non-fiction business book for self-publishing.
I copyedited my manuscript from the single, individual blog posts that I had written in MS Word, starting in 2017 all the way up to 2023. Then I spent time proofreading the manuscript.
However, it is really tricky to proofread your own writing, so a very kind edibuddy offered to proofread it.
Finally, it was ready to upload to Amazon KDP as an ebook. Here is the link to Tall Tartan Talks – My Collection of Blog Posts: Tips on Running a Business if you haven’t seen it yet: https://amzn.eu/d/csKQohb
In June, my blog post explored the concept of questioning in education and business by asking What is a good question?
My July blog post reflected on how to cope with periods of time without freelance work. By this time, I had marketed myself repeatedly without, seemingly, much success. I know that the results of cold emailing take time. But it is really hard to be patient … Therefore, I wrote tips on how to use time productively in Taking Breaks in Your Business.
Autumn
By September, with the return to work for most people, I felt urged to promote methods of effective communication called How to Communicate Clearly.
I was able to provide tuition for a primary school child, on Zoom, with reading, handwriting, spelling and writing for six months.
Not having tutored for a couple of years, I missed the contact with young people and the regular income. A fellow edibuddy got in touch to ask if I was available … Could we work with the time difference with her granddaughter being in Australia?
The arrangement worked well! I was pleased to observe how well the child responded to my teaching. See the testimonial from the parent on my Primary Tutoring page.
Upgrading in the CIEP
And so to my news – I am excited that my application to upgrade from Intermediate Member to Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP; ciep.uk) was approved in December.
I proved my professionalism by taking editorial training, showing 500 hours of proofreading experience with clients, and providing a reference from a client that I have done over 50 hours for and who could judge my proofreading skills. Here is my profile page in their directory.
What an amazing way to end the year!
Seeing flaws as part of the process to achievement
To finish, I share a metaphor about Kintsugi that spoke to me about growth mindset and running a business.
I found it in a book that I proofread this summer. It is now published and available to order (details at the end).
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The idea is to make something more beautiful by embracing the flaws; and something unique and beautiful in its imperfection. The flaws are emphasised and celebrated.
See the picture of kintsugi-repaired pottery below. The lines of gold show where the repairs have been done and show them off in a positive light.
I love this metaphor because it challenges perfectionism and opens our minds to the ideas that every part of us makes us into something special and magnificent – just as we are, including all the past mistakes we have made.
In summary, my tips for owning a business are to persevere, persist, and be patient.
How has the year 2024 been for you?
See you in 2025!
Annie
Sprinkling publishing confidence
Source for Kintsugi: Compassion-based Language Education by Sarah Mercer, published by OUP, 2024.
Emailing
Email me to check my availability for proofreading non-fiction and children’s books.
Subscribing
Subscribe to my blog to receive new posts directly to your email.
One reason to reach out to new clients is to tell them that you are available for freelancing work. They won’t know unless you tell them. Cold emailing is one method. I give you steps on how to be brave and develop an effective strategy, making the best impression you can.
Tall Tartan Talks here … Follow my 8-step guide for reaching out:
Preparing is key
Training to add value
Adding skills to your CV
Researching clients
Keeping records
Writing emails
Responding to replies
Build a marketing habit.
1. Preparing is key
I proofread non-fiction as a service. I made sure I was well trained so that I could offer professionalism and expertise as qualities of my proofreading service. Preparation is half of the process I will describe.
2. Training to add value
The first thing a potential client may want to do when you reach out is to look at your website or LinkedIn profile to check your training credentials. I did training in proofreading with the CIEP (ciep.uk), my professional body.
As a freelancer you should consider training in your field of expertise. If you are an editor or proofreader, you may want to specialise by doing a course in a particular niche – in my case, editing educational digital materials.
3. Adding skills to your CV
Add the course you have just completed to your CV and to the Featured section of your LinkedIn profile.
4. Researching new clients
You may have an idea of the kinds of new clients you want to reach out to. When I see a prospective client advertising for staff or freelancers (usually on social media, usually on my phone), I take a screenshot and email it to myself. If I can’t act on it immediately, I move the email to my Prospective Clients email folder.
5. Keeping records
Once a month I go through the emails I have sent myself, add them to my spreadsheet and research each in turn by reading their websites. Some can be prioritised by a) how enthusiastic their website makes me feel; or b) removed from my list because their business would not be a good fit for me. For example they publish fiction.
In my case, as a ex-teacher and primary tutor, I have listed possible clients that publish non-fiction, educational books, and children’s books as they are my proofreading specialisms.
6. Writing emails
About once a month on average, I do a cold-emailing session. In my drafts folder I have a template for each specialism and use the template suitable for the next potential client.
I write a concise subject line keeping it short and relevant, e.g. Proofreader Available. Listing a specific specialism I provide that will help them solve their problem, I keep the email short with no more than five sentences – no one wants to wade through an essay. I don’t make the email emotional, just business-like.
Some companies don’t like emails with attachments. Rather than attach my CV, I tend to end with P.S. My CV is available on request. Unless, of course, a new client has specifically asked for a CV.
I keep possible clients in groups of specialisms. I prepare emails in batches by using copy and paste or a text expander to make the writing process quicker and more efficient. Then I tweak the email to personalise my message. Do not invest emotion or spend hours on one email; there mental turmoil lies.
I do a final check of spelling and punctuation. Mistakes will come across as unprofessional. Take a deep breath and press send. Return to that spreadsheet and record the date when emails were sent. Then I put it to the back of my mind, walk away, and get on with my day.
I don’t worry if I don’t get replies; I don’t take it personally. In truth, I probably get one reply in ten saying they will add me to their database. I comfort myself with the fact that the client that needs me will get back to me. How will they know if I don’t tell them?
Using this technique, I can send up to 10 emails in one hour. In one very quiet month, I cold emailed once a week, sending emails to 40 possible new clients. I have been perfecting my system for two years.
7. Responding to replies
Remember, silence or rejection is a normal part of the cold-emailing process. Don’t let silence discourage you. By following these steps and believing in the value you offer, you will be emailing with confidence.
If the magic happens – a new client replies and reaches out– respond promptly to show integrity and efficiency. Or only send your cold emails when you have time to respond.
