 Historic Phoenix Cemeteries
Ed Dobbins and Pioneers' Cemetery Association (PCA) have published a book April 2024 detailing the history of seven historic cemeteries in Phoenix, AZ. This is a story of a young territorial town that experienced explosive growth while needing a location to bury the dead. Four town blocks were set aside as a cemetery from 1871 to 1884 until it was ordered closed. Once the city incorporated, the cemeteries were re-opened between 1884-1893 as seven separate and distinct cemeteries until once again closed in 1914. It's a fascinating story of how early settlers struggled to maintain order, care, and respect in the burial of its citizens. There were many efforts to sell or repurpose the grounds as care and maintenance were often a low priority for the growing city. Ed provides a significant number of citations as he chronicles the heritage of the seven historic cemeteries now known as Pioneer & Military Memorial Park (PMMP). He also briefly shares the history behind the current caretakers, the Pioneers' Cemetery Association. This book is focused on the history of the cemeteries. PCA published another book July 2018, Pioneer and Military Memorial Park of Phoenix, which includes a variety of stories about those interred in the seven cemeteries. Copies are available on Amazon as linked or by contacting PCA for local pick-up. You can purchase your copy of the books through PCA's Gift Shop. Ed has a YouTube channel where he shares other stories of the history of Phoenix. It's a great way to learn about the history of early Arizona. I was honored to be a part of this project as proofreader and copy editor. I look forward to assisting you with your next project - Let's Chat!
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 How to Start Your New Business
Congratulations! You've just created your LLC or solo business and it's time to get some customers! Where do you start? That depends a lot on how much money and time you have to invest and your favorite learning style. I invested heavily in a marketing program to start. I had a general sense about "marketing" but no real training. I found an excellent self-study program, however I've since discovered a variety of less expensive options that can serve just as well to get started. Courses as Resources Louise Harnby has a number of amazing course resources for editors and authors. I invested in her 6-course Editorial Bundle for the full marketing spectrum. She has a payment plan to ease the price a bit. Ed Gandia has a variety of courses to help you start a business, which are offered separately or a special bundle price. Newsletter Ninja (Tammi Labrecque) offers a series of courses, two books, and a valuable Facebook group to help you set up an email newsletter. Books as Resources I noted Louise Harnby. An easier and less expensive way to get a lot of her marketing information is to simply buy her book, Marketing Your Editing & Proofreading Business, which is really comprehensive. The concepts apply beyond editing and proofreading businesses. Louise also has an extensive blog and podcast library for reference. The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib covers many of the topics Harnby does, is a bit lower in price, and includes great added resources including a 1-page worksheet to develop your marketing plan. The Freelance Content Marketing Writer by Jennifer Goforth Gregory is a comprehensive marketing plan to hit the ground running along with business tips and sample marketing plans included. Her focus is on writers but much can be generalized. She has an amazing blog of resource material as well as a Facebook group. Andy Crestodina has a fabulous blog and book, Content Chemistry, covering general marketing topics and is a leader in the field. If you need insights on website building, Debbie Emmitt has an amazing resource - two really - books for authors and editors. Her material easily translates to most other businesses. You can find her editor's book here. She also has many marketing tips on her blog. Looking for books to figure out LinkedIn? Got'chu covered!
Podcasts as Resources One of my favorite low-cost resources! There are a lot of great episodes out there. Some may also be on YouTube (captions may be your preference) and many have transcripts for episodes if you prefer to read. Many noted have multiple resources available.
Podcasts recommended by others I have not heard yet:
LinkedIn Trainers as Resources I've been fortunate to have connected with some wonderful LinkedIn experts who are eager to help you succeed! All links will take you to their LinkedIn profiles. These will get you started but there are so many resources available!
Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear of any additional marketing resources you've found helpful. If I can be of assistance to connect with your customers, Let's Chat!  Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, by Chip & Dan Heath
I just finished a book recommended by a LinkedIn friend, Stephen Mostrom. This was definitely well worth my time! I will highly recommend it as well, especially for those looking for assistance to make a weighty decision. As we all make at least 35,000 decisions daily as noted in this blog post, most won't require a decision-making framework, but this will come in handy for the more challenging ones. Thought Provoking Literally and figuratively. This book is heavy on research and science but with a ton of relatable real world examples of their recommended thought process. It was fascinating to follow the decision processes on topics spanning "shall I get serious about this relationship" to high-finance business decisions that impact a company's growth or demise. One such weighty business example followed Intel's decision to move to microprocessors from memory chips. How to Make Decisions - Thoughtfully and Intentionally You mean, there's a process out there to make decisions? Beyond "gut feeling?" Outside of self-admitted personal biases or Magic Eight Ball? Mind blown! Even "ask a few friends" is a valid option to get some perspective. That's a WRAP! There are many methods within each component that you simply must read the book to appreciate. On reading the book, you'll discover the Heath Brothers' resources that accompany the book including podcasts, single-page references, and a workbook for more complete reminders of the multiple decision methods that can be utilized.
The Heath Brothers This duo have authored six books at this writing:
Thank you, Chip and Dan, for sharing your ideas on ideas with us! I'm looking forward to ways to decrease my personal biases in decisions and generally take a more methodical step back. Their books are available on Amazon, but I was also able to find them on Libby through my library. Read any good books lately? Love to hear your recommendations! Nonfiction is my current focus. Audiobooks are the way to go for me to enjoy "reading" while on my walks. How do you fit in reading time?  Here's the Short Answer
It depends! You can certainly do a darned fine start on your own! You can even pass your work around to friends and family for extra eyes. All of this will get you closer to your finished, ready-to-post product. But ultimately, you also get what you pay for. But I'm Pretty Good with English & Grammar! Awesome! You'll be able to get your work that much closer to the finish line quicker! We reviewed in No Red Pens the myriad of editors eager to help you with your project. Do you realistically need all of these editors? Nope. Would it be advisable to get at least one proofreader or editor on your team? Admittedly, I'm biased, but I'd advise "yes." But My Mom (or Aunt Suzy) is An English Teacher! Fabulous! Family and friends are a great first step to polish things up. But they also love you, are (blessedly) incredibly biased, and think you do amazing work. These aren't particularly critical or fresh eyes for you, especially if you're talking about a project that's really important to you, like a book or new website. But What CAN I DO on My Own? Don't worry - you can do plenty on your own! Let's look at some ways you can really improve your own work before you consider hiring someone. MS Word What an amazing tool!
Items to Routinely Check This is just a start, but you'll get the idea.
A Step Above Word You may wish to check an amazing program called PerfectIt. It's a proofreading software program. They offer a free trial opportunity for you to run Word docs through for 14 days and a 30-day money back guarantee. It's a very powerful program that saves you a lot of using "Find" in Word. It depends how much you may decide to self-edit for whether you decide to purchase this tool. A word of caution - it catches many errors but not all. As with Word, you'll find this AI tool won't allow for your voice to necessarily shine through. You really can't beat ultimately working with a human for that final touch. Can I Edit Myself? Sure! To an extent. It's always best to have a fresh set of eyes on your project, especially someone who has training in what you're writing and isn't biased to love what you write, no matter what. It's like asking if you need to hire a lawn service, housekeeper, or mechanic. What are you willing or able to do on your own? Editors and proofreaders are all over the board with rates. You may wish to check a national organization such as the Editorial Freelancers Association for more on average rates to expect and more considerations when hiring an editor or proofreader. How much do you edit on your own? Are you a whiz with Word or other programs to maximize your time and expenses? Love to hear your process - leave a comment!  Podcasts to Learn & Grow
