Posts
I've worked my socks off since the end of last week, copy-editing a PhD thesis. It took longer than expected and my arms, shoulders and legs ache from being sat in a chair for 3 whole days.
I'm behind with everything else, unsurprisingly.
I'm going out to a posh networking dinner tonight at the racecourse, for a bit of R and R. By the time I get home, my beloved P will be back from his trip away and probably asleep in bed. I last saw him at 5.45 am yesterday, which means I'm unlikely to see him again until I wake up tomorrow.
Then I'll be playing catch-up - with him and the neglected work pile...
15 November 2006
13 November 2006
Overdue recognition
The Guardian published a column today by Kim Fletcher, who praises the sub-editors who dig journalists out of deep holes. You can read it here.
I used to work as a staff sub-editor on several consumer mags. The pressure is horrendous and you are expected to produce perfect pages with tip-top accuracy against outrageous deadlines. The accuracy is not a problem for the likes of myself and others dedicated to the craft of maintaining quality English. But I've lost count of the number of times I've saved a hack's skin because what they submitted was, well, shite, to be honest. As Fletcher says, journalists win awards for stuff they have had published that without the sub's intervention would have been unreadable.
Just today, I saw on a listserv I subscribe to a request for advice from a wannabe about becoming a feature writer. His post was littered with typos, including a comment that maybe he should take a "different tact". Yeah, well...
I've always maintained that a bad writer will always be a bad writer. If you seriously want to be a good writer, it helps to be able to spell and know how to punctuate properly. And having a grasp of good grammar wouldn't go amiss either.
Fletcher goes on to remark that papers are finding it difficult to recruit sub-editors these days. I'm not surprised. The pay is lousy, with starting levels at around £15k, meaning that no one except school-leavers and graduates could possibly be interested. You can't survive on that sort of money, let alone pay a mortage and feed a family. And today's school-leavers and graduates are of the generation that were not taught grammar in school and wouldn't have a clue how to edit. Let's face it, those of us who do know have all gone freelance. If the press wants to boost recruitment into what is a highly skilled job, they need to raise starting pay levels to a minimum £25k pa, and offer training as well.
Otherwise, the industry will continue to bleed existing talent and fail to unearth new.
I used to work as a staff sub-editor on several consumer mags. The pressure is horrendous and you are expected to produce perfect pages with tip-top accuracy against outrageous deadlines. The accuracy is not a problem for the likes of myself and others dedicated to the craft of maintaining quality English. But I've lost count of the number of times I've saved a hack's skin because what they submitted was, well, shite, to be honest. As Fletcher says, journalists win awards for stuff they have had published that without the sub's intervention would have been unreadable.
Just today, I saw on a listserv I subscribe to a request for advice from a wannabe about becoming a feature writer. His post was littered with typos, including a comment that maybe he should take a "different tact". Yeah, well...
I've always maintained that a bad writer will always be a bad writer. If you seriously want to be a good writer, it helps to be able to spell and know how to punctuate properly. And having a grasp of good grammar wouldn't go amiss either.
Fletcher goes on to remark that papers are finding it difficult to recruit sub-editors these days. I'm not surprised. The pay is lousy, with starting levels at around £15k, meaning that no one except school-leavers and graduates could possibly be interested. You can't survive on that sort of money, let alone pay a mortage and feed a family. And today's school-leavers and graduates are of the generation that were not taught grammar in school and wouldn't have a clue how to edit. Let's face it, those of us who do know have all gone freelance. If the press wants to boost recruitment into what is a highly skilled job, they need to raise starting pay levels to a minimum £25k pa, and offer training as well.
Otherwise, the industry will continue to bleed existing talent and fail to unearth new.
09 November 2006
Forgot to mention
I also cooked dinner, emptied and refilled the dishwasher and put a load of laundry in the machine because the cleaner is here tomorrow and I want the ironing done.
I sound bitter in my last post. I'm not. I'm just tired and overwhelmed. And I missed The Archers and not even a dose of The State Within followed by EastEnders on BBC3 has lifted my mood.
Is it really less than a month since we came back from our holiday? It feels like a lifetime.
I sound bitter in my last post. I'm not. I'm just tired and overwhelmed. And I missed The Archers and not even a dose of The State Within followed by EastEnders on BBC3 has lifted my mood.
Is it really less than a month since we came back from our holiday? It feels like a lifetime.
Just when I thought...
...it couldn't possibly get any busier, I'm being bombarded with demands on my time.
