Small Business Writing Consultant

Online Writing Help 101: Business Email Etiquette

Small Business Writing Consultant — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:38:01 +0000

In my last post, I discussed an ineffective way to engage a service provider when you’re looking online for writing help.

To complement my report on what you shouldn’t do, it’s appropriate to outline a refresher on business email etiquette—what you should do.

When you visit my website, the Proofreading Menu lists the following pricing structure:

How should you proceed if your writing needs are different than those specifications?

Here are 10 ways to let me know via email that you’re serious about hiring a proofreader or writer for your business.

1. Address me by name.

When you start a verbal dialogue about a possible business relationship, you greet the person you talk to by name. This exchange should be the same in email.

2. Utilize the email ‘subject’ line.

If you send me an email instead of using my contact form, create a subject line that summarizes your needs.

3. How did you hear about me?

Let me know why you think I can help you.

4. What kind of documents would you like me to proofread?

Blog posts? Newsletters? Sales copy? Press releases? White papers?

5. How long are your documents?

Price quotes are based on word count.

6. What do you need that’s different than my standard proofreading services?

Is your document longer than 10,000 words? Do you need rewriting or writing services? Do you have an on-going project or projects?

7. What’s your preferred turnaround time?

I aim to meet your deadlines, so state when you need your revised document returned to you.

8. What’s your budget for my standard services?

If my standard services fit your editorial needs, but your project’s administration requires special attention, what’s your budget for your proposed work arrangement?

9. What’s your budget for a custom project?

If you’d like me to work on a project with customized editorial and administrative components, what’s your budget?

10. Familiarize yourself with my Terms of Service.

It’s clearly stated on my website that I only conduct business over email. Composing a succinct note helps you focus on the desired outcome for your project.

Your written correspondence is essentially a job ad. You want to hire someone to perform work for you, so describe specific details about the ideal person you want to add to your team. Feel free to ask questions about what I will do to ensure that you are thrilled with my editorial work.

If You Don’t Like What I Charge, Get Lost

Small Business Writing Consultant — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:08:51 +0000

A wise woman once said:

“My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. And they’re, like, it’s better than yours. Damn right, it’s better than yours. I could teach you, but I’d have to charge.”

Yes, I’m talking about the 2003 pop hit, “Milkshake,” by Kelis—the song that was once my ringtone on my old NOKIA flip phone.

Still with me?

I often discuss my proofreading services as a business. Though this may seem obvious, there’s something about the Internet that gives people the impression that what you offer is less valuable than, say, if I offered in-person writing and proofreading services.

I recently got an email that exemplifies what online business owners tend to experience.

My inbox displayed a message from a woman who downloaded one of my free ebooks; let’s call her Complainy McPricerson. It’s important to note that emails like Complainy’s are often difficult to decipher from spam—she did not address me by name, and each line was a fragment with incorrect punctuation.

Complainy said that she liked my website, but she found my prices “confusing and disappointing”—specifically, that I charge $0.02 per word plus a turnaround time fee. She continued to inform me that she wanted to send me a document, but it would “cost her too much.”

Here’s my basic pricing structure.

Proofreading services and editorial consulting are $0.02 per word.

For documents 10,000 words or less, you can choose your preferred turnaround time. There is a specific fee for each one.

24 hours: $0.16 per word

48 hours: $0.12 per word

72 hours: $0.10 per word

96 hours: $0.08 per word

Your total fee = ($0.02 + turnaround time fee) x word count.

You get to select your turnaround time so that I can give you exactly what you want.

If you need a document corrected in 24 hours, that’s possible. You pay the appropriate fee, and I make your work my first priority. Simple.

If you don’t need a document corrected for a week or two, your fee will, generally speaking, be less expensive.

I also offer a Premium Membership that qualifies you for 50% off the total price of each order that you place online and 12-hour turnaround when you select 24 hours. A one-time payment of $99 activates those benefits for one year.

Although I outline my prices on my site, half of the work that I do is based on customized price quotes. I understand that many projects do not fit within the boundaries that I describe, so I’m happy to work with clients to meet their specific needs. Multiple spots on my site welcome clients to email me about pricing if my proofreading menu does not answer their questions.

But when someone emails me and—instead of telling me the details of her project with hope to work out a reasonable price—tells me that my prices are “disappointing” and she can’t afford it, I don’t want to work with that person anyway.

If you don’t have money, you’re not a client—you want something for free.

Would you go into Starbucks and tell the barista that you want to buy a Carmel Macchiato but you can’t afford it?