8. Build a marketing habit
Once you have a marketing habit that you are comfortable with, repeat the training and cold emailing with regular effort. Establish and maintain a routine that works for you. You will feel braver. I did!
Sprinkling publishing confidence,
Annie
Note: These 8 Steps were part of a PDF guide on my website called Eight steps that worked for me – For business confidence. I repurposed the PDF in my blog post Marketing Mindset.
Emailing
Email me to check my availability for proofreading non-fiction and children’s books.
Subscribing
Subscribe to my blog to receive new posts directly to your email.
It is vital that we take breaks in the daily routine of our freelance business.
How long you break for depends on your concentration levels, work commitments and deadlines.
Tall Tartan Talks here … Taking breaks is an act of self-care to recharge and feel refreshed.
We get so bogged down in how much we need to achieve in a certain time – leading to feelings of overwhelm – that we forget to listen to our body. We ignore our feelings.
Our brains need breaks to rest and refocus. By taking short, deliberate breaks away from your computer screen throughout your day, you give your mental muscles a chance to relax.
How do we incorporate these breaks into our freelance flow? I’ve categorised break activities into periods of time. How much time have you got for a break?
Taking a break for five minutes
I embrace the Pomodoro method (see my mention in this post One Day in My Life as a Proofreader). In short, work for 25 minutes, then have a 5-minute break. As a proofreader this timing works well for me. Five minutes is enough time to rest my eyes.
Tweak this method to include the 20 / 20 / 20 concept. That is, every 20 minutes look away from your screen for 20 seconds to a distance of 20 metres (e.g. out of the window). Set a timer to ensure that you stop and stretch. This break has the effect of resetting your eye muscles, pausing to refresh thinking, and ensuring self-care.
Think of other movement breaks that can be completed in five minutes – you’ll have your favourites.
Taking a break for 30 minutes
Is it time for refreshment break or a meal? Sitting for long periods is not only bad for your posture, but it can also lead to sluggishness. Move around. Make lunch. How about a brisk walk? Do that quick garden job.
In other words, sustenance, movement, fresh air and exercise will clear your head and revitalise your brain.
Taking a break for one hour
I feel most alert first thing so a typical morning means that I will proofread for up to four hours using short break bursts. By the afternoon I often lack energy and feel the need to go into a lower gear.
I take an hour’s break by doing household tasks in small chunks, listening to a podcast, or even picking up a book. Turning off email notifications helps me relax. Try doing nothing without feeling guilty.
Taking a break for a half day
When it’s hard to get started, perhaps on a Monday morning or a rainy Saturday, focus on your business rather than in your business.
Try some CPD – have you got a training module that’s waiting for your attention? Try to engage meaningfully on social media. Post some content. Market your business. Resist the temptation to scroll for hours.
How about switching off completely for a couple of hours? Spend time with others, e.g. arrange to meet someone for coffee in a café. You may even have a hobby (note to self).
Taking a break for one day
When I have finished a particularly intensive project, I timetable a day off before the next project starts. That’s right, I make sure the break is scheduled in my diary so that it does happen. I know!
That date with myself is treated as being as important as any other appointment.
Taking a break for one week
Now for breaks that are longer …
I read a post on LinkedIn where they were expecting a project to be emailed. They were frustrated and disappointed when the client said to expect a delay. It was too late to reschedule another project in that gap. They pondered what could be fitted into their unexpectedly acquired week’s break. Decorating came to mind.
After one week of DIY, they realised how refreshed they felt. It hadn’t dawned on them how much they had needed this break, this recharge, until it was forced on them. Doing something completely different, they admitted was a valuable lesson.
Taking a holiday would have the same effect …
Taking a break for one month
A more serious tone now … When clients are quiet or projects are delayed for a month or more, this is a break with more serious consequences and not of your choosing. It is probably time to review your cash flow.
After one month without work, it may be time to let repeat clients know that you are available or send cold emails to prospective new clients. Here’s a post I wrote about Marketing Mindset. It includes a guide to cold emailing.
Taking a break for two months
When I had a very quiet spell in the winter, I scheduled an ‘important but not urgent’ task – to write an eBook. By following a process of self-publishing my collection of blog posts, my time was spent creatively and proactively.
Consider other sources of income to maintain finances, e.g. I tutor primary children as a reliable source of income to top up my income from proofreading.
Consider ways to protect yourself by reviewing your expenditure, e.g. buy what you need rather than what you want; cancel subscriptions that don’t bring value.
Embracing the breaks
Instead of panicking, think how to be in control of expected and unexpected breaks in your schedule. Be creative. Remember, taking breaks isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of strength and intention.
As a freelancer with my own business I try to thrive not just survive by booking breaks for self-care as well as booking clients as part of my schedule.
When was the last time you felt refreshed and renewed?
As business owners we worry about marketing our skills. I know, I’ve been there. I invite you to activate your business brain. Switch on your marketing mindset.
If you want potential clients to know that you are available for work, you need to tell them using marketing. Otherwise how will they know?
Tall Tartan Talks here … I give you tips on how to market your business. These are strategies I’ve tried when marketing my proofreading business. They have reinforced that I am friendly, efficient and trustworthy. Sprinkling publishing confidence.
LinkedIn
Let’s begin at the beginning. If you don’t have a website, have a presence on social media, for example, LinkedIn. Here’s my profile page.
I post many marketing tips on LinkedIn for edibuddies and other freelancers. Find my tips by searching for my hashtag #TallTartanTips then follow to be notified of my posts.
The tips are handy reminders I have picked up in the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, ciep.uk) forums, at Drive the Partnership Network, and on social media about how to own, run, and market your business.
Use my tips as reminders to help you maintain a positive business brain and marketing mindset.
Tips about marketing your business
I have sorted my tips into six categories:
Useful resources
Using social media
Blogging
How to be a business owner
Motivation tips.
Useful resources
Build a website or pay someone you trust to build it for you. It is your shop window which you own, unlike your social media profiles.
Make time for investigating resources that will help you improve your marketing. Listen to the podcasts of experts in your field.
Invest money in resources: you need to speculate to accumulate. It could be a course or a tool to help you do your job more effectively.
Using social media
Follow useful connections on LinkedIn, who might know others in industries you have an interest in. This could help find you work.
Like, comment, and engage with connections on social media. Be brave.
