bonny! I was just thinking about you. How's the new venture?

Erin, am I not on your list? Must remedy that on next break.

Hey smonster, thanks for thinking of me.

The new venture is good. As always seems to be the case in my life, it has turned into something different than expected.

For some reason, it's been a period of cascade of events for the company...not in a good way. Mistakes, missed services, employees personal problems.

Partner keeps looking at me and saying, "I love you," because I am the champion of the art of apology. I have been smoothing ruffled feathers, assessing the potential of certain employees, calling dozens of clients and advising everyone on what language NOT to use.

It's been fun. No, really. I am enjoying handling the difficult stuff because a) I enjoy being good at it and b) it is supporting the company in a way that none of the rest of us feels good about.

I'm not sure what has precipitated the rain of toads but we are actually getting through it pretty well.

On other notes, I'm hosting a long-standing tradition...the Howl-o-ween costume contest this year. It's always a riot and the store that has done it for 15 years is going out of business...or being sold...I'm not sure.

It's a great way to get out in front of a huge audience and promote both the Company and the local rescue organizations. I'm pretty psyched.

One downside is that I have been advertising a skills workshop for this weekend on walking but no one has signed up. People _constantly_ tell me that they want cheaper, group services, and this is the number one complaint. It's $20 per dog, which is less than most training hours outside PetSmart.

I absolutely love group teaching in my people business, but I'm developing a complex around my events. Is it my breath?

It is more likely that I'm doing something wrong in my promotion. Not sure what that is though.

Howzit with you?

Thanks, bonny! Of course, I woke up and saw a typo, but I wrote the damned thing at 6 am after Night o' Insomnia!

Sarah, I got your sub! YAY! Thank you!

bonny, I KEEP saying this, but I haven't forgotten. First week of November, let's make a date for writing/interviewing and maybe getting some more of your lama stuff out. I don't think it's your breath, hon!!

And I am stupid like whoa this morning (2 hours of sleep -- FIE! I speet upon you, Insomnia!) so I'll leave it at that for right now.

But I'm glad to hear that the other gig, despite the travails, is something you're kicking ass and taking names at. GO TEAM YOU!

Hey I have a question for Erin and others. I've been asked if I would do some editing for a friend (or rather, for a client of hers), and I was wondering what the going rate was for that kind of freelance work.

If you don't want to talk that kind of specifics here, feel free to email me directly at my profile address.

thanks

Editorial Freelancers' Association standard rate sheet: [link]

Note that I'm insanely jealous of y'all for even having an organization with its shit together like this!

bonny, it's so not your breath. It's probably a combination of inertia, tight budgets, and poor memories. At the costume contest, could you do a "$5 for 5 minutes" mini-session to hook people in with your serious doggie wisdom? And then offer a small discount for people who sign up right then? Even pick a dog from the audience and do a demonstration.

Just brainstorming.

I'm doing well. My coworker and I are going to keep researching and moving forward on the beads thing. Frankie got bitten at the park, by apparently a serial offender. Figuring out how to handle that. He's fine - vet clipped and flushed the wounds and put a staple in the bigger one.

Thanks amych, that's very helpful. I figure I've been editing this friends stuff for free for a couple years now, I might as well find a way to profit from it.

A little late, but yeah, I use the EFA and the Writer's Market rate guides to set my rates.

There's also differences between proofing, light and heavy copyediting.

If you're editing, like, critique AND line-edits, then the rate goes UP.

I'm raising my rates in November, but I generally charge about $30/hour for proofing, $35/hour for light copyedits, $45/hour for heavy, and $55/hour for editing.

Hope that helps!!

Thanks Erin, that does help. It's editing work that she has for me, I was gonna ask for $50 an hour.

$50 for editing is pretty decent, Burrell. Sounds good!

Have fun! I'm a freak -- I looooove editing and copyediting. *pets style guides and multiple dictionaries adoringly*