Monday, January 29, 2007

Why Me? But not in a bad way

I've finished the book about the Boston Tea Party (well, I still have a couple of revisions to make)! Yee Haw! The publisher offered me contracts for two more books, one about the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and one about the Death Penalty. I took them, of course. My former boss offered me contracts to write books in her popular rock, poker, and tobacco and smoking series. I took them, but boy do I wish I could give back the poker ones! I'm also editing all of the books in those series.

Editing. I love editing. I never really knew how much I loved editing until I started getting offers for writing. I like writing, but would rather not do so much of it. At least the Boston Tea Party publisher offers me interesting subjects. They are so good to work for.

When I contact publishing companies and packagers about freelance opportunities, I almost always ask for editing assignments. Lately, all I'm getting are writing offers. I guess I'm not complaining. I know there are several freelancers practically begging for business; I've been there. There's one whose difficulty baffles me. She has written far more books than I have, but she can't seem to get any assignments. To be honest, she's probably a better writer than I am.

I guess there's something to be said for being in the right place at the right time--and for networking, especially for networking. A member of an e-mail list recommended me to the publisher, who offered me the Tea Party contract, then contracts to fact-check three books, and the two new writing contracts. Yea networking.

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