Be even braver. Plan content for social media. Have a strategy for showcasing your work by sharing testimonials, plans for the coming week, wins of the last week, poignant thoughts that will resonate with others …
Blogging
I use blogging to get eyes on my website. I write posts about freelancing, education, and running a business. Then I share them on social media otherwise no one will know I’ve published a new post.
Search and follow the hashtag for my blog #TallTartanTalks on LinkedIn. Or go to my blog on my website.
I have self-published an eBook collection of my blog posts as a way to explore self-publishing. Find Tall Tartan Talks – My Collection of Blog Posts: Tips on Running a Business on Amazon.
How to be a business owner
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Think of yourself as a business owner wearing many hats. If needs be, outsource the skills you don’t have to those who have the skills.
Practise the 3Ps: patience, perseverance, persistence.
Look out for your physical and mental health. Ensure a work/life balance by setting personal boundaries. Go outside and get some fresh air by walking or gardening. Perhaps walk in the woods among the trees, which works for me.
Motivation tips
Those who go fishing catch the fish.
Thor A Rain, lead writer of the book First Aid For Feelings Manual from The Helpful Clinic (I proofread their book.)
I love this quote because you can’t catch fish (get clients) unless you go fishing (email or phone them). It is up to you to tell clients that you are available for work. How else will they know? It’s a no-brainer.
Thor and Nicki’s book, First Aid For Feelings – the essential Manual for self-care skills and good health, emphasises how to look after yourself and gives tips on how to be physically and mentally healthy. That’s especially important when you run your own business. (See image in my gallery.)
I gain valuable advice from members like Thor when we attend Drive, our networking group on Zoom. The weekly meetings are a collaborative space where my freelancer tribe shares wins, problems and advice. I learn something worthwhile at every meeting which helps me stay motivated. Find your tribe and safe space.
Inspired by Thor, I created a marketing strategy that I use when emailing prospective clients: Eight steps that worked for me.
Testimonial
“Annie encouraged me to market my services to companies I knew I could help. She helped me to see that someone will see your content and want to use your services at some point in the future, so it makes sense to keep marketing.
If you are proactive with marketing, and don’t worry about the responses, you will fit someone’s need, somewhere. You’re right – they won’t know if you don’t tell them. Annie helped me think more clearly about where to go with my marketing. Thank you!”
I travelled to Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes for the 2022 annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP).
As a hybrid event (also available to online delegates on Zoom), not only could delegates meet in person, but those with access issues as well as our international membership (over 20%) could ‘conference’ too. This brought extra meaning to our theme this year Editing in a diverse world which focused on the diversity aspect of editorial work.
Image credit: Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre website
The CIEP conference is held in September every year. The conference provides a range of interesting, relevant and stimulating workshops and seminars, as well as plenty of opportunities for networking with other delegates.
My sixth conference was certainly this. It provided great company with fellow editorial colleagues, learning in the form of continuous professional development (CPD), and laughing … so much laughing!
Pre-conference tour
I arrived on the Saturday afternoon to join the pre-conference tour to The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) next to Bletchley Park. According to its website, it is home to the world’s largest collection of working historic computers. A mind-blowing selection from the very first to the very modern … and everything in between. To see Colossus in action was truly impressive.
Katherine May – author
The conference began with an impressive first speaker. Katherine May wrote The Electricity of Every Living thing about her experience of finding out she was autistic at the age of 39. She explained how she decides whether to tell people she meets … It depends. It can cause unnecessary angst and stress, which was sad to hear. An inspiring talk about someone adapting their life to cope with being neurodiverse.
My conference session choices
I chose which sessions to attend based on my career needs at this present time.
The sessions I chose
Live Proofreading
Creating accessible PDFs: Discoveries, pain points and practical steps
Websites that win clients: How to create or update your online home
Using referencing tools
What to expect when working with educational materials.
Live Proofreading
It was interesting to be in the Live Proofreading session to proofread real manuscripts and discuss what should be corrected or queried. We discussed using ‘pre-flight’ tools, or tools we use to clean up text in Microsoft Word (the industry standard) before the real scrutiny of the text begins. Tools such as PerfectIt and macros. One shortcut I’d not come across before – Shift F3 – is a quick fix for capitalising and uncapping letters.
Creating accessible PDFs: Discoveries, pain points and practical steps
We learnt of features to let all have equal access to PDFs. Factors to bear in mind were structure and navigation of PDFs, including alt text on images, recording using voice recognition, colour contrast on images and websites, reading order and correct linking of website hyperlinks. The majority of my work is in PDF format. It helps if styles are formatted correctly before the document is converted to a PDF.
Websites that win clients: How to create or update your online home
My website (proofnow.co.uk) has been searchable since I first built it when my business was born. I rebranded to update my branding image. Clients find me most often through the contact from on my website, so I know it works and is seen. I’ve written a couple of blog posts about 6 Website features you should check.
However, I felt it was time to modernise it as I direct publishers towards Proofnow, my shop window, to show my availability for proofreading projects.
The session reminded me of the impact my website must make and how I can influence that impact. For example, declutter by reducing word count, use quality images, design call to action (CTA) buttons with branding colours instead of using hyperlinks, reduce ‘Click here’ links (label what the links actually do, and … make best use of space. Tweaking my website will be my first business priority after conference.
Using referencing tools
Having carried out proofreading for students in the past, being reminded about referencing tools and software to increase speed in finding errors and inconsistencies was very useful. I was reminded of Word formatting tools and software for reference completeness and correctness.
What to expect when working with educational materials
As a former teacher, I was aware of all the elements that make up the material for educational packages for schools and colleges. From student books to pedagogy CPD, not forgetting the cultural considerations of … PARSNIPS. Two of my specialisms are Education and ELT so my second business priority is to investigate opportunities for freelance proofreading in these areas.
CIEP delegate pack
Enjoying the gala dinner and guest speaker
The food at the conference was delicious and in plenty. The gala dinner 3-course meal was exceptional and was rounded off by a speech by Rev Richard Coles of BBC fame. He was entertaining, as you’d expect, and he giggled with glee after telling each anecdote. He preferred not to talk about his first novel Murder Before Evensong with editors in the room.
Watching recorded sessions
Spare time after conference will be spent catching up with recordings of the sessions running concurrently.
