Indie Book Club discussion

I hope the Powers that Be of the Indie Book Club will forgive my posting in the general folder, but the other option was my posting the same message in all three lists and this seemed simpler and cleaner to me. So, hopefully it's okay! I can move it if needed. :)

Anyways... I'm not a professional in any of these categories, but I'm pretty decent. I'm also a broke indie author like most folk, so I was wondering if it might be okay to offer a trade of services?

I'm a pretty decent editor. (Semi-colons I'm still working on.) But I'm good on things like flow-of-reading and most/all other spelling and grammar rules.

I am not so good at creating original art, because its been years since I drew anything, but I'm pretty good with Photoshopping stuff. (I did all my own covers, which you can see on the "Books" page of my website.)

I'm also always happy to be a Beta reader, and can help with stuff like consistency and continuity, making sure motivations make sense, etc., The "big picture" stuff that a lot of readers seem to miss (if you ask me) and can be hard to recognize in our own writing. (I know from experience!)

I'd be happy to help with any of these things in exchange perhaps for someone returning the favor, like I'd make a cover if you'd help edit my book. Or I'd edit in return for a cover. (Stock images for the cover art would need to be paid for by the writer, but I'd put in the time.)

Beta generally exchanges for Beta, but I'm flexible there. And would be willing to exchange efforts for any other sorts of things, like if you're a better mind for marketing than I am or making book trailers, etc., (I don't have the program for it any more and can't afford a new one.)

So, hopefully I don't sound like a complete lunatic, and if someone would really rather pay me, I'd take it but I'd be happy to exchange time-in for time-in. :)

Oh, and if you want to see covers I've done...

http://www.miadarien.com/?page_id=67

Hi Mia! That was one I hadn't considered. A mutual trade across the board. :) Nice!

And no problems, you posted in the right place! I figured that other members might like to get an idea which people might like to make a buck, or are looking maybe to expand their portfolio and offer to help out other authors.

Yay! I'm glad I'm not in trouble then. ^_^

Oh, I'm also fairly decent at formatting things, like for Smashwords/KDP/PubIt/Lulu. At least, I've seen no problems and had no complaints. I haven't done CreateSpace, but I could learn.

I would like to eventually be able to offer these sorts of services semi-professionally, but for now, I'd just be happy to go about things this way. I like to help others anyways. :)

Yeah, like I've said, I've been a Beta Reader before, and can usually spot when a sentence or section doesn't flow well. I'm no help with graphics.

Formatting, though, that I'm getting pretty good on. But I'm the best at fixing computers, which works out fairly well for me. I'm the guy that shows up on your doorstep to figure out whatever may be ailing your computer. I never know until I get there what the problem is. I will admit, a good chunk of the problem(s) typically falls with the user, but every once in a while I get a decent problem that takes me a little while to figure out.

If you have formatted books for Kindle, Lulu, etc., then Createspace is a breeze. The hardest part is if you want a custom cover. Then you've got to get the dimensions down right, including spine width, bleed sections, etc.

Lulu is similar, though gives you the option of the one piece cover you have to calculate spine width for (which is what I've done for my books) or two pieces, just front and back.

I'm secretarial by nature, so stuff like formatting and organizing, but if it's a computer problem, I'm usually trapped. Not good at that stuff. ;)

So...gonna try tossing a line out there, see if anyone bites...

Is there anyone who would consider editing in a trade-of-services type of thing? I have a 45K-ish word story that needs editing, not major structural but the sort to make sure my words are spelled right, grammar is in the right places, and I didn't switch 'their' and 'there' and that sort of thing. With the addition of noting any awkwardly phrased sentences. (I speak and think in strange ways, so often write them too and don't always catch them on my own.)

It's a historical romance with adult topics and one sex scene, as a disclaimer.

I am willing to edit in return, or Beta, or do cover art, or formatting... I don't generally mind editing, really, but I hate re-reading my own stuff for the umpteenth time, you know?

So, if there is anyone that might be open to this idea, let me know. :)

Cover art? Can you do free-hand sketches? Like sketching a scene from a book? :)

That... one is a little trickier. ^_^

Typically for cover art, I do graphic manipulation. I can merge images in photoshop, tweak colors and details like that. Hell, I took a picture of Paul Bettany once and covered half his face in scarring and gave him long white blonde hair for a friend's character image. (I was proud of that one.)

I've been known to draw pencil sketches, but it's been a long time and I'm kind of hit or miss. The unfortunate part when it comes to trying to translate that to cover art is I can't color them. So, I'd be willing to try, but I couldn't promise much!

As I am fairly new as a writer, I am not very clear on some of the terminology used here. Perhaps someone could humour me and include descriptions/explanations on the topics mentioned within the group please. I guess Illustations and Editorials are self-explanatory but 'beta'?
Also most comments under these headings seem to mention costs, but with no clear answer. Is there any scope for guideline costs in the explanations?
If I was aware of what people are offering I might be able to make use of them, and perhaps offer my own services.
Thanks

We all had to start somewhere! :)

Beta reading is when you've finished your manuscript and you send it to readers to evaluate. Generally this is for the "big stuff," like your story line and your characters and plot, and such things as that. It's to help you fix any big issues with your story. Everyone does this part differently, but most writers like to send their work to several trusted first readers or beta readers to get different opinions. This could also be called content editing.

Costs vary from person to person, depending on whose doing the work. So there's no real guideline on that one, but to research several different people to get an idea of what the average is. (Editing, as in the grammatical/spelling type -- line editing or proof reading -- can be anywhere from .001 to .007 per word, depending on your editor and what you're looking for.)

I've seen some people offering beta reading services for a charge, but most people work with people they know and so it's a favor from those people. Otherwise, you'll usually find cover artists and line editors/proofreaders and people who will format your work for publication will charge, or might be willing to do an exchange of services.

Hope that helps! :) I'm having a crazy day, so if someone feel free to jump on my head if I missed anything!