I spent Wednesday in London, at an editorial summit for a magazine I write and commission for. Armed with my new laptop, I installed Open Office (for free) so I could work on stuff while on the train. The night before my trip, I received 100,000 words of PhD thesis to edit, so I copied it on to the laptop smug in the knowledge that Virgin Pendolinos provide sockets to plug portables into. Yes, I was going to work on the train. And work I did. Except that I quickly discovered that Open Office doesn't offer a Track Changes facility as standard and - guess what? - I'd promised my client I'd use Track Changes... Sigh. I did what I could and it made the journey go faster, but I had to spend 2 hours today going over the edit because OO is not fully compatible with Word and of course, I can't charge for that time.
Despite such problems, the summit went well and I also made some useful contacts at the meeting place. Came home tired but chirpy.
Woke up at 4am, sweating profusely and having nightmares about spam emails. Got up, brewed tea, did sudoku, caught up on the email backlog. After showering, I resumed work on the PhD thesis and juggled constant interruptions. I found out that my beloved P had failed to tell me the night before of the messages on the answering machine - one of my regular clients was trying to get in touch to book editorial time. That dealt with, I went to play back the missed messages. One from a marketing agency that wants to hire me as a sub-contractor - I think not. My lovely graphic designer did work for them last year and had a struggle getting paid. I haven't called the agency back yet - let them sweat. One from a charity I'm trying to source pics from for a feature - I rang back but no answer. Will try again tomorrow.
Email then arrived from an ex-client I was convinced had dumped me after I had a dispute with our mutual contact. But apparently not - he's sent me a case study to edit. A phone call would have been good, to ask when I could do it. Sigh again - will call tomorrow to sort it out. A local freelance emailed asking for advice on rates - that was dealt with quickly enough, but some thanks for my input would have been appreciated. Ditto the writer who found me on MySpace asking about two-deck headlines. Sometimes I feel like Marje Proops - everyone wants my time but no one ever says thanks.
On top of that, my scientific client finally resurfaced after yet another AWOL break to give me the data I need so I need to squeeze in time first thing to finish that job. Thankfully, it won't take long. I have outstanding invoices to send, clients to chase and even though I've had a large drink I feel pulled in all directions. I need a PA. Fast.
God knows how I'll finish the PhD thesis on deadline. And I still have half a long feature to write.
Take my advice. Don't ever become a freelance.
I spent Wednesday in London, at an editorial summit for a magazine I write and commission for. Armed with my new laptop, I installed Open Office (for free) so I could work on stuff while on the train. The night before my trip, I received 100,000 words of PhD thesis to edit, so I copied it on to the laptop smug in the knowledge that Virgin Pendolinos provide sockets to plug portables into. Yes, I was going to work on the train. And work I did. Except that I quickly discovered that Open Office doesn't offer a Track Changes facility as standard and - guess what? - I'd promised my client I'd use Track Changes... Sigh. I did what I could and it made the journey go faster, but I had to spend 2 hours today going over the edit because OO is not fully compatible with Word and of course, I can't charge for that time.
Despite such problems, the summit went well and I also made some useful contacts at the meeting place. Came home tired but chirpy.
Woke up at 4am, sweating profusely and having nightmares about spam emails. Got up, brewed tea, did sudoku, caught up on the email backlog. After showering, I resumed work on the PhD thesis and juggled constant interruptions. I found out that my beloved P had failed to tell me the night before of the messages on the answering machine - one of my regular clients was trying to get in touch to book editorial time. That dealt with, I went to play back the missed messages. One from a marketing agency that wants to hire me as a sub-contractor - I think not. My lovely graphic designer did work for them last year and had a struggle getting paid. I haven't called the agency back yet - let them sweat. One from a charity I'm trying to source pics from for a feature - I rang back but no answer. Will try again tomorrow.
Email then arrived from an ex-client I was convinced had dumped me after I had a dispute with our mutual contact. But apparently not - he's sent me a case study to edit. A phone call would have been good, to ask when I could do it. Sigh again - will call tomorrow to sort it out. A local freelance emailed asking for advice on rates - that was dealt with quickly enough, but some thanks for my input would have been appreciated. Ditto the writer who found me on MySpace asking about two-deck headlines. Sometimes I feel like Marje Proops - everyone wants my time but no one ever says thanks.
On top of that, my scientific client finally resurfaced after yet another AWOL break to give me the data I need so I need to squeeze in time first thing to finish that job. Thankfully, it won't take long. I have outstanding invoices to send, clients to chase and even though I've had a large drink I feel pulled in all directions. I need a PA. Fast.
God knows how I'll finish the PhD thesis on deadline. And I still have half a long feature to write.
Take my advice. Don't ever become a freelance.
07 November 2006
Drat!
My previous-but-one entry has vanished! It was there earlier, but disappeared into the ether after I posted the last one a few minutes ago.
Gone. Forever. And fat chance of retrieving it...
Gone. Forever. And fat chance of retrieving it...
Contracts
I received interesting mail on Saturday - an offer to become a preferred supplier for a client I'd just done my first job for. A contract was enclosed. I had a quick glance at it then tossed it to one side.