That’s the huge benefit of a hybrid conference: all sessions are available after conference has ended! My thanks to all the conference team, the speakers, and especially to Ben Dare and his assistants for handling the visual and audio technology, including relaying the comments and questions from the online delegates to the in-person room. Watching them in action was awesome.
Learning from my main takeaways
My background for context: my proofreading clients are educational publishers, English Language Teaching (ELT) publishers, children’s book publishers, and self-publishing authors of children’s books. I also proofread non-fiction for adults, such as business books.
This conference has added to my learning and awareness that we should be sensitive in our use of language in areas of diversity.
I chose sessions that will benefit me and my clients at this point in my freelance business. Working with me will give my clients publishing confidence. Being a CIEP member means that I am a safe pair of hands.
Attending the annual conference reminds me that I’m proud to be part of a collaborative community who learns and laughs together. Conversations with edibuddies, both established and new (especially recent career-changers), are always valuable.
Next year
Next year we meet in Glasgow – my birth home. Tall Tartan hopes to see you there. And, yes, someone did greet me this year with, “It’s Tall Tartan!” So my branding is working 🙂
For my previous conference blog posts, follow these links: 2021 (online), no 2020 blog post, 2019 (Birmingham), and my first blog post about the second conference I attended in 2018 in Lancaster: Why SfEP conference is cool
Tall Tartan
Here are my hashtags if you haven’t seen them and want to find my content on LinkedIn or Twitter. Simply type them into Search in your favoured social media channel, then follow or save.
#TallTartanTips: My tips on owning and running a freelance business
#TallTartanTalks: Blog posts
#TallTartanTimes: Newsletter
Emailing
Email me to check my availability for proofreading non-fiction and children’s books.
Subscribing
Subscribe to my blog to receive new posts directly to your email.
We all need a routine and a structure. Here I describe one day in my life as a proofreader, editor and primary tutor.
Having a business mindset will help structure your daily routine.
Tall Tartan Talks here … Think of yourself as a business owner rather than a freelancer. Knowing your value and worth will help.
Morning schedule
In winter, my routine starts at 7 am; in summer it starts at 6 am. I used to be an owl and stay up late. As I hit middle age I turned into a lark with my day starting earlier and earlier.
It also depends on when my husband gets up. He sits at the dining table eating breakfast and reading a book. I mix a mug of hot water and lemon juice, sit at the other end of the table (that end is my ‘office’), and switch on my laptop.
He often spends the day gardening for clients and leaves the house early to cycle to work.
Answering emails
I find that the morning is the best time for me to respond to emails. Mostly I wake up thinking about phrasing a reply to a received email. Or, I have had a lightbulb moment about who to contact for a possible proofreading job.
I leave the emails in my draft folder, making a note to send them at 9am, which is the start of standard business hours.
Freelancers are as varied as the routines and schedules they follow. Flexibility is key as deadlines can determine the hours worked.
Completing tasks
At this time of the day, I may also get on with one of these tasks:
work on a proofreading or editing project
research facts for a proofreading project or blog post
complete a stage of a CPD training course
prepare a primary tuition lesson.
9.00 am: By the time Mr D has cycled off to work, I have usually done several sets of the Pomodoro timing method. I have completed a couple of hours of work or admin. I realise that I am hungry and should eat some breakfast. A break and a change of view is needed.
I take my Android tablet through to the living room, to a soft chair, where I can sit at the window and look out into the main street. I peruse the comings and goings outside my house, as well as those onscreen in the online newspaper reviews.
9.30 am: My sons (both in their 20s) have gone about their business. They are old enough to be independent, thank goodness. I get on with the next part of the morning routine.
10.30 am: Oldest son switches on the coffee machine for elevenses. By now, I have usually logged on to the CIEP (Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading) forums to view discussions. Since I joined the CIEP in 2017, the forums have become my online staffroom.
Lurking on social media
After coffee, I check social media and may post some content marketing, especially on Linkedin, whether that be freelancer business tips or a blog post.
If you don’t already, search for and follow my hashtags on Linkedin: #TallTartanTips and #TallTartanTalks. Then you won’t miss any of my tips.
Getting on with the day
For the next two hours, my routine continues. I may answer an email proofreading enquiry. The reply conversation goes like this:
Receive an email through the contact form on my website. Currently I am getting enquiries from new, independent children’s authors. They ask if I’m available and how much I charge.
I direct them towards the appropriate page of my website and give them my availability.
I ask them to send the document so I can give a personalised quote. Or send, at the very least, a 1,000 word sample from the middle of their text so I can judge how long it will take me to proofread. (The beginning and ends of the text are usually much better.)
From that sample I can give them a quote. If the project needs my educational specialism, I will also factor in my 30 years of experience as a teacher. I know the value and knowledge I bring to a project.
If the timing and rate suits them, I book them in by sending them a copy of my Terms & Conditions. (See templates in the Resources on my website). If the job is large (over 15,000 words) and is going to take a few days, I send an invoice for the deposit for them to secure a slot in my schedule.
Afternoon routine
1.00 pm: Lunch – joined by Mr D (if he is having an art day in his garden studio). We have been enjoying some comforting homemade soup. A perk of being freelance means I can take as much or as little time for lunch as needed.
2.00 pm: Desperate for some exercise and fresh air by now, I realise that it is time to take my eyes away from the screen.
For 30 minutes, I either head to the shops in town, or I take a brisk walk in the opposite direction, propelled by my walking poles, towards the nearby countryside.
Break time
3.30 pm: Time for a break to move around after another spell on the laptop, and to make a pot of tea. Fruit is the preferred snack if I’m being good. Cake on a Friday …
4.00 pm: Take part in a Zoom networking meeting. It could be CIEP Cloud Club West, or my accountability group, or another. Or it may be a tuition day when I tutor a primary-age child on Zoom.
5.00 pm: Time to wind down. I consider the achievements and the work I haven’t fitted in today. Notes are made for tomorrow, added to the e-list on my smartphone. I like the Evernote app.
Next, cooking the family dinner is a welcome distraction.
Changing habits from the past
When I was teaching primary children full-time (I Ieft the classroom in 2016), I left home at 7:30 am to be at school to prepare my classroom.
I left school each day at 6pm with a trolley-box full of the workbooks I hadn’t had time to mark after 3.15 pm.
I would continue to mark for at least a couple of hours in the evening. It became relentless after doing it for 30 years. I didn’t see much of my own children while I was busy educating the children of others.
