Joanne Sprott

by Joanne Sprott on June 13, 2022

Multi-Tasking, a False Virtue

Multi-tasking has been turned into a virtue over the past thirty years, especially with many people having one day job and craft moonlighting on Etsy or doing Master Gardener consulting on the side. Or, you happen to know how to code software and have one start-up in the works and are still doing web design consulting. Or you are just running a game of the War of the Worlds while also checking your FB and Twitter feeds. Or, you are a mother with three young children (now that’s the original multi-tasking!).

Whichever way you are put under pressure to multi-task, you can now “brag” about it as if it were some new-ish virtue. But it’s not. We may get more done, but the quality will suffer.

One Thing at a Time for Your Brain

Recent research indicates that our brains actually work best on one thing at a time, though. Inevitable compromises occur when we try to multi-task. The ones who can set boundaries with their time and efforts will get more and better done in the long run.

Sources for this obsession with multi-tasking as a virtue (my theory) might have come from social expectations caused in part by

women moving into the workforce and still trying to do all the at-home stuff;
the “M-TV editing” effect in the 1980s that created expectations of rapidly shifting focus from one image to another, which was then reinforced by the way electronic tools like mobile devices and computers work, trying to con us into thinking we can do more, buy more to do more with, etc.;
companies putting more and varied tasks on fewer workers to save on employment costs.

All of these social shifts have created a “value” around multi-tasking. Since we’re stuck with it, so to speak, we make it into a virtue. And it’s still not one. Just an excuse to overburden people with overwhelming expectations.

Resist! Set boundaries! Check email/phone three times a day instead of thirty (very hard for me, but I am doing it!). Real quality productivity will actually go up, I promise. I also promise you’ll love getting fully in the zone on some project and find out that the reason is the “silence” from your email and social media notifications (not to mention the turned-off phone). It really feels like a silence to me, this lack of interruptions. Plus I just get more billable or creative stuff done.

And you might actually have more time for surfing Pinterest pictures or taking a walk in the neighborhood later. You never know unless you try it!

by Joanne Sprott on May 30, 2022

In Search of a Smooth Read

There are all kinds of tools that editors use to find inconsistencies in word usage or capitalization, punctuation, etc. that make a proofreading pass, for example, go faster. But these are all mechanical helpers. In the end, the editor has something a bit more subjective to do as a service to the author: searching for interruptions in a smooth read.

That’s how I approach the editing task. I see my job as being a stand-in for the “end reader,” which is not the same as the friends and relations that authors normally give their books to for preliminary review. Friends and relations are cool, but they tend to be: 1) biased emotionally to praise rather than critique, and 2) normally without a professional grounding in effective writing techniques for the type (fiction or nonfiction) or genre (academic, memoir, fantasy, romance, etc.) of writing.

Because I do this type of critical reading for a living, I have a broad exposure to different writers and can put the current writer’s effort into a context. I know what to expect from effective writing on accounting, science fiction, sociology, and inspirational non-fiction, for example. All of these writing contexts have a different look and feel, a different flow to the text. Knowing this gives me the ultimate tool to do an effective editing job; the ability to find the places where I have to stop and scratch my head, go back a few sentences and come up with a smoother way of expressing something that works for that “story’s” context.

I get to smooth out the bumps and fill in the literary potholes in the narrative, thus serving not just the author’s writing purpose, but more importantly, the reader’s desire for a positive experience.

So, even though my immediate client is the writer/author, and they are the source of my income, I see myself as ultimately the servant of the reader, to add value to their experience of a book. And in this way, I also become a partner to the writer in providing that reader experience.

It’s one of the great satisfactions of my work. 🙂

by Joanne Sprott on February 7, 2022

Book Design: Principles vs. Tools

As I’m gaining more experience in interior book design, I am struck by the focus people have on the niftiness of the tool over curiosity about the actual knowledge (principles) of book design. Book design (typesetting back in the days before desktop publishing software) has a multi-hundred-year history of its own, where best practices developed over time to create readable text on printed paper.

I am determined not to get stuck in worship of the tool (InDesign) over mastering the principles of good design for print, and also e-book, production. InDesign is a tool with lots and lots of features and internal tools to manipulate the look of text and illustrations on a page; but it’s almost neutral as to best practices for actual design. The default settings do tend to lean in the direction of how books are usually designed, but this is a skeletal structure. Many decisions still must be made by the designer as to how the book will actually look when it’s finished, and most importantly, how readable it will be.

A Visible Story Hierarchy for Nonfiction

I’ve been indexing books from traditional publishers for many years, and I’ve noticed how the layout of illustrations and text has affected readability. One of my pet peeves as an indexer has been bad heading style choices. If main headings and subheadings in the text are hard to distinguish (close to the same size, same font style, etc.), it can be very difficult to figure out where you are in the chapter’s story or argument hierarchy. Big problem for the indexer, but also for the reader trying to track what’s related to what and how.

