Writing About Writing

Writing about writing. It’s a thing!!

I was looking into editing jobs, freelance and remote.

If you’ve ever searched the job boards for editing or writing jobs, you’ve likely noticed most employers want to see a Bachelor Degree. It shouldn’t be necessary. But you’ll have to prove yourself.

I started out when I was four with the “Fun With Phonics”. My mom was a teacher, so that helped. By the time I was in grade six, they told my dad that I was already sitting at grade 12 level in reading. None of my other classes had those types of grades, not math or science, I just wanted to read everything.

As a teenager, school couldn’t hold my interest, so I ended up being a grade nine dropout. I went back to college for three years, in my thirties for a diploma in Computer Information Systems. Two classes of business academic writing doesn’t compare to a Bachelor Degree.

So here I sit, hoping to find myself enough freelance or remote work to get by with just an Associates Degree from a completely unrelated field. Yep, the pandemic brought this on. I need a do-over, so this is it.

There are legalities involved with editing. This is why it’s a good idea to take some courses as you go, and a couple before you start freelancing. You don’t ever want to be caught off guard with liabilities, or legal issues. Know this stuff before you start.

Some countries have an editors association. Canada has Editors Canada. http://www.editors.ca

The US has a nice long list of editorial and writers associations. Here’s a link for the list: https://publishinghelp.com/editors/eoresassoc.htm

There are annual membership fees for these associations, but it’s worth it. There are the perks of networking with other editors and writers, and there’s usually discounts on skills development, and certification tests for members. Some may have places you can list your services.

You will have to prove yourself. Make sure your skills are on view for people to see. Have a website, a portfolio, published work. Keep at it. It takes time.

One of the websites I visited said to write articles about editing. Write about every aspect of editing and writing. Write lots, write everywhere.

Write about writing. It’s a thing!!