Sue Fairchild

Final Thoughts On 2020

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Final Thoughts On 2020

by Sue A. Fairchild

2020 is almost over! It’s certainly been a tough one for everyone. Although the virus will not magically disappear (we could only hope!) when the clocks ring in 2021, we can still evaluate what did and did not work in our business endeavors and make plans for the new year.

  • Did you take on a job you wish you hadn’t? Or didn’t accept one you wish you had? Consider any regret you might have and then decide how you’d make a different decision moving forward.
  • What specific goals do you have for 2021? Would you like to expand your freelance clients or start working for a publisher? Decide what steps you’d need to take to achieve these goals. Ask others for advice and seek out mentors.
  • Do you need more education to make your business thrive or to land that big publishing job? Check out online courses like those from The PEN Institute, study style manuals like the CMOS, and, again, ask others for help. There are also many online editing groups where editors of all levels ask questions and help each other. Check out The Chicago Manual of Style‘s Style Q&A page as well.
  • Do you need to factor in more rest in 2021? Maybe the stress of the world’s problems and your hectic schedule really wore you down this year. What could you change or implement to add more physical and spiritual rest? This could mean getting up earlier every day for a bit of quiet time with the Lord, staying up a bit later and doing some yoga, or even finding thirty minutes in your day for a short walk – without multitasking!

2020 was a tough year; it cannot be disputed. But we know we can always find rest in the Lord and His purpose for our lives will always prevail if we stick close by His side.

My prayer for 2021 is that everyone, including myself, can cultivate a relationship with the Lord, that a cure or vaccine will be found for COVID-19, and that we will all strive to give each other and ourselves a bit more grace.

God bless you and Happy New Year!

Sue started out as a devotion writer, but now also claims the titles of editor, proofreader, speaker, and writing coach. She has written and self-published three books as well as helped a variety of authors get their manuscripts into readers’ hands. Sue loves working with clients who are working toward the greater good of sharing God’s message in this world. Check out her website here: sueafairchild.wordpress.com

 

Valentine’s Day Musings

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Valentine’s Day Musings

by Sue A. Fairchild

As I began to think about what we could post today that would relate to both editing and Valentine’s Day, I began to consider how much love and affection we must provide our authors as we edit their words. Most often, authors have spent months, sometimes years, writing their novels. They have an affection for their words, a connection that we cannot. Their words have been crafted with the utmost care and skill, then they send it off into our cold, calloused hands (just kidding), hoping that we won’t rip their beloved piece to shreds.

I often think of this Bible verse when I’m editing:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34 NIV).

Truly, this is a verse we should keep in our hearts as we edit the words of others. For in this, we can succeed in providing excellent advice and sharing the will of God to our authors. So, on this Valentine’s Day, I am reminding each of us that love is about more than the affection shared between couples. It can also be conveyed to each other in the way we interact with one another on a daily basis, especially as we work with the precious words of our clients.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sue A. Fairchild started out as a devotion writer, but now also claims the titles of editor, proofreader, webmistress, and blogger. She has written and self-published three books as well as helped a variety of authors get their manuscripts into readers’ hands. Sue loves working with clients who are working toward the greater good of sharing God’s message in this world. Email sueafairchild74@gmail.com to discuss a free sample edit. Check out her website for testimonials.

Stepping Out In Faith

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Stepping Out In Faith

by Sue A. Fairchild

As freelancers, we almost all experience the Feast or Famine scenario at one time or another. For me, it’s usually around the Christmas/New Year holiday, but this past season, it lasted quite a bit longer than normal and it began to worry me.

I tried all sorts of things to fill the time. Writing. Reaching out to old clients. Ramping up my social media postings. I consulted other freelancers. And I made plans for when things would finally break. But still the famine persisted.

I started to pray about the famine, telling God my fears. I wanted Him to show me how to move forward. I began listening to Christian podcasts that dealt with subjects like God’s rest and His hope for our lives. I began to wonder if this famine period was simply God’s way of giving me rest or trying to show me something new.

I kept praying. I tried to listen to God and sought to make the most of my time, but in His way. What was it He wanted me to do? What did He want me to learn? Time went by and still there came no answer.

Around this time Dori Harrell wrote this post for the PEN tips blog. It encouraged me to start considering new ways to find clients during this famine period. I started by reaching out to Dori for advice. Then I reached out to other editors about what they’d done exactly to keep that work flow flowing.

It’s weird. I’d never considered simply asking other editors their advice and opinions. I guess I thought it was taboo to ask others where they had gotten their jobs. But I had nothing to lose and I had to do something. If I let my fears hold me back and didn’t reach out for help, how would I ever learn?