Readability in the Design

Yes, readability is also about content: grammar, writing style, basic storytelling ability. Readers often take for granted is how much the book’s design plays into the smoothness of the reading experience. Especially in this time of self-publishing, many writers are taking shortcuts on all sorts of aspects of book production to save money, but in the end the quality suffers, and readers may end up avoiding books or not recommending them to others, sometimes without knowing consciously why they don’t like the book. Story may be good, but there are too many distracting proofreading errors, or story may be good, but the text font is hard to decipher and all the words are crowded onto the page with very little white space to give rest to the eyes.

I am determined to make sure I get the cumulative knowledge about book design principles so I can tailor the tool (InDesign) to the best practices I want to adopt. I’ve already changed at least one default line spacing setting as a result of reading the book design philosophy of an experienced designer, Stephen Tiano. I’m really excited about continuing my learning curve on both the principles and tools of book design, but the principles will always trump the tool. If you want to produce a professional looking book, dear writers, please do not neglect investment in professional design.

First and foremost, give your text room to breathe. 🙂

by Joanne Sprott on January 17, 2022

What Is Book Shepherding?

As I’ve been expanding my skill set in the publishing process, I’ve been thinking about what to call what I do, and several years ago, the idea of shepherding came to mind. I’d been informally advising some self-publishing authors about that particular process and the basic aspects of editing that they’d have to go through, along with the book design process. So, I thought, hey, this guiding stuff is just like being a shepherd, a publishing process shepherd.

Of course, once I went to Google and searched, I found out lots of folks had thought of this already, and bookshepherd.com was already spoken for. Figures. So, for me, the title Book Shepherd is more of a role identity than a branding identity.

The Virtue of a Team Approach

I know the lone shepherd guarding his sheep is the main trope for shepherding, but one thing I want to make sure I do with this role is to focus my direct efforts on the aspects I have experience and talent in and refer the rest. Any one individual who says they can do everything for you in a long and often complex process like publishing is spreading themselves too thin, in my opinion, not to mention that more than one or two pairs of eyes on a document will almost always produce more accurate results. Remember that publishing has traditionally been a collaborative effort using a staff of editors, proofreaders, typesetters, printers, and marketers to support the writer’s creative effort. Just because we are self-publishing now doesn’t mean all these tasks must be done by one individual, whether it be the author or a single “book shepherd.” So, if I end up copy editing your book, I’m likely to recommend someone else to proofread it; I think you’ll get better quality copy that way. I also let other folks with better graphics skills do most of the book covers for my clients.

Book shepherds provide an invaluable set of services, though, particularly regarding expertise on the process as a whole. I am constantly being asked new questions (like “so, how can I get twenty-five copies of a new booklet to take to an event to show off and sell, but I don’t want to necessarily sell them on Amazon?”) that cause me to increase my knowledge on what’s available for self-publishing authors.

If you need help with publishing, just let me know. 🙂

And in the interest of quality referrals, since it take a village oftentimes to publish a book, here are a couple of folks with great advice of their own:

Brian Klems at Writer’s Digest has written a great article on the editor–author relationship: “10 Things Your Freelance Editor Might Not Tell You—But Should.”

My editor buddy from the far north of Scotland, Sara Donaldson, is not only a great editor and genealogical researcher, but also a great writer herself, and her blog at Northern Editorial is just chock full of great advice for working with editors and writing in general.

And, in the past year, I’ve discovered an amazing book designer (who does covers, too!) I can refer my clients to for more complex interior designs and great covers. She is Julie Karen. If you need design, check her out!

by Joanne Sprott on November 8, 2021

The Rates Question for Publishing Services

Last time, I wrote a bit about work availability in the book production business. Today, it’s time for the rates question.

The question of how much to charge is often on new editorial freelancers’ minds. And I think we get into our fears about being rejected. We underbid and run into the same issues that happen when looking for a job and not asking what we are worth salary-wise. I don’t think that being job scared all the time will serve us in the long run as either employees or freelancers. Let’s look at this a different way.

The Value-and-Match Question

I prefer to look at rates as part of a value-and-match question for both the provider of a product or service and their client.

We can’t initially know for sure all of the motivations of a potential client (we are not them), so let’s begin with our side of the value-and-match: the freelancer in this case. What do you want from this gig? As an editor, you can get anywhere from $20 to $120US per hour (or less or more), depending on how potential clients see your value and what match relationships you create. I’m sure famous fantasy author, Neil Gaiman, pays his developmental editor an excellent rate: a) because he values her expertise very highly, b) because she values her expertise very highly, and c) because they are a good match for each other. As a result, she may not need many other clients in order to make a good living.

But you and I may not meet a famous (and prolific) author and become their go-to editor, and maybe you are just starting out in the field. Maybe you are the major/sole breadwinner in your family, or maybe you just want to create some supplemental income. You see, we all come from different places on the experience-expertise-compensation-need spectrum. So, comparing your rates to other folks is not particularly useful. There is a rather large range of actual hourly rates for publishing services, a large enough range that your needs can probably be met somewhere along the range.