For some reason, people think that it’s acceptable to talk to online business owners this way.

It also takes a bit of nerve to express that what I charge to make a living is “too much” just because it’s too much for you.

When Danielle LaPorte sent out an email to her list stating that she’s offering an unpaid internship for six months, she got an abundance of negative feedback from people who disapproved of her looking for someone who would work for free.

Here is part of her response:

If you know anything about Danielle, you’d immediately realize the benefits of working with someone with her business experience.

In this case, monetary compensation isn’t everything and the assumption that Danielle wouldn’t care about the person that she’s taking under her wing is ridiculous. I’d jump at the opportunity to proofread her content or snag the fiercest gold hoop earrings for her, if I got the chance to see her in action!

I love working with writers, but you need to tell me what you need and the price range that works for you before I can help you. If you assume that I won’t be flexible with my prices—well, I won’t be.

In regard to the title of this post, the phrase “Get Lost” is the polite way to write my original thought when I read Complainy McPricerson’s email. Hint: the thought starts with an “F” and ends with “Off.”

The Shocking Truth About My Proofreading Services

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:45:26 +0000

The jig is up: I offer online proofreading services, but I’m not actually a proofreader.

I’m not actually a copy editor, either.

My creative work with words varies.

Sometimes, I proofread.

Sometimes, I copy edit.

Sometimes, I do both.

Sometimes, I rewrite rough drafts.

Sometimes, I even write content.

The thing is—writers don’t always know what they need.

That’s why I created Revision Fairy.

Revision Fairy is a revision philosophy, implemented by—not a proofreader, not a copy editor, but—a word artist.

For me, reading and manipulating your text is an artistic craft.

I call Revision Fairy “proofreading services” because that’s the starting point.

You wrote something, and it’s perfect.

TO YOU.

But you know that you’re not objective. You’re attached to the work that you’ve just written.

You need someone else to look at it, to proofread it, and then guide you in the right direction.

Are there spelling and grammar errors? Are there typos? Does it lack a logical structure? Do you need more explanations or cohesive transitions? Do you need to condense similar, or repetitive, thoughts? Do you need to delete irrelevant tangents? Do you fail to communicate your point?

When you don’t know exactly what your writing needs, but you want to make it better, clearer—a home run—that’s what Revision Fairy does.

My revision process is a combination of content editing, copy editing, and proofreading.

After I review your work, you get an error-free draft annotated with additional suggestions for improvement.

If your writing is strong, the draft may only contain minor copy editing and proofreading changes. If your writing is weak, some sections may be rewritten.

I’ll happily follow your instructions if you know the specific type of revision work that you need.

If you know that you just need copy editing, I can just copy edit your writing.

If you know that you just need proofreading, I can just proofread your writing.

But sometimes, you need more support.

Sometimes, you need Revision Fairy.

– Click here to find out more about my proofreading services. –

Need to Hire a Small Business Writer? Start Here.

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:05:38 +0000

If you need to hire a small business writer, there are a number of prerequisites that you should figure out before you approach candidates.

It’s not all about the writer’s qualifications.

Communication is key when forming a new business relationship.

Once you establish guidelines for your writer, it’s also easier to find the perfect person for the job.

Here’s a 20-point checklist to review as you search for a small business writer.

[_] You have to know what you want the results to look like before you can effectively tell someone what to do. If you hire a writer simply to “let someone else think about that work,” you can expect bumps in the road.

A writer’s vision for your project may not match what you have in mind. If you don’t provide detailed specifications, you’ll likely be disappointed when you see the final product.

[_] Who is the writer’s contact when he or she has questions? What’s the best way to reach that contact? Email? Phone? Instant message? Text message?

Providing your writer with this information helps determine if your company’s preferred communication method fits with the writer’s preferred communication method. For instance, I conduct business correspondence through email only.

[_] What computer software must the writer use for your project? Word? Excel? PowerPoint? Acrobat? InDesign?

[_] What type of file do you need? A Word doc? Plain text? PDF? Google Document?

[_] If you’re hiring a writer to blog for you, will she directly access your blogging platform (WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, etc.) and post the content herself, or will she submit the raw text to you?

[_] How will you assign work? If you assign a project via email, does the writer need to immediately confirm receipt?

When you order proofreading services online with Revision Fairy, you get instant confirmation that your order was received. You also promptly receive an invoice. Once the invoice is paid, the turnaround time that you selected begins. I will return your revised document to you by that deadline.

