Wednesday, March 1, 2017

My Business Card

Last week I wrote about my decision to become a professional Editor. It was a scary thing to do, but my love of the English language in all its vexing glory along with  my passion for stories (not to mention my need for an income!) screamed to be unleashed in a constructive and positive way. So here I am, putting myself out there and waiting for the phone to ring.

I have everything I need to do this job: a computer, the necessary software, applicable skills acquired over the 5 1/2 decades I've been alive, style guides and grammar guides to guide me, enthusiasm, time, experience and desire. I even have business cards! And I shared my business card in my last post with the promise to explain it this week.

Here it is again in case you missed it:



When I first designed it, "Editor" was spelled correctly. But the card, while functional and containing all the information I felt I needed to convey, was bland and uninteresting. It needed something else.

I am a firm believer in having fun. I think that work should be fun and having a good sense of humour is intrinsic to making the best of every situation. So I "edited" the card to include the misspelled title that I claim for myself and added the deletion mark that used to dominate manual editing practice.

I worried after I did it that people would not take me seriously (oh, the irony!) and would see it as... Well, as something less than professional. Second guessing myself is a habit that has destroyed many potentials in my life. This time, I refused to listen to that little voice that was saying, "This is stupid!" My business card will remain in its edited condition!

I intend to be successful at this endeavor. And I intend to have fun with it. If I'm going to spend my days editing other peoples' work, I want to do it with a light heart as well as a fierce pen. Letting potential clients know that I am not perfect, but I am diligent and that I love what I do is the entire point behind my business card. It is my fondest wish that I have portrayed this well enough. This tiny piece of card stock is, after all, how I will be introduced to many people.

So, there you have it! The story behind my business card. Like it, love it, hate it, it feels right to me.

Next week I will be exploring the editor/author relationship and attempt to put writers' minds at ease about the process. Join me and learn why Editors are not evil!


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