My niece/nephew/best friend from college/office assistant is a good writer. Why can’t I just have him/her write my copy?

As I see it, we can’t collect enough talented people in our lives, and everybody has to start somewhere. While they could write your website copy, do your blogging for you, and create your social media content, keep in mind that these media are usually the first impression you give to customers, and we rarely get do-overs on first impressions.

To maximize your chances at attracting—and keeping—your target audience, you’ll need a professional copywriter, who will work with you to tell your business’s story efficiently, effectively, and, for digital projects, with SEO in mind. I’ll ensure that your project puts your best brand “foot” forward by telling your unique story in a captivating way that addresses the information your audience wants and needs.

How is social media strategy or website content strategy different from social media or website content creation?

Content strategy is your starting point. It addresses the types of information that will be valuable to your audience, authentic voice development for your brand, the ideas you want to communicate, and the types of content that will help customers find you in organic search. Strategy also includes the creation of editorial calendars or content calendars, the best times of day and week for posting content, and effective ways to repurpose or reuse previously published content.

Content creation is the writing of content that fulfills all of the above criteria; it frequently also includes sourcing images to complement the copy. The created content is what you’ll actually post on your various digital platforms.

Do you offer daily management of social media platforms?

Because successful day-to-day management of a social media platform requires not just monitoring of that account but also interaction with followers, influencers, and others in the digital sphere, it can quickly become a significant time investment. Content strategy and content creation for social media are time-consuming in and of themselves, so the creation and management are often divided among content specialists and community managers.

For these reasons, I’m able to offer social media management for just a few clients at a time on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, I have a selected few social media managers whom I trust and who can provide day-to-day management, using content created and supplied by me. We review all analytics and results together, to ensure that you get the service your business needs to grow a robust social media presence.

What’s the deal with the different types of editing? Isn’t all editing the same?

There are three (and sometimes more, depending on the complexity of the project) distinct levels of editing.

Developmental or substantive editing is “big picture” editing, and evaluates whether a manuscript fulfills the mission it set out to address, its overall organization, any missing transitions or other pieces of the puzzle, ways to make the project stand out from those on similar topics, and consistency of the author’s voice and the content presented.

Copyediting, sometimes called line editing, gets deeper into the nitty-gritty of writing mechanics, with the freelance editor focusing on grammar, spelling, and plot and stylistic consistency. Typically, the editor will create a style sheet for your project during the copyediting phase.

Proofreading is the last stop on the editing train, after the developmental and copyediting stages have been completed. It’s the final quality-control check to ensure that all edits from the previous stages have been made, and to check for typos that may have been accidentally introduced or grammar and spelling errors that may have been missed.

I need someone to edit my paper, article, book, slide presentation, or website. What does editing cost?

What a freelance editor charges for a project is first dependent on the level of editing required—for example, basic copyediting costs less than heavy copyediting—and then on the number of hours required to complete the project.

Check out my base rates above, then contact me with the specifics of your project so I can give you an estimated range of hours. If you prefer a flat rate versus an hourly rate, I can provide a flat-rate estimate.

I need someone to train my staff in writing, blogging, social media strategy or content management, or content creation for digital marketing. Do you offer any of that stuff?

You bet. I teach workshops and speak at conferences and other events on topics including:

• Blogging
• Writing
• Social media
• Digital content creation and marketing

Check out one of my classes or appearances here. Or to book me for your own conference or workshop, contact me for availability and rates.

I’m just starting out with my own freelance writing or content marketing business. Can you mentor me or give me some free advice?

First, congratulations on developing your business, and kudos for wanting to learn how to do it the right way. Because I receive frequent requests for advice, I’m no longer able to schedule free mentoring sessions. Check out my 10 Tips for How to Start a Writing Business; you’ll find some great information and guidance for setting yourself up for success.

What is cultural adaptation?

It’s a service specifically geared toward businesses based outside the United States who sell to American audiences. For the owners and managers of these businesses, English often isn’t their first language, and communicating effectively to Americans—who are bombarded with advertising and marketing on an everyday basis—can be a challenge. Poorly written copy is bad for business, and studies have shown that bad grammar, spelling, and word choices can lead to consumer mistrust—and loss of sales.

Yes, apps like Grammarly and Hemingway will catch some errors, and having English-speaking staff members is a plus. But fluency in grammar will get you only so far; understanding cultural biases, idioms, puns, and other nuances, plus the notorious double and triple meanings of the English language, takes many years to master. With a website, blog post, or e-mail, you’ve got about 8 seconds to capture your audience. Why leave revenue on the table with a poorly translated or awkwardly worded campaign? I’ll edit or rewrite your English translations to not only read smoothly and seamlessly, but also to appeal directly to the emotions of the American audience—and help unlock new earning potential.