[_] Will you assign work on a set schedule, or will you give the writer an on-going task to complete daily, weekly, or monthly?

[_] What standard instructions will you give the writer with each assignment? Word count? Keywords? Topic? Deadline? Submission format?

[_] Does the writer need to submit any supplementary materials, such as images, sources, captions, or footnotes?

[_] What is your desired turnaround time for each project? When is the writer’s deadline or due date?

[_] How do you want the final product delivered? Email? A shared Google document? Do you need it mailed or faxed?

[_] Is it appropriate to give your writer a byline for his or her content, or is your project ghostwriting?

[_] What is your payment structure? Per word, per hour, or per project? Is your payment structure negotiated with each assignment, or is there a set fee for any writing services?

[_] Does your writer need to invoice you?

[_] What is your payment method? Check, direct deposit, or PayPal?

[_] Do you reimburse for expenses, or are all expenses included in the writer’s standard fee?

[_] When do you pay your writer? Per project? Weekly? Bi-monthly? Monthly? Do you pay a 50% deposit at the onset of a project?

There should be no confusion about how and when the writer will be paid.

[_] Do you have an online proofreader, or does the writer also need to meticulously proofread his or her content? Is an occasional punctuation, spelling, or grammar error acceptable? What matters the most to you—accuracy or speed? Both?

[_] How much work do you anticipate assigning your writer? Is it steady work or sporadic?

[_] Will your writing needs evolve, or do you strictly need the writer for one type of project?

For example, will the writer mainly ghostblog for you, but you’d also like him or her to occasionally write press releases, newsletters, white papers, sales letters, etc.?

When you hire a small business writer, view the process as growing a relationship with a reliable professional. You’re not just carelessly outsourcing work.

– Is there a small business writer specification that I’m missing? Mention @RevisionFairy on Twitter, and include #SmallBusinessWriter. –

Introducing Free Proofreading Services: Get a Sample Today!

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:18:26 +0000

I don’t offer free proofreading services.

Proofreading is not a hobby for me. It’s not a complimentary service that I help you with in my spare time.

Proofreading is what I do.

But a free proofreading sample?

That’s a different story.

It’s my business to help you with your business.

When you order proofreading services, you make an investment in your company. You want flawless writing that impresses clients and co-workers.

So, during your search to hire a freelance proofreader, you may want to see results before you make a big time and money commitment.

In August, I offered a limited-time free proofreading sample along with Revision Fairy Premium Membership.

Now there’s a way for anyone to try Revision Fairy for free, even if Premium Membership isn’t right for you.

Your FREE sample proofreading will:

Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes
Catch typos or glaring errors you may have missed
Check for factual consistency
Give feedback on incomplete or weak areas of your text
Ensure your message is clear
Offer advice about what you need to improve or clarify
Alert you to the #1 thing your writing is missing
Teach you tips to avoid the same mistakes in the future
Provide you with an error-free draft annotated with additional guidance

♦ Free Proofreading Services … Get a Sample Today! ♦

Should Your Blog Post Writing Style Stir Up Trouble?

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:18:07 +0000

Last week, I wrote a guest blog post for ProBlogger.

How to Write a Blog Post Like a Troublemaker with a Heart of Gold is the second article that I’ve written for the site.

Many thanks to Georgina and Darren for the opportunity!

If you haven’t read it yet, check out an excerpt below:

In a world overflowing with bloggers, there’s the type of troublemaker you love and the type of troublemaker you hate.

One introduces his opinion with a strong argument. You admire that he’s confident and direct. The writer makes you jealous. You want to be that troublemaker.

When you write a blog post like a troublemaker with a heart of gold, you’re not really causing problems at all. You’re an expert with invaluable tips to share. Others look to you for guidance. They want to hear more from you and enthusiastically subscribe to your blog.

You’re the troublemaker who fights for your readers. You give them a voice and help them with solid advice.

I call this type the “Attractive Troublemaker.”

The other type of blogger takes the common online writing tip to “take a stand and be bold” too far. His blog posts are rants about his opinions, which he treats as facts. He doesn’t provide educational details or links to resources that support his points.

“This is what I think, and if you disagree with me, you’re stupid,” is the theme of every post that he writes. It’s offensive.

I call this type the “Average Troublemaker.”

If you want to influence others and retain visitors, blogging is not about your opinion and why the opposite is “wrong.” You have an opportunity to help readers make positive changes in their lives.

