RUFF! Manuscript’s Best Friend is hiring two part-time freelance editors. We’re small but headed straight to the stratosphere.
It’s no surprise: RUFF! is turning heads across the indie book community. Talented and prolific authors are joining our client roster right and left as they catch wind of our reputation, the RUFF! edge, our integrity and joyous approach to our work, and our proven backlist coupled with our competitive and transparent pricing structure.
To help us barrel through high volumes of work, the new RUFFians will perform a basic grammar-and-style proof before a manuscript reaches the editor assigned to it, allowing the assigned editor to focus on bigger-picture issues in the book without getting bogged down.
I wanted to title this blog “Campaign for a better fetch schedule,” but the title was rejected in galley edits. With all the exciting new work, RUFF! editors need to balance our increased workload for two important reasons:
● our authors must continue to receive the best client service available,
and
● our editors need more time to play fetch with me.
We’re looking for sharp editors who are also idea people.
Our Editor in Chief, Jessie, isn’t one of those snooty leadership types who think they know everything. Her goal is to build a diverse team of smart, passionate professionals who delight in creative problem solving, who aren't afraid to shake up the status quo, and who will relish taking ownership of the job to shape the trajectory of the company.
Have you considered starting your own freelance editing business but love the idea of having a small, supportive team at your back? Do you enjoy collaboration on the big stuff and independent freedom for your own work? Do you want to help us elevate independent editorial services to a new level in book publishing—making a noticeable impact on the entire independent publishing scene over time? Do you want to work for the editorial group that attracts the crème de la crème of independent authors?
Check out our list of editing services. We’re happy to consider editors who are skilled in one type of editing (developmental editing, copyediting, or proofreading) or all three. We’re especially interested in building a diverse team who can add new levels of excellence to our author feedback and manuscript markups.
The position is entry-level at first, reporting to the Editor in Chief, who will complete a full round of editing of every manuscript you work on for several months. During this semi-apprenticeship, you will receive 50% of the invoice fee (rates included at the above link) for each round of editing you do, paid half at the beginning of the project and half at the end. The remainder of the invoice will be paid to the Editor in Chief.
You will compose frequent written status updates and attend regular one-on-one video check-ins with your supervisor or other team members. These will ensure you have the support you need, a chance to voice concerns or pitch new ideas, and the opportunity to monitor or correct progress against deadlines.
As you gain experience and our clients’ trust, you may take on more independence and require less oversight. Your pay will reflect increased responsibility as appropriate.
We never sugarcoat the truth around here: your starting hours will be flexible and low-commitment, on the light side, depending on the speed of incoming manuscripts from new clients. However, we have every reason to expect your hours and pay can increase if you are interested in growing with us.
Still with me? Tell me if this sounds like you:
- You’re an avid reader and your favorites include both traditionally and self-published authors
- You’ve always had a knack for grammar and spelling
- You have some experience in editing the written word—ideally an internship with a book publisher or a newspaper, but lots of other experiences count: creating newsletters, working on yearbooks, actively serving as a critique partner in a writing group, etc.
- You’ve used a style guide at some point, whether to make consistent grammar choices (e.g., the Chicago Manual of Style or the AP Style Guide) or to cite sources for research (e.g., the MLA Handbook)
- You have impeccable attention to detail—you’re not just prone to an impish smile when you spot an obscure typo, but you’re relentless in seeing and correcting inconsistencies
- You’re highly organized and a self-starter; you don’t need a boss breathing down your neck every hour to stay productive and on schedule
- You’re communicative and collaborative, unafraid to seek clarification or ask for help if it seems you might miss an approaching deadline
- Change doesn’t make you uncomfortable; you thrive on a fast-paced environment and an ever-evolving business
- You’re impeccable at documentation—when you make choices for client-specific style guides, details are meticulously recorded and don’t just end up living in your head
Sound like you? If so, please send us your résumé or CV with relevant work experience. Include a one-page cover letter showing off your personality and your awesome writing skills. What about you helps our team move toward its goal of being inclusive of many voices? What makes you want to work with us instead of applying for something more traditional?
We’ll begin responding to candidates within two weeks to schedule Skype or Google Hangout interviews.
The not-so-fine print
The editorial positions we’re filling are both 100% remote and require you to have access to a computer with consistent internet and a recent version of Microsoft Word; these are not provided by RUFF! You might seek a tax advisor on how to handle freelance-related work expenses in your annual tax return.
An electronic subscription to the Chicago Manual of Style will be provided for your use.
All RUFFians are paid via PayPal.
RUFF! Manuscript’s Best Friend believes both our team and our clients’ books benefit enormously from different perspectives. We seek to foster an inclusive work environment filled with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status.
We believe in taking care of our people. If you stay on, RUFF! will consider diverting profit to invest in continuing education for our editors. Tell us when you see a webinar or an industry event you’d love to attend, and we’ll work out an offer to pay part of the cost. If, with your help, RUFF! reaches particular profitability goals by the end of 2019, we have plans to initiate employee savings plans and other perks that are rare among businesses so young. Also, we always consider existing RUFFians for new job opportunities before outsourcing.
You’re not going to want to miss this opportunity. Join this wild ride just as it gets rolling… and help me recover those lost hours of fetch! RUFF!
Please send your application to Jessie Campbell, Editor in Chief:
jessie (at) ruffdraft.pub.
Click to tweet:
Hiring: Smart freelance #editor. Do you have a dynamic, diverse voice? Ready to take ownership and shape the biz from the ground up? @ruffdraftpub is going places. Join the wild ride! #amediting #editorial #publishing https://ruffdraft.pub/editing/now-hiring-new-ruffians