Being the boss
When you own your business, you are your own boss. The responsibility is on you to do everything. This will either terrify you or excite you.
You and you alone are in charge of tasks like email admin, IT support (computer and website, and knowing what to do if something goes wrong or know who to ask); accounting (keeping track of income and expenses). Remember to plan time for networking, CPD and marketing. It helps if you know what to do if something goes wrong, or you know who to ask.
But I get a thrill from running my business efficiently and by doing some of the required tasks each day.
If chores get too overwhelming, break down each element of your big task into smaller chunks.
Relaxing in the evening
7.30 pm: I have a last check of my emails and social media. Notifications get switched off and I turn to something different. Maybe a book. As I got up so early in the morning, I’m usually running out of steam by this point.
I only work in the evenings or weekends if I have an urgent deadline or there is a rush job. I charge accordingly for working overtime.
After decades of working an infinite number of unsociable hours, I realise the major importance of having a work–life balance. It is vital for me to have a sense of my self-worth.
Here is the link to my blog page if you want to catch up with previous posts.
Emailing
Email me to check my availability for proofreading non-fiction and children’s books.
Subscribing
Subscribe to my blog to receive new posts directly to your email.
Would you like to get your email inbox down to zero by the end of each day? I didn’t know such a thing was possible. You may wonder, “Inbox zero? What magic is this?”
Tall Tartan Talks here … I have discovered a non-fiction business book called Productivity Ninja by Graham Allcott.
One particular chapter which struck me immediately was about managing your emails. His strategies were revolutionary for me. This blog post is a review of that chapter.
I was one of those people who had over 200 emails in each of my three inboxes. I sorted them occasionally. They were mainly newsletters I subscibe to. Inevitably, if I include my smartphone, I was prone to checking them far too often. But the important emails got lost too easily.
Scrolling through social media didn’t help my efficiency either.
Cluttered inbox
I starred or flagged some important or urgent emails for easy reference, but my inbox was becoming unmanageable. My professional email, annie@proofnow.co.uk was the fullest.
Then I found, in his chapter Ninja Email Processing, where Graham says, “Be a Ninja – take a ruthless approach to emails!” Now I adopt his strategy daily.
Interested? This is how you do it.
Reduce your inbox to zero daily
The bare bones of how to get started are:
Open emails
Create three new files: Action, Read, Waiting
Scan the first couple of lines of each email. If it needs to be dealt with by you immediately, move it into Action. If it isn’t important, move it to Read. If you are waiting for someone else to action, move it to Waiting.
I used to look at my growing email notifications, groan inwardly, feel fear and overwhelm, avoid then stress about what might be in my inbox. When I was waiting for a particular email from a client, I would pause a job whenever a notification sounded, whether that job was proofreading, or tuition preparation. I had to check then and there who it was from, especially if I was expecting an email.
Stop!
Graham suggests that the problem needs to be viewed in a different way: your email inbox is just where your emails land; don’t check your emails, process your emails; and don’t let your emails nag you all day.
Strategy
Firstly, look at your inbox as a landing page, not a to-do list. We tend to keep the emails in that inbox so we don’t lose them. The answer? New folders need to be created to hold actionable emails, and those emails which can be deferred.
Secondly, restrict checking emails to, at most, three times a day.
First thing in the morning, or 9am (or whenever your business day starts).
Second around 4:30pm to give you 30 minutes of reducing your email list to zero. Or later, if you don’t stop on the dot of 5pm.
Third, you may also want to check emails at lunchtime.
Me? … I am slowly weaning myself off reading of emails after 8pm … in an attempt to maintain work boundaries. The same goes for checking social media or message channels. (My excuse is that some of my editor colleagues are in a different time zone.)
How to process (not check) emails:
Scan the first email for a couple of seconds. Don’t hang about. Ask yourself, is it vital I action this? If yes, move it to Action.
Scan the next email. If someone is acknowledging they will action something you have delegated, move it to Waiting. This guarantees that you will have a reminder to follow this up.
If the next email is something not at all urgent but for perusing, say, a subscription which you want to read at your leisure, move it to Read. Don’t start reading it now.
Repeat steps 1–3.
By the end of 30 minutes, there should be zero emails in your inbox.
Repeat three times a day.
Subject folders
You may be like me and organise your emails into many subject, client-baased, or archive folders. Again, this can get out of hand. My next job is to whittle those down to more efficient labels. So that when I have gone through my burgeoning Read folder, I will move each email to a re-named folder, or delete it.
Graham’s theory is that if you have only three folders to move the incoming emails into, it makes decision-making and sorting much easier. Agonising will be reduced to a manageable level.
If, say after a week, you look in the Read folder and email subject is no longer current or valid, then delete it. Or move it to an archive folder.
One of Graham’s tips is to think of a set of Ds: Decide, Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete.
Cut the dead wood
Perhaps you subscribe to newsletters by email. For example, if you follow particular people for their business or subject knowledge … There are many out there. It may be time to review them and prune who you subscribe to.
Try subscribing to one for six months. Count how many of their newsletters you actually read (and follow the advice suggested) in those six months. Be honest. Be brutal. Cut out the dead wood and unsubscribe if the answer is only one or two. That is one way to reduce the number of emails you get.
If you are successful with this method, you have more control over those incoming emails.
Information overload
Information overload is a threat to our productivity, so I recommend Graham’s book if you want to be proactive about reducing that overload. By managing your emails – and your time, by procrastinating less – you can focus on your priorities.
I look forward to finishing Graham’s book. Guess what? I have signed up for his newsletter. Oh the irony!
There you have it. If you learnt something from this post, head over to my Blog page.
Author background: Graham Allcott
Founder of Think Productive (@thinkproductive), Graham Allcott is an entrepreneur, author, speaker and podcaster, offering coaching strategies for business and time management. He is host of the podcast Beyond Busy. His book was first published by Icon Books in 2014, and totally revised in 2019 because of the advances in technology.
There is a lockdown. Schools have closed for all except the children of keyworkers, with a rota of teachers. Parents are home-schooling their children by teaching English, and all the other subjects.
The pupils who I used to teach face-to-face have moved over to online tuition. I have been learning how to use Zoom, and how to share resources using screenshare.