I adore podcasts! I listen to them on my daily 3-mile walks or to keep me company during household chores. I love these as they're simply audio - no video - and require no wifi; just download and go. Top Podcasts for Editors & Proofreaders This seems a rather niche topic with few podcasts available. I'm grateful for those who bother to create content! These are all very informational, educational, and often introduce me to other resources. I'll link the websites as there are a multitude of podcast players available. Click the underlined titles to head to their websites. The Editing Podcast by Louise Harnby & Denise Cowle - These ladies are definitely top of the heap and at the top of their genre! They've been podcasting for 4 years and have over 115 episodes. They continue to post content roughly every 2 weeks or "fortnight" as one is from England and the other Scotland. Harnby specializes in fiction topics, Cowle specializes in nonfiction, and they both cover content marketing. I highly recommend this one! The Modern Editor Podcast by Tara Whitaker - I recently binge listened to all 25 of her episodes. She's on a seasonal break but promises to return. Great, real content about freelancing, editing, marketing, and mindset sharing her 10 years of experience. The Proofreading Business Podcast by Elizabeth Wiegner - New to podcasts with 8 episodes so far, Elizabeth covers topics for proofreaders in general and transcript proofreading. She posts about every 2 weeks and is featuring guest interviews in recent episodes. The Confident Freelance Editor by Malini Devadas - Malini has been doing podcasts since 2020 but took a break for a year, only recently returning to podcasts approximately every 2 weeks. She has over 70 episodes at this time with a very no-nonsense, down-to-earth style covering freelancing, editing, marketing, and mindset topics. The Editor's Half Hour by Nadia Geagea Pupa - This is a new podcast with 8 episodes so far. These focus on interviews with those in the book business covering a wide range of topics. The Independent Editor by Stuart Horwitz and Madison Utley - This podcast is on hiatus currently but I highly recommend it! These two have a great chemistry with something of a mentor/mentee relationship coming through in the interview style as they share their experiences in the freelance editing/publishing field. Stuart has been editing and ghost writing for years, whereas Madison is new to the business. Lots of great information here. I hope they bring it back! Definitely worth a listen. What podcasts do you listen to? Do you know others focused on editing, proofreading, or marketing?  Do I need an Editor or Proofreader?
Excellent question! The answer is "It depends." If you're a published author, you're likely familiar with the different types of editors that may be involved with your work. For the majority of us, especially those of us doing our best on our own as "indie" authors or freelance/small business owners, the lines blur quite a bit. Developmental Editor This form of editing is more "big picture" and helps flesh out the story. This editor helps find plot holes, reviews pacing and character development, and is the first eyes on a project in its development stage. Line Editor This editor works line-by-line to review style, consistency, and general readability. The goal is to tighten sentence structure for clear language. Copy Editor This editor fine-tunes things, correcting grammar, punctuation, and spelling while reviewing style guides. Proofreader This is the final set of eyes to be sure literally every "i" is dotted and "t" is crossed! This is your final check for typos, punctuation, and grammar. A proofreader doesn't change words or thoughts, but fixes what's there assuming all general editing has been handled. Do I need ALL of these? Short answer? No. Many of these roles have become somewhat blended depending on situations, especially for more "indie" or independent authors or creators. Editors and proofreaders are available for ALL written works, from fiction to nonfiction, but also for websites, blogs, business materials, education proposals/papers, and more. Sometimes a Line and Copy Editor cover the same purpose. These folks may be available to also proofread, but you really should have a third set of eyes on your work at that point. We're all human and miss things with our eyes seeing what we anticipate should be there. It often comes down to cost. There's the reality - what is your budget? You want to maximize your own return on investment. But you need to make sure you have an excellent product to get those sales! The old adage "Sometimes you have to spend money to make money" comes into play. All of these editors will have a fee. Some editors and proofreaders may offer multiple services, but you'll be discussing what a fair rate is for their time, effort, and expertise. But can we leave the red pen out of this? Certainly! The good news is, most don't even use red pens anymore as work is reviewed electronically via Word docs, Google docs, pdf's, or simply online files or products. Suggestions can be "old school" with cross-outs and additions for you to see, or can be hidden within "track changes" so you just see it all smoothed out. This is YOUR baby! Any editor or proofreader worth their salt will be sensitive to the hard work you have put into the project. All editors and proofreaders do is offer suggestions. It's up to you whether to accept them or not! Editors and proofreaders not looking for errors to be mean, but looking for ways to help you shine your brightest! Have you worked with each style of editor or been able to find multi-talented folks to move your projects forward? What type of assistance are you looking for? |
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