For All Your Editing Privacy Needs (by Kristin Anders)

In a law office, people are familiar with attorney-client privilege. Basically, communications between a client and his or her attorney are protected against disclosure. There are several loop holes and what-ifs to that, but the gist is--attorneys are not supposed to blab. But their clients can.

Having worked in law firms for six years, it makes sense that this practice rolls over to my editing business. It's not intentional, it just does. And I'm not sure it's a bad thing.

Here's what's confidential. Who has hired me, when they hired me, what they're working on, and what they're paying me (though, really, the fees are on the site). Until their book is published most of these things cannot be pried from my lips. Yes, I check up on clients just as I hope they check up on me. But in general? No. There are no Facebook posts, no tweets, no Google Circles are alerted. It's between the author and me unless they give me permission to do otherwise.

Also, like with attorney-client privilege, the privilege can be broken when the client breaks it. To me, that's when the book is published with my name in front as editor. This is a great thing. Authors get to release their babies into the world and I get to point at their novels and shout, "See?? TOLD you I had a job!"

But more than that I want to help sell the novel. Why wouldn't I? I'm proud of it, too. By now the author and I are buds. Again, why wouldn't we be? We have one of the strongest common interests in the world: shared love for the writing process. I do not underestimate that.

Promoting the novels and authors that have become (and are becoming) dear to me is something that is going to happen. I have no idea how I'm going to fit it in the day, but I will. It's that important.

An editor's relationship with an author is private. Hell, it's sacred. That relationship should be solid. Don't listen to any bafoon who tells you to nix a character, delete an entire point of view or change your hero without trusting them completely. And what happens in the editing process stays in the editing process unless the editor has permission to bring it out.

But claiming an author as a client? Claiming a book as your adoptive child? Yes, that happens the very moment the book becomes live (hopefully sooner). Because that baby is beautiful and I love it too.

Do you have any editing experiences--good or bad? Do you think editors should be on the hush-hush or wear their authors and their work loud and proud?


For related articles, search using the below label "personal."

Must Love Romance

In case it hasn't become apparent to my four readers out there...

I have no idea what I'm doing with this blog.

Blogging is an art. Stop laughing. No wait. Keep laughing. Funny blogs keep readers coming back. And my funny bone doesn't convey well through the Internet. But it has a killer sense of humor. Maybe talented guest bloggers could bring all the people. Funny guest bloggers.

Can there be a blog where guest bloggers only post and never the owner? There can. It's called Ravishing Romances and that's already run by Enchanting Ella and Musing Maddie. Maybe that could work here, too.

Funny bloggers please apply. Must Love Romance.

In the meantime I apologize, but you have me. With nothing of interest to say. But I could use some advice.

Creative marketing (I think) is essential to any successful business and I'm not sure how to approach the marketing for The Romantic Editor.

I did take out a Facebook Ad for one week and that worked out really well. Since The Romantic Editor sells something more expensive than a book, the ad directed users toward The Romantic Editor's FB page for Likes. It received several and I received several emails for work. No bites, but nibbles are great.

There's this website, of course, and the lovely and talented Carrie of Seductive Designs created the banner, the button, and the favicon.

Social media is active for Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

There's no newsletter. One might start once clients release novels edited by me. That's my news and hopefully it helps authors generate more sales.

I contacted Kristen Lamb (Ingrid, actually) about blogging techniques. No response. Guess some bloggers have no hope.

Just ordered an ink stamp that reads, "Courtesy of: The Romantic Editor" with the website. Now when books are donated to bookstores, conferences, and book groups the name is at least inside.

...but what else? Is there anything else? Should there be anything else? There are grander ideas for marketing, but they require a larger, more profitable business. At the end of the day I am one editor charging a low fee. Expensive advertising might make people aware, but the money generated should cover the cost of advertising.

Which means that sponsoring romance conferences might help to only break the bank.

Anyone have any creative ideas? Please share them if you do.


And seriously, funny people of the World Wide Web. Please apply inside. Must Love Romance.


To read similar articles, search using the below label "personal."