Setting Standards, Setting Boundaries

The key to success is to know your value. You may start out a bit lower than some average hourly rate (I normally charge by the page or word and track my hourly to make sure that rate is working for me, so if I can go faster, I make more anyway, and the client has a fixed fee to budget for), but one key is to not be afraid to raise your rates as your expertise and reputation grow. And also to not be afraid to drop a client if they insist on remaining too cheap after you have moved on to better rates with others.

That’s been the pattern of my experience: finding returning clients willing to pay higher rates and letting go of early ones who want to pay the same rate they did twenty-five years ago (yep, it happens!). Those clients I’ve kept know my value and will pay a small premium for it. Letting go of the matches that don’t work for you can be just as important as getting that client match you’ve always been looking for. No point in wasting your time with a rate that won’t pay the bills.

Your client match (for content, personality and payment) is definitely out there. Go be irresistibly attractive with your excellent value as a publishing services provider, and they will find you.

by Joanne Sprott on October 25, 2021

Always Enough – Work, That Is

Knock briskly, and it will be opened to you. Especially in today’s labor marketplace.

Is there enough? I’ve often been asked this question by folks trying to get into publishing services like editing, proofreading and/or book indexing. It also applies to starting almost any business or looking for a job, of course.

Avoid the Desperation Pose

My first response is, “Don’t whine!” And please don’t supplicate. I can smell want-work desperation from across the conference room. It’s not pleasant. Makes me want to walk the other way. So, yes, if you act desperate and do the supplication kneel for work, that job or that business prospect will likely walk away because of your approach. Unless the employer or prospect likes to play power games. But you don’t want corporate slavery, either, I assume.

Gather Your Tribe

It’s not a question of “enough.” It’s a question of finding your match. Always, always. Think about the custom guitar maker. His market is likely small (unlike the market for Coca Cola, for example, which is still catering to a tribe—just a very big one that doesn’t include Pepsi fanatics), but he is in demand and makes a very good living because he provides tremendous value to those customers, and they will pay a premium for it. He doesn’t worry about general job availability statistics. He just has to stay connected to his particular “tribe,” largely through reputation, and he’ll make a great living.

But, you say, what about the newbie? The new person to a career field doesn’t have connections yet, nor the expert skill set, necessarily. True. But the market, your tribe, is still there. You just need to be introduced (and have a good elevator speech). That’s what targeted marketing and web presence are for. Here’s my freelance progression (from a long time ago):

I started in publishing services in 1992 by targeting a professional association in book indexing to develop networking connections (I did not supplicate for jobs, but instead, volunteered in the organization).
Meanwhile, I only targeted 10 publishers when I started my official indexing business in 1995. Back then, before social media and just at the start of email, I sent letters and postcards. I waited nine months before I got my first indexing job (because the publisher’s first choice was unavailable—after that first job, I became the first choice, not because the other indexer wasn’t available for every job, but because I was excellent!).
I set up a static website in the late 1990s as well (paid a pro to build it for me). When blogging became possible, I used the platform to present my brand. I’ve been working on the basis of reputation mostly, ever since the early 2000s.

In our current too-much-information-and-access universe, some of the old methods can still be effective (people get less paper mail now, so that postcard to a prospective managing editor might get attention). Meanwhile, the tools to be visible online are quite varied and numerous; there are many blogging outlets and social media networks to choose from. Do some writing/video/audio in your field of knowledge, regularly, and participate in professional conversations (LinkedIn groups, for example). Share that writing or video or audio and your professional interests on your top two or three social media outlets; connections will happen with regular, substantive participation (not a bunch of Likes, but real comments).

Build the Reputation That Will Sustain You

There is plenty of work out there; it’s just a question of expending the time and effort to build that reputation. I don’t believe in the numbers/statistics game in general with almost any occupation unless technology or something is really eliminating a way of working (e.g., buggy whips or whale-oil lamps vs. automobiles and electricity). Everyone can find a niche somewhere, especially with today’s ability to be visible online.

As an example, in book indexing these days, the key is to be flexible enough to get beyond the printed book. If you’re interested in indexing, take a basic course for the mental of indexing judgment (not everyone has the right mindset), but then make sure you give yourself some self-education in the new areas (ebooks, embedded indexing, taxonomy, even information architecture) that are related to traditional indexing. That will give you more breadth to move into the future. It will pay to think outside the book covers for sure; there’s demand for linked indexes to ebooks, for example, and human-created search keywords for mobile apps that have complex subject matter.

Niches in editing and proofreading are almost endless, but I think the emphasis now is on helping self-publishing authors (don’t forget to charge enough to include hand-holding) more than serving traditional publishers, and being technically savvy enough to use electronic methods of marking text (like Adobe Acrobat and Google Docs as well as Microsoft Word).

Beyond the Book: Text is Everywhere

You’ll want to market beyond traditional publishing organizations for all publishing-related services; the publishing revolution continues. You may end up working not only directly for writers, but folks putting up websites, etc. Smaller jobs and more of them maybe, rather than larger book jobs for traditional publishers. Get your e-commerce set up and you’ll be ready to take care of credit card-paying clients as well!

Go forth, create value, and be visible! And do it again and again. You will find your clients.