As a freelance, I write my own contracts for most clients (not all, there are a favoured few that I trust not to mess me around and pay on time). It's part of working for oneself - the right to pick and choose clients and set your own terms and conditions.
I asked my beloved P to cast his professional eye over the contract I was offered. In short, it said (and I quote P): "You, personally, have to be available to do work for XXX all the time on our terms, i.e. you waive your own T&Cs. If you are not going to be available you have to tell us in advance, or you will become liable for any losses we incur. If we have a dispute then you are not allowed to keep any papers you may need to prove your side of the case."
I was stunned, because I hadn't read any of the contract and could scarcely believe I would be expected to work under such draconian conditions (possibly even Dickensian). It was the closest said client could get to employing me, without actually employing me.
I did a bit of asking around among others who have worked for this client. Quite a few thought I was overreacting. In the end, I rang the client yesterday to talk it over and pointed out the various problems with the wording. The client agreed that some of it was ambiguous and is now going to come up with a tailormade contract for me. Although I'm still deciding whether or not I want to work regularly for them or not.
I've had a pleasant 24 hours writing about wines and firing off invoices. My laptop is recharging and I'm preparing for a day out in The Smoke - coffee, cake, work chat and shopping...
As a freelance, I write my own contracts for most clients (not all, there are a favoured few that I trust not to mess me around and pay on time). It's part of working for oneself - the right to pick and choose clients and set your own terms and conditions.
I asked my beloved P to cast his professional eye over the contract I was offered. In short, it said (and I quote P): "You, personally, have to be available to do work for XXX all the time on our terms, i.e. you waive your own T&Cs. If you are not going to be available you have to tell us in advance, or you will become liable for any losses we incur. If we have a dispute then you are not allowed to keep any papers you may need to prove your side of the case."
I was stunned, because I hadn't read any of the contract and could scarcely believe I would be expected to work under such draconian conditions (possibly even Dickensian). It was the closest said client could get to employing me, without actually employing me.
I did a bit of asking around among others who have worked for this client. Quite a few thought I was overreacting. In the end, I rang the client yesterday to talk it over and pointed out the various problems with the wording. The client agreed that some of it was ambiguous and is now going to come up with a tailormade contract for me. Although I'm still deciding whether or not I want to work regularly for them or not.
I've had a pleasant 24 hours writing about wines and firing off invoices. My laptop is recharging and I'm preparing for a day out in The Smoke - coffee, cake, work chat and shopping...
31 October 2006
Eerily quiet
I check my website stats daily. It usually generates hits in the double figures every day, even at weekends. But no one visited over the weekend and I had only 1 sole page hit yesterday. One visitor has been today and looked at 2 pages. This is the quietest my website has ever been. Very odd.
I spent most of yesterday editing articles I've commissioned for a magazine. I'm still waiting for the short story to arrive and I have a lot of writing to do for my big feature. I started slogging away on it yestereday afternoon. I'd hoped for an easy ride, having emailed interview questions to my subject across the pond. Most of what came back was web links to other sites so now I'm having to do the research as well. Very slow going. Bah.
I spent most of yesterday editing articles I've commissioned for a magazine. I'm still waiting for the short story to arrive and I have a lot of writing to do for my big feature. I started slogging away on it yestereday afternoon. I'd hoped for an easy ride, having emailed interview questions to my subject across the pond. Most of what came back was web links to other sites so now I'm having to do the research as well. Very slow going. Bah.
27 October 2006
10 things
1. I've run out of stamps but it's raining too hard to go to the Post Office. Luckily I only need to post one letter today and I had one stamp left.
2. My missing client actually answered the phone today and progress on phase 2 of the project is resuming forthwith.
3. I've done a quote for the wine copy job. It won't make a fortune but it will be fun.
4. Someone on a networking forum kindly suggested me as a good person to write a press release. I didn't jump in and offer my services as I really need some time next week to catch up on my journalism commissions. Just as well - when I looked again at the thread a little later, I discovered the person in need works for one of those ghastly companies that writes essays for students. And as you all know, I don't approve of plagiarism.
5. I'm seriously debating resigning from a listserv for journalists I subscribe to - it's getting increasingly tedious on there and I regret adding my opinion to a debate on blogging. I got jumped on because people failed to read my post properly. Pah.
6. I'm also planning not to renew my subscriptions to the local Chamber of Commerce and a regional networking group I joined as they are not value for money.
7. I finally turned on the central heating in my office - it's too cold to sit here now without heat, even with a fleece on. I wish I was still in Crete.
8. I installed Firefox 2 yesterday - it's looking good so far except some of my extensions no longer work. Still better than the appalling IE though... FF2 loads pages faster and is way more secure.
