This isn't a help question, just for discussion. Feel free to brush it off if you want. xD

What do you think about subsidy publishing?
I think it's a waste of money but, have you ever seen a good use for it?

I have a question that is sort of related, but more to the side. I proof read for some people, and am wondering if this is something I could get into more "professionally", such as would I need an actual degree to do this and make money off of it? I am assuming yes, but before I get to into it I am trying to find out if it is really worth it as a real job, or if I should just stick with helping people out. I read like a crazy person and tend to notice any errors rather easily, so I have always had a habit of correcting things for people I know. If this would make a decent career, do you have any advice or such for getting into it? Please, if you can PM me if it is not too much troublle, I don't get on as much as I would like and sometimes forget what I posted where. Thanks.

Lady Kikyo: Let's start with a simple question. What do you mean when you say you proofread?

Proofreading used to have a very clear definition. It was the last stage of a manuscript, after all the other editors had made their changes. A proofreader looked at the final content and checked it against a marked up copy, making sure that all of the changes had made it to the final content. This job still exists, but has mostly vanished because of changes being made on the computer.

Nowadays, nearly every publisher has a different definition of proofreading. Many interchange it with copyediting. That's what I'm guessing you mean. Copyeditors read through a manuscript and make sure that everything is grammatically correct, there are no mispellings, sentences are easy to understand, all of the necessary elements are included, etc. Book publishing, and magazine publishing for that matter, will always need copyeditors. For book publishing, it's a mostly freelance job. You contact publishers with your resume, they send you a test, and if you pass, you start getting manuscripts from them. They give you a deadline; you get paid by the hour. No benefits and no certainty, but you make your own hours. Some of the larger publishing companies have copyeditors employed, but it's fairly rare. You'll want an English degree or similar, an internship, and lots of experience. It's kind of hard to move into, but you can make a decent living off of it if you are dedicated and able to work independently. For magazines, copyediting is done by interns and Editorial assistants usually (though I think they're moving to freelancers too). For them, it's a job that you get promoted out of. You'll want a journalism degree.

There are also content editoring. This is editing that actually changes the content of a story. Plot, order of chapters, character names, etc. This is usually done by a high up position within a publishing company.

If copyediting is something you enjoy doing, by all means, go for it. The job will always exist, even when all books are electronic. Just be aware that it is almost entirely freelance, so don't expect benefits and job security.

Q: What exactly do you mean by subsidiary publishing? Nearly all publishing is subsidiary these days.

Thank you very much, and yes you understood what I meant. Copyediting. I guess I am just a bit "old school" in how I label things lol. And, yes, it is something I would love to do, and I actually prefer freelance. The no benefits part doesn't bother me, I just prefer to work from home at my own pace. Deadlines are no problem, it's just getting up and going into work that I hate. Thank you for your time in explaining it all, looks like I will have to go back and finish school for my English Degree at least, but that's not bad either.

It's fantastic to see a professional associated with the publishing industry on these boards.

I'm an MFA in Fiction student, currently finishing up my first novel manuscript with a co-writer. We will be seeking an agent upon completion.

Our work is supernatural/horror fiction, and I just wanted to see if you had any specific advice for people at this stage and/or working in this genre.

Another question, this is for my friend and I want to make sure I'm telling her correctly!

She had her short story published in our college literary journal which gives all rights to the author, so she is free to send it out to be published elsewhere correct?

Also a magazine she is hoping to have it published in says it only has rights for the 30 days of the issue then they revert back to the author, so technically she could then send it out once more, right?

Saber: Yes to both questions. It's rare that magazines of any kind retain rights to a story. As soon as she receives rights back, she's allowed to send it to more.

I would recommend not mentioning that it's been published elsewhere though. If they ask, be truthful, but don't volunteer the information because magazines usually aren't interested in being second.

Peacemaker: Same advice I'd have for any genre writer. Make sure to go for agents who work with your specialty. It costs a lot of money to send out proposals. Don't waste it on someone who only publishes nonfiction when your book is sci-fi. Research all agents, know what they're looking for, and make sure to send them just that. You'll have much better results.

Just wanted to say hi- this looks really useful ^_^

I'm glad you like it. ^-^ Stop by if you have any questions.