Blogterview: Jacqueline Snider, Writer, Editor, Proofreader
Jacqueline Snider has and made several appearances here on the Mediaville blog, sharing insights and advice gleaned from more than a decade in the business.
In this blogterview we talk more with her about what she does. You can find out more at her website http://thewayislove.ca and there is loads of great reading and advice on writing and editing to be found on her blog.
Jacqueline Snider, freelance writer, editor and translator.
Dan: What do you do?
Jacqueline: I am a freelance writer, editor and proofreader.
D: What’s your elevator pitch?
J: How will I keep your readers coming back for more? There are 5 keys to writing and I use them to keep your readers coming back again and again. Whether I’m writing your web copy, editing your novel or proofreading your magazine my 5 keys work each and every time. Contact me for all your writing, editing and proofreading needs. I will keep your readers coming back again and again.
D: How long have you been working in this specific field, and what were you doing before?
J: I have been a writer, editor and proofreader for 10 years. Before that I was a marketing director and sales associate for various Canadian educational publishers and distributors.
D: How do you do it?
J: I started writing, editing and proofreading by accident. Some of the publishers I was representing asked me to edit and proofread their websites and then their books. I then got a job writing for a children’s publisher in Korea and it just snowballed from there.
I take my work very seriously and I work very hard to create new contacts, keep up my professional skills, get new jobs that are challenging and creative and maintain good relationships with my present and past clients.
D: How did you get started as a freelancer?
J: As I said, I got started as a freelancer by accident. Though I know there are no such things as coincidences. I already had the publishing contacts from my sales business and it just evolved into writing, editing and proofreading too.
D: What is something exciting about the future of your industry?
J: I love the ebook idea and, now, reality. I just read my first ebook on my iphone to try it out. I was surprised how much I liked it considering I’m a die-hard rbook (real book) reader.
D: Anything scary?
J: I don’t really find anything scary about it. It’s important to stay up to date on current trends and what’s happening in the world of editing and books in general. I’ve always been an avid reader and writer in my own right so this hasn’t ever been a problem for me.D: What do you do differently than other people in your field?
J: I think, having the sales background that I do, I am very good at creating relationships with my clients and association member and keeping those connections over time. Relationship building is a big part of any career, and life for that matter, and I love meeting people and talking with people so it comes pretty naturally to me.
D: Are you a member of any other professional organisations in Montreal?
J: I am a voting member of the EAC, a writing member of the QWF and a member of ELAN.
D: In terms of professional connections (through Mediaville, or otherwise) who are you looking to meet?
J: I would like to edit and proofread for magazines, edit and proofread for authors and publishers and write web copy for agencies and professional businesses.
D: What sorts of projects are you looking for?
J: I am looking for an editorial post at a publisher or publishers and a magazine or magazines, I want to edit and proofread more novels for independent writers as well. I am interested in editing and proofreading for ebook writers and publishers and writing for web clients, agencies and doing some ghost writing.
D: What’s the best thing about being a freelancer? In Montreal?
J: I love being able to set my own hours and schedule. I also like working from home. I love the EAC and QWF in Montreal, they are dynamic and I love being a part of what they do. The writing community in Montreal is very strong and very well supported by the QWF.
D: Do you have any quick thoughts about your specific industry/work?
J: I am very encouraged by the certification process that the EAC has started. I will be taking one of the tests in November and it will give me professional certification in copy writing and it’s a certificate that I must maintain over time. Editing is a very complex skill and I am very excited about being recognized as a certified copy editor in my association: The EAC.D: Thanks Jacqueline!
Mediaville Blogterviews are short interviews introducing a Montreal freelancer and friend of Mediaville. It’s a great way to get the word out about what you do, and to find out more about other freelancers for potential collaboration.
If you’d like to have a talk with us about what you do, then email us at blog@mediaville.ca.