The Average Troublemaker creates a hostile environment rather than an information hub where visitors get useful updates and respectfully interact with each other. The Attractive Troublemaker encourages a welcoming community.

Here are five ways to write a blog post like an Attractive Troublemaker.

To read the entire blog post, click here.

Your Ultimate Online Proofreading Guide for Better Writing

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:18:22 +0000

Writing, editing, and proofreading are interconnected activities in the web of transcribed communication.

You can overcome creative standstills if you look at editing and proofreading as a safety net.

Feel free to write absurd, nonsensical musings and tangents. Don’t worry—it can all be fixed later.

However, many writers feel overwhelmed when they have to resolve rough drafts.

It’s a pain to review text that already makes sense to you.

My new free ebook, Revision Fairy Tales: Your Ultimate Online Proofreading Guide for Better Writing, covers low-stress ways to revise and correct your work. Ensure concepts that you take for granted also make sense to your audience.

You improve your writing skills when you proofread strategically.

The 30-page PDF is Edition I of a new series.

The content in Your Ultimate Online Proofreading Guide will serve as the foundation for future editions; updates to the series will also include these classic pieces.

Unlike online proofreading articles with obvious advice that is difficult (or boring) to actually incorporate into your writing routine, I prefer to address common writing issues with practical solutions that are easy to implement.

If you have a specific question about proofreading or business writing that you’d like me to answer on the blog (which may also end up in the next edition of Your Ultimate Online Proofreading Guide!), you can email me: advice -|at|- revisionfairy -|dot|- com.

For now, click here to download a free copy of Your Ultimate Online Proofreading Guide for Better Writing.

Hate Proofreading? 5 Fun Ways to Revise Like a Professional Proofreader

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:18:16 +0000

Writing always begins with an idea, even if it’s significantly underdeveloped.

If you transcribe words that communicate your concept, and dedicate time to making that message clear and dynamic, you eventually produce your final draft.

Writing is a mystery that you solve along the way.

Proofreading is generally considered the opposite of that.

The belief that proofreading is a science isn’t terribly helpful for writers. Many writers become writers (not scientists) because they like to be artistic and creative rather than technical.

There are special skills that you need to be a professional proofreader, but every writer can approach proofreading as an engaging activity that completes the writing process.

Here are five ways to proofread that incorporate the fun aspects of writing.

1. You’re still creating.

Great writing looks effortless, but it is laboriously crafted. Every stage of every draft—whether you’re copy editing or proofreading—is an opportunity to perfect your masterpiece.

2. Strive for the best.

I separate the activity of writing into two parts: transcribing ideas and editing (completing sentences, refining sentences, adding punctuation, creating transitions, proofreading, etc.). Once you express your raw thoughts in a word processor, don’t consider your writing “done.” Create extraordinary works of art.

3. Get nerdy about words.

Review every word choice in your first few drafts. There may be more precise words or phrases that capture your intentions.

4. You don’t know anything.

To develop your inner professional proofreader, you’ll assume the identity of a person who did not write your text. As you examine spelling, grammar, and syntax, make sure that a stranger would consider the content informative and clear.

5. Find inspiration.

Look for new ideas when you carefully proofread each word. If you eliminate a tangent that is not appropriate for your current document, consider the topic for another piece of writing.

– Subscribe to get more professional proofreading tips that make your writing better. –

What’s the Connection Between Document Proofreading and Online Marketing?

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:18:50 +0000

Contrary to the seemingly mundane activity of document proofreading, online marketing is a glamorous buzzword for both online and offline businesses.

Once you transcend the notion of shady Internet scams and vicious trolls, the idea of marketing a legitimate business online sounds exciting.

There are no paper cuts, awkward telephone conversations, or heavy objects to lift on the Web.

Whether you’re a small business looking for Facebook fans and Twitter followers, or a blogger developing an online writing portfolio, the Internet is a desirable place to appeal to customers.

But can you really market your product or service to an audience online and actually get new clients and customers?

The answer is yes, but you have an extremely limited time to solidify your reputation.

While an offline business may get more than one chance to make an impression, a quick page view may be all that you get in the online world.

For example, consider a retail store in a shopping center. You may not have any interest in what it sells, but if you frequently visit the shopping center to pick up groceries, you may go into the store and discover a product that changes your life. Subsequently, you become a loyal customer and advocate for the business and its merchandise.

Here’s an example in the entertainment industry: after viewing commercials for a new television program, you decide that it does not interest you. Then, one day after hopeless channel surfing, you turn on the show and get hooked on the storyline. You’ve changed your mind about the series and it takes up substantial space on your DVR for the remainder of the season.