Then, in the Christian Pen email group, someone posted that a well-known publisher was seeking proofreaders. I could no longer let my fears and perceived inexperience hold me back. Perhaps this was what God was trying to tell me: step out in faith.

I applied.

A few days later, I connected with another publisher through that same email group. I saw her post about working for publishers and I emailed her. I threw caution to the wind and boldly told her I wanted to work with her company. She asked for my resume.

I applied to other places too. It seemed like now that I’d broken out of that insecure mindset, fear no longer held me back. Or was it simply God leading the way now that I had stepped out in faith?

I was hired by two of the publishers and the work came immediately. Then I was offered more work by freelance clients. And my job as a newspaper correspondent started to pick up again. I even got to interview Steven Curtis Chapman! (Check it out!) Suddenly, I had broken free of the famine period and all because I had listened to God’s persistent whisperings in my ear to step out in faith, despite my insecurities.

My time of famine passed. God knew I needed rest and time to listen to His voice—not my own. I needed that time to understand I had been spinning my wheels by doing things my own way, unsure if I was good enough to work for a real-life publisher. I hadn’t trusted that God had a plan. I needed that famine time to break out of my cycle of unbelief.

If you’re in that famine time, let me reassure you: God is there and He has a good work to do within you. First, stop listening to your own inner voice and listen for His voice instead. Then, seek His direction. Finally, be willing to step out in faith with what you hear from Him. What is He trying to tell you during your time of famine?

Sue A. Fairchild is a freelance editor who specializes in full-length novel edits and Christian writing. Her clients include a USA Today Bestselling author, a suspense/thriller series, and a fantasy series. In addition, Sue has been published in Christian devotion magazines, two Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and has self-published two novels currently available on Amazon (“What You Think You Know” and “Summer’s Refrain”). Find out more about her by following her on Twitter and Instagram or signing up for her newsletter.

It’s Time To Engage

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It’s Time To Engage

by Sue A. Fairchild

As a relatively “green” editor, with only four years under my belt as a freelancer, I often worry about how best to market my business. As freelancers, we’re frequently told to employ a plethora of social media platforms as ways to advertise and market. But which ones truly can help?

I have professional social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, but it’s difficult to keep up with each of them on a daily basis. It takes a lot of time to post new, exciting and informed content on all four, plus keep up with my actual work. I’ve even tried using scheduling applications for assistance, but some strategists warn that these can be kicked out by some social media giants (like Facebook) because you aren’t actually being social. There are so many rules about social media—how to utilize it and how often—that it can seem to be a never-ending and useless cycle in our business.

However, I’ve found two ideas that have worked well for me.

  1. Go where the professionals are. Guru and Upwork are fine for obtaining some jobs, but often I found the clients to be more demanding than they were willing to pay. No one needs to work for less than their value. I’ve found places like LinkedIn and organizations such as the Christian Editor Connection help fill my schedule best. If you have a LinkedIn account, you can register as a pro through their ProFinder service. The feature works like Guru or Upwork by connecting you with people who need your services, but, because it’s LinkedIn, the clients are typically of a more professional caliber and not simply looking for cheap labor. When someone fills out a request for a service like yours, you receive a notification and can then submit a proposal. The proposals for each request are limited to five so you need to act fast, but it means you aren’t competing against as many professional (or not-so-professional) people like on the other sites.
  2. Connect with people who need your services. Actually being social on your social media platforms—any you choose—can truly make the difference in your business. Instead of posting random things on every social media platform in hopes that someone will follow you or seek you out, you pursue and connect with the people you want to engage. For instance, on Instagram, I seek out authors and writers who also have a Christian base. I look for small, independent authors and ones that are seeking advice or assistance. Even if we’re not connected via the platform as friends, I choose one of their posts I like and comment on it. Very often, they will comment back and even like my Instagram page in return. And, just like that, a connection is formed. I’ve fostered a few work relationships this way and plan on implementing this more in the new year.

In the end, in order to grow our business, we need to employ all the resources—like social media platforms—available to us. However, it’s also up to us to utilize them in the most effective way possible—not simply posting into the abyss, but actually engaging with like-minded professionals in a professional manner.

Sue A. Fairchild is a freelance editor who specializes in full-length novel edits and Christian writing. Her clients include a USA Today Bestselling author, a suspense/thriller series, and a fantasy series. In addition, Sue has been published in Christian devotion magazines, two Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and has self-published two novels currently available on Amazon (“What You Think You Know” and “Summer’s Refrain”).

 

 

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