Tall Tartan Talks here … My feeling now is that the information I share in this post about how to teach English is just as important now in the current climate. You will become more aware of just how much there is to teaching English – and that’s just up to Year 6 (age 11) level – never mind GCSE or A level.
Teaching background
I write about my freelance business. I have been providing proofreading and tutoring services since I left classroom teaching in 2016. This is part of my blog series on education, teaching and learning, and how educational publishers and children’s book publishers can benefit from my expertise.
English teaching
When I teach English to primary school children, I could be covering within these six skill areas:
reading decoding and comprehension
spelling
punctuation
grammar
handwriting
writing composition
Reading
The key skill in teaching English is the teaching of reading. Without having efficient reading skills, children find it more difficult to access other areas of the curriculum.
By the time children leave primary school, they should be able to read and understand what they are reading. There are those children (below average) who can decode (break down) the sounds in words to help them recognise and pronounce them.
More able children can read challenging texts fluently. When I taught in the classroom it was a pleasure to hear a child read with expression or have confidence performing with drama. It was equally pleasing to see the progress made by a child who was struggling with phonics. Those lightbulb moments are priceless.
Infer and deduce
It is intriguing to teach more able readers how to infer and deduce (read ‘between the lines’) by increasing their vocabulary, by prompting them to understand what that challenging vocabulary means, by leading them to dig deeper into the text.
It is encouraging to watch reluctant readers laugh at the stories spun by authors such as Liz Pichon (Tom Gates). They want to read on … But it is also frustrating when they ignore an unfamiliar word, hoping it will just become invisible. I teach them to become inquisitive enough to want to find out why the author chose that word, investigating how that word adds to the story.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG)
Three elements of English – Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar – have been turned into a variety of acronyms by the Department for Education over the years: their incarnations have been SPaG, GPS, … In the 2010s the government introduced intensive assessment of SPaG at the end of key stage 2 (Year 6), which resulted in children being taught far more about grammar than they need to know at that age.
Let’s begin with Spelling.
Spelling
I find that children generally divide into two camps: either they can spell, or they can’t. Some children really worry about spelling. Some don’t know what the fuss is about – spelling isn’t important to them. Or there are those who are proud because correct spelling comes easily to them. They got perfect marks on the weekly spelling test.
When tutoring my pupils, I ask them to look at the spelling of a word they have written. Does it look right? Does it match spelling patterns they know?
Spelling can be taught in fun ways using games, e.g. Scrabble, wordsearch, to name just two. ZType is a typing app which reinforces spelling in a fun way. Try it!
Children with dyslexia are a different discussion. Thankfully they now get more recognition and help now than in the past.
Punctuation
It was so frustrating when, in upper primary, I experienced children forgetting to use capital letters and full stops to begin and end a sentence. Ironically, they could use more advanced forms of punctuation, but forgot the skills taught in Year 1.
By Year 2 (age 7) children are taught to add to their knowledge of punctuation by using a question mark or exclamation mark. By Year 5 (age 9) children are taught to use a wide range of punctation, including the semicolon (an elaborate comma) and colon (introduces further information).
When I wrote their ideas on the whiteboard or Learning Wall during Guided Writing, pupils were keen to point out punctuation errors (deliberate mistakes made by me) but they weren’t as observant in their own writing. Children had to be retaught to punctuate as they wrote, rather than put the punctuation in afterwards.
Which is why writers perhaps can’t see the wood for the trees and need a trained editor and/or proofreader to find errors.
Grammar
Here are some terms you may not have come across before. They are assessed in the SPaG SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) for Year 6 (age 11) at the end of Key Stage 2.
Let’s try some … Can you identify the following?
What is:
an adjective
an adverb
a fronted adverbial
a modal verb
a conjunction
a subordinate clause
a relative clause
active voice
passive voice?
Here are the answers, if you are curious:
adjective: describes the noun
adverb: describes the verb (sometimes ending with ‘ly’)
fronted adverbials: an adverb which starts a sentence pausing with a comma, e.g. ‘In the far distance, …’
modal verbs: verbs which show possibility or likelihood
conjunctions: used to be called connectives – links two clauses with ‘and’, ‘but, ‘or’, etc.
subordinate clause: a clause which depends on the main clause to make sense
relative clause: a subordinate clause introduced by a relative pronoun, e.g. who, which, whose
active voice: the subject of the sentence is doing or being, e.g. The cooks burned the apple pie.
passive voice: the subject is being acted on by the object, e.g. The apple pie was burned by the cooks.
However, this is not the place for a debate about which and why grammar rules should be taught to 7 – 11 year olds.
Right, moving straight on to something a little less controversial …
Handwriting
According to the national curriculum, children should be joining their handwriting from Year 2.
I get much satisfaction from showing children how to form their letters correctly. Tall letters have ascenders (lines going up, e.g. b, d, h, k, l, t) and others have descenders (lines going down, e.g. g, j, p, q, y). The letter f, when handwritten, should have both.
Each school usually has their own handwriting policy. Some schools advocate teaching cursive handwriting from EYFS Reception (Early Years Foundation Stage). That’s fine if the child demonstrates good fine motor control with the pencil, but I’m not convinced. Then again, I never taught in an EYFS classroom. (I was too tall to get my legs under the tiddly tables!)
Another tip I offer is to dot the i’s and cross the t’s after the whole word is written, rather than lift the pencil/pen and stop the flow of the word to finish those letters. Try it with the word ‘little’. Oh, and remember that those l’s are ascenders, so will be taller than those standard i’s and e’s.
Neatly joined handwriting has its place and does look absolutely exquisite in the right setting. But the quality of the handwriting should be appropriate to the audience. For a quick visit to the shops with a list just for one’s own viewing, a scribble is sufficient. On the other hand, perfecting the greeting on a card to Granny is the opportunity to be proud of neatly joined, cursive script.
An example of a student handwriting sheet which encourages the use of ascenders and descenders.
Writing composition
There is nothing more thrilling than to have a child show their learning by incorporating features of writing you have taught into an unaided composition.
Whether the genre is myths, legends, historical, comedy or horror, their ability to show understanding of the features of that genre is a mark of their progress and success as writers.
Their skills at writing are enhanced if they are reading a wide variety of genres. If they can also build believable characters, with imaginative speech which moves the story on, and they can talk directly to the reader, their writing becomes a sheer joy to read.