Both of these examples have happy endings for the business ventures. In the arena of online marketing, the end result for your business is more like a Final Destination movie. You only have a slim chance of escaping unscathed.

The content that you put online either instantly makes prospects jump for joy or they simply click their browsers’ “Back” button. Done. And they never visit your website or blog again because they find a better product or service provider that more intuitively matches their needs.

They’re not “walking by” your website again on the way to pick up milk and eggs. They’re not “putting on” your website because they just feel like relaxing on the couch with mindless television. (That’s how I started watching Glee. True story.)

Proofreading your website or blog is not trivial. It should be a priority. Your content has to be free of careless writing mistakes and speak to your audience in a real way.

I recently wrote two articles about writing online content for E-junkie’s second free ebook, Exploring Game-Changing Tactics of Online Marketing. The resource aims to “encourage both aspiring and established business owners to flourish in the world of eCommerce.” You can download the collection of 14 essays from top online marketers here.

– For document proofreading tips that make your website a customer magnet, subscribe to Small Business Writing Consultant. –

Professional Proofreading Help: 21 Writing Mistakes You’ll Never Make Again

Small Business Writing Consultant — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:18:40 +0000

Once upon a time, I decided to write an ebook. It was almost a year since I began my adventures as a freelance proofreader, and I wanted to create a product that would help my clients.

I spent the summer writing Revision Fairy Tales: 21 Writing Mistakes You’ll Never Make Again, and I released it on September 15, 2009—two years ago today!

If you want to improve your writing skills and learn how to stop making the same writing mistakes over and over again, help me celebrate the book’s two-year anniversary by downloading a copy.

I call the content “anti-grammar” because I think standard language rules are boring, confusing, and difficult to remember. Revision Fairy Tales contains straightforward, practical tips that help you write correctly without memorizing any grammar rules.

Each chapter covers a pair of words and teaches you how to effortlessly remember the differences between the two so that you don’t mistakenly write the incorrect one.

Below are the 21 word pairs in Revision Fairy Tales. For fun, I’ve linked each word to current Web content that shows the proper use of the word. (The links aren’t actual text from the ebook.)

Premier vs. Premiere

Precede vs. Proceed

Compliment vs. Complement

Accept vs. Except

Could vs. Would

Can vs. May

Effect vs. Affect

Between vs. Among

Access vs. Assess

Regard vs. Regards

Beside vs. Besides

Phenomenon vs. Phenomena

Sometimes vs. Sometime vs. Some time

Into vs. In to

Cannot vs. Can not

Persecute vs. Prosecute

Stationary vs. Stationery

Insure vs. Ensure

Who’s vs. Whose

All right vs. Alright

Healthful vs. Healthy

Want to learn how to use each of these words properly?

Download a copy of Revision Fairy Tales: 21 Writing Mistakes You’ll Never Make Again here.

Small Business Writing Consultant

Online Writing Help 101: Business Email Etiquette

If You Don’t Like What I Charge, Get Lost

The Shocking Truth About My Proofreading Services

Need to Hire a Small Business Writer? Start Here.

Introducing Free Proofreading Services: Get a Sample Today!

Are you a new Revision Fairy client with a document that is 400 words or less? Let me proofread it for free!

Please contact me about the type of 400-word document that you’d like me to proofread (choose “free sample” from the drop-down menu), and I’ll email you details about how we’ll proceed.

Should Your Blog Post Writing Style Stir Up Trouble?

Your Ultimate Online Proofreading Guide for Better Writing

Hate Proofreading? 5 Fun Ways to Revise Like a Professional Proofreader

1. You’re still creating.

2. Strive for the best.

3. Get nerdy about words.

4. You don’t know anything.

5. Find inspiration.

What’s the Connection Between Document Proofreading and Online Marketing?

Professional Proofreading Help: 21 Writing Mistakes You’ll Never Make Again

Premier vs. Premiere

Precede vs. Proceed

Compliment vs. Complement

Accept vs. Except

Could vs. Would

Can vs. May

Effect vs. Affect

Between vs. Among

Access vs. Assess

Regard vs. Regards

Beside vs. Besides

Phenomenon vs. Phenomena

Sometimes vs. Sometime vs. Some time

Into vs. In to

Cannot vs. Can not

Persecute vs. Prosecute

Stationary vs. Stationery

Insure vs. Ensure

Who’s vs. Whose

All right vs. Alright

Healthful vs. Healthy