Why hire an Editor or Writer when you have programs to do it for you?

These days, it seems there are a number of products online to help you with editing or writing. Whether you have an important email, business proposition, manuscript, college paper, etc. there are so many ways you can get it “fixed” without having to hire someone to do it for you. But why should you consider a human editor or writer instead?

As an editor, I have worked for a variety of individuals in either writing or cleaning up their literary works. One thing I know for a certain is, however, that no one writes perfectly; because no one speaks perfectly. Everyone around you has their own way of speaking. And those little quirks they have verbally, carry over in how they write. There are accents in print, just as there are in conversations. And if you know the person or have heard them speaking, then you can imagine them better when the things they write still reflect those voice patterns on a page. An automated program cannot read in accents. They cannot detect the southerners drawl or the northerners lack of R’s. So say, for instance, a writer of fiction is looking to perfect his novel. A computer program will tell that writer all the ways they need to change their manuscript to fit into better English. But that will in turn strip the originality of their style away. A human editor, however, will know the person well enough to understand why they wrote this word as they did. Or why this phrase was important, though grammatically incorrect. I had to do that for a guy from New York that wrote horror stories, novels and later comic books. He had his own style, that when you read it the way he wrote, you could tell it was with a northern accent. Then again, I edited for a 3-time international best seller who has his own style. And though it might not seem perfect, it is him. His writing reflects his speech which is a big part of who he is. Now this might not be needed for a college paper, but for blog posts and manuscripts, it could be a make or break situation.

Programs can’t get everything right. Do you know that the English language is one of, if not the most, difficult to learn? One word can have a plethora of meanings, depending on the context as well as the dialect. Take the word shot, for instance. You get a shot to help prevent diseases, but wouldn’t want to be shot in the head, while drinking a shot to get courage to take a shot at that special lady. I just used one word to demonstrate 4 meanings. Or the word fag. In America, its a derogatory term referring to gays. In the United Kingdom, it refers to a cigarette. English editing programs can be as naive as the auto correct that you probably have on your smart phone. You start typing word, it thinks it knows what you are talking about, then suddenly… you have something totally off-the-wall in your message. Ever seen those text fail screen shots? I’ve been there. More times than I care to admit. Which is why I am now more careful than ever when texting. I try to do everything I can to send a well written text, especially when I’m in a hurry. Doesn’t mean I succeed every time, but I do try.

Last point I want to make about hiring an actual person instead of purchasing a program is the price. How much are you willing to spend? And is the price you are paying, worth what you are getting? Let’s face it, you can hire me for a one-time deal, flat rate price. Or you can purchase a program that you will use how many times? Maybe you want to get that ongoing service with a regular flat fee. But how often will you use it? Enough that it pays in the end? Will that program be worth the price if it misses something that a human would not? There have been tests done by users. Take this one. This guy tried 5 methods and his professional editor of a wife caught every mistake while the programs did not. Do you really want to pay for a service that you can only hope for perfect results from? With a human editor, you get more bang for your buck in the long run. They can edit a piece repeatedly until you are satisfied. Depending on who you hire, they can even offer you suggestions on how to reword something to flow better. They can rearrange paragraphs to make everything smooth and easy to understand. Isn’t it worth the money to get the extra service if it will further your success in the long run?

You don’t have take my word for it, though. Do your own homework. Just take the time to know what you are truly looking for when you are paying for a service. Know how you want something to be in the end. Ask questions before you hire. And if you don’t think a human being can do better, then go with the program. Just don’t write us editors and writers off because the market is flooded with a cheap service. We are more than meets the eye.You can check out my professional page here.

Working as a freelancer

These days, everyone wishes they could have the freedom to work from home. And there are several companies that are hiring remote employees. You go through training, set up your computer and phone, and for the most part, deal with clients in the comfort of your home office. There are some requirements to meet in order for this to work. After all, you are working. You are being paid for your services. You can’t slack off. You can’t have background noises distracting you and those you are on the phone with. You have to be professional. But it comes with a level of flexibility. And freedoms. You save money on gas since you don’t have to drive to work. You save money on meals since you have your own kitchen to use. These are great reasons to want to work from home.  

Since I lost my job, I have been trying to get into working freelance. Editing, proofreading, offering suggestions and even writing. I've done this as a side job here and there for friends as well as for free for even closer friends and family. I take great pride in what I do. The author I have done the most work for lately, turned my eye to fiverr.com. You create a profile, list a gig, and make bids to work for others. This sounds great. In theory. In reality, it can be difficult. For starters, their website works with Firefox best. So don't try to use other platforms (learned the hard way). Secondly, most job requests I have seen are sellers asking for work rather than buyers asking for editors. So the system is clogged with that. Out of 90+ requests, only 3 are actual buyers. And the list of available editors is huge! Far more supply than demand. The next problem you face is the fees. Say I sell something for $5, I get $4. A job I do for $25, I get $20. So discouraging for the ones just starting out. Upwork, bought out from Elance, charges a 20% fee for everything you make.

Not worth it when your starting price is $5. Plus, in order to transfer your earnings to your bank account, PayPal, or a card they provide you have to pay another $1 fee. My wallet feels raped. Then for Upwork, you can go with the free version and have to use a credit system to "buy" jobs. Or you can purchase the upgraded account that allows you more credits so you can "buy" more bids.

There are benefits to websites like these. Even if you consider sacrificing the money you made on a couple transactions. You can build rapport with buyers. Then take your clients outside the website. I had my author friend "purchase" and complete an order for some things I edited for him through the website. This way, he could leave me reviews. Then I can use those reviews as references for other clients. Especially since this friend is International Best Seller, Mark Villareal. It gives me a boost towards what I want to do long term.  

Working from home is noble. And something to strive for. But it isn't as easy as people think. A lot more effort is required to make a living and truly make a name for yourself. You have to truly want it. Which is why I have decided to put more effort into creating a website that is user friendly. That other prospective clients will want to check out. And hopefully, I can start doing more of what I enjoy. At home.