By Year 6, most children can include a wide range of devices in their writing: plot structure; description of setting and characters using vivid adjectives and adverbs, similes and metaphors; action between characters; speech (using the rules of dialogue punctuation); and punctuation. Even showing contrast of types and lengths of sentences, e.g. ‘long / short / long’ or ‘short / long / short’ for dramatic effect.
The hardest concept for some children to grasp is how to lay out paragraphs. They are taught to start a new idea on a new line with a small indent. Each paragraph should have a new idea. One example of a model to help understanding is to show children fiction authors’ work where paragraphs have been jumbled. The task is to rearrange them so that the meaning of the overall text makes sense.
So, all these elements are taught in a module lasting several weeks over a half term, building up their skills, until the children get a chance to show that they can apply their learning.
At the end of an hour’s composition, the children are given the opportunity to read their work back to themselves. In the classroom, they would whisper aloud so they could hear it. Hearing it spoken is a tip for the checking of any errors. Editors and proofreaders do it as a proven strategy!
Hoping this helps
To finish, you will find some helpful websites below about the teaching of primary English. They will be especially useful if you are home-schooling.
Subscribing
Subscribe to my blog to receive new posts directly to your email.
Emailing
Contact me by email to check my availability for proofreading non-fiction, education books and children’s books.
Education blog posts
See the links below to the other posts in my series on education:
Want to be a proofreader? Wondering about proofreading training? Are you a possible client wondering about my professional qualifications?
In this episode I go into more detail about my ongoing training to develop my proofreading business. In previous posts (How I Started, Business Plan and Training, Website Building and Social Media and To Business) I detailed my voyage towards becoming a freelance providing proofreading services after decades as a primary school teacher.
If you are confused about what proofreading training to do (and training is vital to show your professionalism) this blog may help you make up your mind. Especially if, like me, you have no background in publishing.
Learning something new
After three decades as a primary school teacher, I had succumbed to work-related stress and was on sick leave for five months. Then I had to come to terms with a dawning and daunting fact: a life I had known for 30 years was coming to an end. I was desperate to find a Plan B.
The medication for my newly discovered heart problem (atrial fibrillation) was taking time to embed, and I looked for something to take my mind off my worries. I saw an advert in a magazine for a proofreading course and thought – marking’s my thing, why don’t I try it?
Chapterhouse Publishing
The course was the Chapterhouse Correspondence Course in Proofreading and Copy-editing. I was eager to change direction. I pottered through the course while ‘lunching with ladies’, enjoying my recovery. It took me six months to undertake each section of the four modules. I was happy with what I learnt in the proofreading basics: the British Standards Institute proof correction marks, using shorter and longer exercises to practise using the symbols. The exercises are all done on hard copy with red and blue pen! However, copy-editing confused me.
This all happened before my business and website was a twinkle in my eye. But the thought was in the back of my mind. I registered as unemployed, and as detailed in the post ‘Business Plan and Training’, subsequently applied for the New Enterprise Allowance.
My Business Plan was as follows:
Become a member of the SfEP (now CIEP).
Start training …
(And so on.)
Of course, if I had known then what I know now … Now I am aware that the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) and the Publishing Training Centre (PTC) offer some of the most reputable training in proofreading and copy-editing.
Courses
So, during the time I have owned my business Proofnow Proofreader (at this point in my third year), I have ticked off the following courses:
Proofreading Progress
References
Getting Work with Non-publishers
Educational Publishing Development Day
There follows a brief summary and my take on each course. These have contributed to my upgrade from Entry Member to Intermediate. For all the courses, you are appointed a tutor and given login details to a forum for students within the course section, to ask questions within a safe environment.
Here is the link to the Training page of the website.
Proofreading 2: Progress (Was P2 now P3)
As I had already got the basics in proofreading knowledge, I headed towards the online course Proofreading Progress. (Then P2. Now the final of three.) I learnt loads more, got confused many times, then thankfully reached surprising clarity and confidence. Grade: Pass!
I was now able to add my qualification to my website with pride.
References Course
My main motivation for doing this particular course was that up, until now, I had worked solely with students, proofreading theses and dissertations. I could justify charging more for services if I could offer more skills. As with all the courses, I found out that there was much more to references than I imagined.
It is an online self-assessment course which means that you learn the facts, take the test at the end of each exercise, check the answers, and move to the next exercise. The concepts covered include the author-date, short-title, and number systems. A useful tip I picked up was to use the software Edifix.
Finally, you print the certificate to confirm completion of the course. It was the hardest course I have ever done. I didn’t enjoy the experience at all. But I learnt a massive amount about a huge variety of references. My notes will be referred to when I need them.
Getting Work with Non-publishers
By February 2018, I wanted to take on a course run as a workshop, to enable networking and discussion with fellow students. I headed to the training building in London and met eight proofreaders/editors/project managers doing the course – all fellow members. Some of whom had been working for educational publishers. But who wanted out and onto other opportunites. Eagerly, I took their contact details as this was one of the routes into publishing I was looking for …
During the day’s workshop we learnt about considering other fields outside publishing, e.g. businesses, large charities, government; how to market ourselves; and how to approach potential clients. The workshop made us think ‘outside the box’. (This course is no longer available.)
Educational Publishing Development Day
When I saw this advertised, I couldn’t resist – Education – it was right up my street! It was booked months in advance, such was its popularity and the calibre of speakers. Again, I headed up to the training building and found myself in a large room with upwards of 80 delegates. But I recognised some faces, thank goodness, and it was lovely to reconnect with members from around the UK. (Organised by Anya Hastwell – then the professional development director.)
Two speakers who stood out were:
Sophie O’Rourke – Managing Director at EMC Design. She covered what freelancers need to know about the current requirements of educational publishers.
Astrid deRidder – Head of Global Custom Publishing at Macmillan Education [international/ELT focus]. Very entertaining and knowledgeable about making educational textbooks relevant to international and particular cultures.
Technology
As someone who has used textbooks in the Primary classroom for decades, I find the development of e-learning materials most interesting. For at least the last 10 years, starting with the installation of interactive whiteboards and projectors, and each teacher being given a laptop, the developing complexity of technology has been exciting. This, coupled with the changing national curriculums from the government of the day, has led to startling, but inevitable, changes in the way teaching and learning happens in the classroom.
