Narrative Ink

I'm currently at my final graduate school residency. It's weird to write that, to say that, to think that... On Monday, I completed part one of my MFA requirements: the public reading. It went well. I received a lot of positive feedback, and many stopped me to request a copy of the full manuscript. That's the best compliment a writer can receive. 

This morning, I completed part two: my presentation/panel. I am presenting on forming your own profitable freelance editing company. My editing company, Narrative Ink, has given me great insight into the dos and don'ts of making it in this industry as a freelance editor.

I started freelance editing in March 2013, but I had been working as an editor for various small presses for several years prior to that point. I began writing seriously in 2009, and I have received two degrees in writing: a bachelor's from UW-Parkside and a master's from University of Southern Maine. 

But this isn't about my educational background...

In March 2013, I began freelancing under the company name of Prose & Cons Editing. In November 2014, the company name changed to Narrative Ink Editing, and my paperwork for my LLC was officially processed and approved by both the federal government and the state of Wisconsin. This was a long, daunting process and quite an accomplishment, if I do say so myself.

Being able to say that I am the owner of a business is surreal.

In my presentation on starting your own editing company, I breakdown my success into seven steps. These are the beginning steps one must take in order to legitimately open a small business.

The Steps of Doom:

1. Decide on a business name. Make sure it's not already being used and isn't trademarked.
2. Secure your online presence. I'm talking about registering a domain, creating your business email, and creating your social media sites. This step isn't referring to actually designing these things. Just secure them so that someone else doesn't snag them while you're not looking.
3. Perfect your look. Design a logo, letterhead, header photos, etc. Again, this step isn't talking about actually setting up your online presence. Just securing your look. You may need to hire a graphic designer, which is why this is the third step. While your designer is working on your look, continue onto step four.
4. Find a business location. Remember that this location will be made public, so I do not recommend using your home address. 
5. Legalize! File that LLC paperwork, and make your business legit!
6. Please Uncle Tom by by filing for your Employer Identification Number (EIN).
7. Open business accounts. You want to keep your personal accounts separate from your business accounts. I recommend opting out of a pre-approved line of credit. Cash is the way to go! Just ask Dave.

Once you complete the above steps, it's time to design your online presence. Create an eye-catching website and social media sites. Once you're done, you're ready to promote your business and bring in clients.

Disclaimer: In this post, I've described how I started my own editing company. It’s important to note that I am not an expert. I’m explaining the steps I took to begin my business, which is now financially successful, but there are other steps that can be taken that will still lead to the same success.