9. The book on polyamory I proofread a few weeks ago is selling well. I enjoyed listening to the author on BBC local radio two days ago - she came across really eloquently and had the strongest arguments of the panel.
10. It's Friday, which means pre-Hallowe'en drinks with my beloved P at a friend's tonight and tomorrow I have a birthday party to look forward to.
2. My missing client actually answered the phone today and progress on phase 2 of the project is resuming forthwith.
3. I've done a quote for the wine copy job. It won't make a fortune but it will be fun.
4. Someone on a networking forum kindly suggested me as a good person to write a press release. I didn't jump in and offer my services as I really need some time next week to catch up on my journalism commissions. Just as well - when I looked again at the thread a little later, I discovered the person in need works for one of those ghastly companies that writes essays for students. And as you all know, I don't approve of plagiarism.
5. I'm seriously debating resigning from a listserv for journalists I subscribe to - it's getting increasingly tedious on there and I regret adding my opinion to a debate on blogging. I got jumped on because people failed to read my post properly. Pah.
6. I'm also planning not to renew my subscriptions to the local Chamber of Commerce and a regional networking group I joined as they are not value for money.
7. I finally turned on the central heating in my office - it's too cold to sit here now without heat, even with a fleece on. I wish I was still in Crete.
8. I installed Firefox 2 yesterday - it's looking good so far except some of my extensions no longer work. Still better than the appalling IE though... FF2 loads pages faster and is way more secure.
9. The book on polyamory I proofread a few weeks ago is selling well. I enjoyed listening to the author on BBC local radio two days ago - she came across really eloquently and had the strongest arguments of the panel.
10. It's Friday, which means pre-Hallowe'en drinks with my beloved P at a friend's tonight and tomorrow I have a birthday party to look forward to.
26 October 2006
Uni corn
The postie delivered a gem from the local university this morning - I got a letter asking if I'd be willing to offer a work placement to a student. I wish these "work-based learning managers" - as they call themselves - would do their research properly. Then they would have twigged that I'm a sole trader, working from home. I have no liability insurance for students (or even clients) that enter my workplace (aka spare reception room that functions as my office). There's no room in here for a student and I certainly don't have any work going here for them. Unless they want to sit and watch me type all day, interspersed with breaks for coffee, rummages through a dictionary and a spot of surfing. I can't imagine that it would be either exciting or teach them anything.
The boss of said student placement unit lives just a few doors away from me in my street, is a friend and runs a very good local business networking group that I attend. So her staff had no excuse for not checking me out first - a simple phone call would have sufficed, in which I could have told them in less than 30 seconds why I'm not a suitable candidate for their programme.
The writer of the letter also got my job title wrong (editorial manager? Does she think I run a publishing company?) AND my address! Gah.
I'm quite amused that students these days have someone paid to find work placements on their behalf. When I was doing my BA, I had to find my own placement then get my tutor to approve it. Does no one have any initiative any more?
The boss of said student placement unit lives just a few doors away from me in my street, is a friend and runs a very good local business networking group that I attend. So her staff had no excuse for not checking me out first - a simple phone call would have sufficed, in which I could have told them in less than 30 seconds why I'm not a suitable candidate for their programme.
The writer of the letter also got my job title wrong (editorial manager? Does she think I run a publishing company?) AND my address! Gah.
I'm quite amused that students these days have someone paid to find work placements on their behalf. When I was doing my BA, I had to find my own placement then get my tutor to approve it. Does no one have any initiative any more?
25 October 2006
Easy money
I've just earned a very handsome sum for proofreading a website belonging (sort of) to one of the powers that be. The downside was, it was deadly dull and needed a lot of concentration. But in two days I've earned what I normally earn in a week, so no complaints there. I could do with more jobs like that. So I asked the client - nicely - to consider me for future projects. I'm sure he will - he seems pretty chuffed with me so far.
My missing client has finally resurfaced so I'll be calling him first thing tomorrow so we can pick up the project again. I just haven't had time today. Tomorrow I'll also be working my way through my "to do" list again, which has grown alarmingly over the last week. It's nice to be in demand, but there never seems to be enough time to be all things to all people. I'm hideously aware that my friends are being neglected again, although I did just fire off a quick congratulatory email to a Russian friend living in Paris, who has just dropped her second sprog. I just need some time to pop over for a long weekend, bearing toys...
My missing client has finally resurfaced so I'll be calling him first thing tomorrow so we can pick up the project again. I just haven't had time today. Tomorrow I'll also be working my way through my "to do" list again, which has grown alarmingly over the last week. It's nice to be in demand, but there never seems to be enough time to be all things to all people. I'm hideously aware that my friends are being neglected again, although I did just fire off a quick congratulatory email to a Russian friend living in Paris, who has just dropped her second sprog. I just need some time to pop over for a long weekend, bearing toys...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
