Dear Andrea,
I’m told my novel manuscript needs a professional edit before it’ll be publication ready, but I’m on a budget of zero. Do you know any way I can get a comprehensive edit for free?
Signed,
Ima Googler
Dear Googler,
Actually, I offer such services at www.povbootcamp.com. If you have a website, there is a way you can earn a free edit from me. It’s quite easy, in fact. First, download the following image by right clicking and choosing save as:
Next, upload the image to your own server. Place it in the sidebar or any prominent, but unobtrusive location on your site and link it to: http://www.povbootcamp.com
If you need it, here is the code:
<a href=”http://www.povbootcamp.com”><img title=”POV Boot Camp: helping you whip flabby novels into shape with free writing tips, free writing exercises, and the first ten pages of your manuscript edited for only $5? src=”http://www.yourdomain.here/camo1.jpg” alt=”POV Boot Camp: whip that flabby novel into shape” width=”150? height=”200? /></a></p>
If just one person follows the ad’s link, and it shows in my traffic stats widgets, you’ll get my introductory offer for free. Thereafter, every person you send to povbootcamp.com who doesn’t make a purchase is worth an extra page of free editing. Every referral known to lead to a purchase will get you a ten percent discount off your own editing bill should you choose to work with me.
This offer also applies to text links in articles discussing the contents of this website or my editorial services and word of mouth referrals (you will have to notify me of those, however.)
Your own traffic stats tracking system should show you the number of visitors who followed a link from your site to mine also, if you’d like to keep track yourself to make sure I don’t miss any referrals you made. I’m afraid you will have to take my word for it on referrals leading to a purchase, since I’ll have to correlate when a customer contacted me to a specific visitor stat, or else simply ask where you heard of me.
Otherwise, check around. While you won’t get a professional edit of an entire novel for free, some editors offer to do free sample edits, and many more will if you just ask them. You may want to consider my introductory offer, which would help you self-edit the manuscript for no more than what you’d spend for a latte at Starbucks.
Also, be sure to join critique groups and professional writing organizations. Networking and developing relationships with other writers can build you a stable of associates willing to check over your manuscript for you and this is a good thing to have. Don’t expect a full edit for free from any professional editor you might happen to have a relationship with, however. Be respectful of the amount of time that goes into going through a full length novel and return favors in kind as often as possible.
In Christ,
Andrea Graham