REQUEST AN EDITOR

Editor Resources

You’ve been freelancing as an editor, a proofreader, a ghostwriter, and/or a writing mentor for a while now, and you’ve found that you enjoy it and are quite good at it. But you occasionally experience “feast or famine” syndrome. Some months there’s more work than you can handle, while other months you wonder whether you’ll make enough income to pay the bills (and maybe your friends and family members start nagging you to “get a real job”).

Or maybe you have plenty of jobs, but they’re not all ideally suited to your preferences, background, or areas of expertise. You don’t want to turn down the work, but you know your skills could be better applied to projects that more closely match your unique abilities. And to be honest, some of the jobs you’ve taken on would probably be better handled by someone with different specialties.

CEC can help!

Our editorial matchmaking service connects authors and publishers with established, professional editorial freelancers using a database approach. Prospective CEC editors fill out a simple application describing their business, provide references from satisfied clients, and take a brief test in whichever type(s) of editing they want to offer.

Authors and publishers who visit the CEC site fill out a request form identifying the editorial service they’re looking for and providing a brief description of the manuscript(s), rate range, turnaround time, etc. We match each of these requests with our qualified editors who meet those specifications, then pass along the lead to them. The editors who are interested and available contact the potential clients and deal directly with them.

CEC editors are under no obligation to work with a referred client or even to respond to a lead. If it looks like a good fit to you, go for it. If not, you can pass on it at any step in the negotiating process.

This service is offered free to authors and publishers. For editors, there is a $20 fee to have each editing test assessed as well as an annual membership fee of $50. There is also a 15 percent referral fee for the first year the editor works with any referred client.

 

Interested in becoming part of Christian Editor Connection?

Applicants must have

  • at least two years of experience as a professional freelance editor, beginning with your first paying client*;
  • at least two client references;
  • thorough knowledge of the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style;
  • thorough knowledge of the most recent edition of The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style; and
  • an introduction letter to potential clients that will be reviewed by the CEC Director.

*Experience includes paid freelance editing—a monthly church newsletter, short stories, full-length books, etc.—and does not include work performed as an employee or intern.

Click here to fill out the CEC freelancer application.

 

Are you fairly new to editorial freelancing?

Christian Editor Connection partners with established, professional editors. If you’re an aspiring editor or new to freelancing, check out The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, a professional support organization for freelance proofreaders and editors. It offers an email discussion loop, networking, professional discounts for members, and more.

The PEN Institute offers online courses, webinars, and digital curriculum for new and experienced editors. We recommend starting with “Establishing Your Freelance Editing Business,” “Freelance Editing,” “Editing in MS Word,” and “Proofreading” but encourage you to check out all the offerings to see which are the best fit for you.

These organizations can help you gain the two years of paid experience required to qualify you as a CEC editor.

Christian Editor Connection