E-learning
The arrival in schools of banks of iPads added a new layer of excitement when used as a resource in subjects like ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Though now I think it’s just called Computing (Primary Curriculum 2018). The devices made Guided Reading group sessions very popular, using the Pearson scheme called Bug Club.
My favourite new technology is augmented reality, e.g. pictures in books being brought to life by an app. I think. I first saw this in practice in an Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, or Reception) class of 4-5 year olds. It really got their attention!
Mentoring and being mentored
I have been fortunate that I have been able to invest in my Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with the SfEP over the last three years. What’s the expression? ‘Speculate to accumulate.’
My hope is to save enough over the next few months to take part in the mentoring scheme as a mentee. Plus attend the SfEP 2019 Conference. Booking is nearly open! We’ll all be asking questions. How about a blog about my last two conferences? Alright, if you insist.
One of my strengths, I have found through the years, is that I am efficient at paperwork and recording. One of my roles in our household is handling the finances. So I was keen to start things properly as a business owner, and have legally binding templates in place. Three of the following I found on the SfEP website or recommended on forums:
Terms and Conditions (T&Cs; no longer available)
Invoices
Feedback form to prompt a testimonial from a happy client
A recording system for paid invoices.
If you read this blog all the way to the end, you will find the link to free resource templates on my website, which you are welcome to tweak.
You soon discover, as a freelance, that you wear many *hats*. My job as a teacher was very similar – time had to be managed efficiently to fit it all in. One of the many *hats* you wear as a freelance sole-trader is that of business admin.
Once I had built a basic form of my website, I registered as self-employed for self-assessment with HMRC, then prepared the documents. Now I was ready for my first client … eek!
Where to find freelance jobs?
I see this question asked many times on Facebook freelancer groups and on the SfEP forums. “Where do you find opportunities for paid work?”
I signed up for Find a Proofreader. This was the directory I preferred to use to register my services. There is a wide selection of directories out there. There are also strong views about the poor rates offered. They are good to start with for experience. But that topic is not for now.
Initially, I targeted students, as education is my specialism. I followed the advice of Nick Jones (owner of FAP), from his session at the SfEP 2017 Conference, to make my profile as relevant as possible. Sadly, I have never been quick enough to land a proofreading job with this site. Your application has to be very quick off the mark – as soon as a query is sent out!
Universities are another source of work from students. I googled many universities and, in some cases, found the relevant proofreading guidelines page with their policy. I could, therefore, gauge the advice students were being offered.
My first proofreading job
I confess I didn’t know much about marketing when I first started my business. So, imagine my joy, three months after I had applied to be on the Register of Proofreaders at a major university in East Anglia, to receive a query from a student.
Once I had seen a sample, we agreed a rate per 1,000 words and the deadline for the return of the dissertation. She agreed to my T&Cs. I conscientiously got on with the job with fervour.
I finished the job in good time. When I returned her checked writing, I attached a copy of my invoice. I was lucky that she was a prompt payer; and that she was happy to give me a good testimonial about my thorough approach. An excellent first job. Phew!
Since then I have done proofreading for about 10 students, checking for errors and inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation, grammar and context.
Working with students
Of course there are issues around proofreading for students … How much of the writing do you change?
One non-English speaking student wasn’t happy with my proofreading when I sent the proofed dissertation chapter. He pointed out the *errors* I had *missed*. After enquiring, it transpired that he wanted his English to be improved. I recommended that he look for an editor with the permission of his supervisor.
As a result of the misunderstanding on his part, I tweaked the wording on the website page for student clients. To make my terms absolutely clear. I emphasised my role: to indicate errors only and with the permission of the supervisor. The SfEP have an excellent guide called ‘Proofreading Theses and Dissertations’.
Payments, deposits and late payments
A question many people ask is “Will I earn enough to pay the bills?” The answer: It depends …
You probably won’t earn enough to begin with, as, on average, it can take up to two years to grow your business to something sustainable. In fact, many people have a part-time job alongside editing or proofreading. I go out every afternoon to tutor primary children – the change of scene does me good. Two other members of my family also have a *portfolio* of jobs: my husband, for example, has a gardening business to pay the bills alongside art, his other vocation. His week is a mixture of both.
Bank transfer is the usual preference as a payment method by freelancers. Some freelancers prefer clients to use Paypal or Stripe, among others. Again I have observed many views on this subject.
A tip I have picked up from fellow SfEP-ers is to charge a deposit if the project is large, or going to be split over a few weeks. For one student client, I have charged 50%. But it depends on the freelancer and client. For example, that student wanted to send me module 1 to proofread immediately, then, a month later, module 2.
A growing problem which freelancers experience is those clients who pay late or, worse, not at all. A solution is to include a clause on your invoice explaining the Late Payment Fees. Another method is to request settlement of the balance payment before releasing the completed files. This strategy refers to independent clients rather than companies / publishers.
I have got used to spreadsheets. I record the invoice number next to the client name, the amount paid and when. This way my accounts are accurate and up-to-date for tax purposes.
Creative paperwork – no, not that kind!
When you are busy being creative with the images and banner (maybe even a logo?) on your company branding for your website and social media. Here’s another tip: remember to carry it through onto your business templates. It continues your personality and makes it consistent.
My to-do list
Now (two years later) I have evolved with my business. More SfEP training and a wide range of networking has encouraged me to psych myself up to try a variety of marketing strategies. Imposter syndrome has a lot to answer for.
Cold email local businesses, such as Chambers of Commerce, to advertise my availability.
Advertise myself to more educational publishers to proofread Primary textbooks, now that I feel competent enough.
Provide proofreading specialisms to publishers of children’s fiction and non-fiction. I have discovered that this really excites me!
Therefore, my next job is to add to my spreadsheet of publishers to contact.
This involves listing the publisher/packager name, project manager/editor contact email, date of my introductory email sent, date of reply (if any). I am pleased to say that, out of the first 15 publishers I emailed, I had a positive reply from two! So have a 13% success rate. Which I’m told is good!
But it does mean investing a huge amount of emotional energy, which most of the time isn’t rewarded. But so worth it for the 10%. Learn to develop patience, persistence and perseverance. Or, put another way, ‘a dropped pebble starts ripples’.
Find free resources on my website. It can be very daunting starting your own business. If you want to ask questions or to share experiences, I’m here.
