How to Start a Freelance Fiction Editing Business

Note from Sean: So many people fail to think outside the “freelance writing” box when they’re on their quest to form their first bridge business online.

The reality is there are a LOT of different approaches you can take to do it. That’s why I love this post from Location Rebel Academy member Karen Marston.

In it, she shows us not only how to start an editing business, but she niches down even further to freelance fiction editing – which there’s a growing market for right now.

If you still haven’t figured out exactly how to get started online, take a look at this post and see if it resonates.

Take it away, Karen!

—

When you picture your perfect day, does it involve curling up—or stretching out—with a good book at some point? And I don’t just mean the latest business volume to help you get your business up and running. Settling down for a couple of hours with Evernote and your hulking great copy of Tools of Titans is all well and good, but don’t you just love to dive into a good thriller or romance or sci-fi novel sometimes?

If you answered yes, starting a fiction editing business could be the path to location independence you seek. Especially if you’re also a grammar nerd who takes a certain pride in your ability to catch and correct typos. It’s a business that can easily be run from your laptop, particularly if you work with self-publishing authors rather than traditional publishing houses.

Becoming a freelance fiction editor is not as easy or simple as starting, say, an SEO article writing business, but—for most people—it’s infinitely more rewarding. To get a better idea of whether this is the right path for you, keep reading to find out what you need to do to get started.

1. Decide Which Type of Editing to Do

Becoming a freelance fiction editor isn’t as simple as saying, “Send me your book and I’ll make it better!” No. There are different levels of editing, beginning with the big picture and moving on to the tiniest details. There are many different names for each type of editing, but the process is generally the same whatever you call each step. It looks something like this:

1. Macro editing
   Macro editing is the big, sweeping part of the process—you look at the manuscript as a whole and address how effectively the story has been told, helping the author fashion it into something people will want to read. This is intensive and definitely the most difficult type of editing to get right. You need to know your shit to be able to do this.
2. Sentence-level editing
   There are a couple of different types of sentence-level editing: line editing and copy-editing. It’s easy to get them mixed up because they’re pretty similar. Line editing comes first in the process, and its aim is to make paragraphs and sentences more artful in the way they flow, and more correct and consistent in the way they’re presented. Essentially, your aim is to help improve the writing. Copy-editing, on the other hand, is about correcting the writing, fixing any grammatical errors without touching any of the creative elements of the prose.
3. Micro editing
   Otherwise known as proofreading. Technically, proofreading comes after the book has been typeset (put into book format), and is the final check to make sure no errors have slipped through the previous rounds of editing, so if you’re working on something before that stage, what you’re doing is probably copy-editing. There’s a lot of fluidity around the terms though, especially in digital publishing. So long as you’re clear about the precise service you’re offering, you’ll be fine.

Unless you have a strong knowledge of creative writing and how to tell a story effectively, it’s best not to start by offering macro editing services; copy-editing and proofreading are good places to begin your freelance editing journey.

2. Learn How to Use Track Changes

Track Changes is the function in Microsoft Word that allows you to make changes to a work without immediately implementing them. You can change things and make suggestions and comments, all while still being able to view the work in its original form. Basically, it’s the red pen. It looks like this:

Track Changes is an essential tool for an editor. It makes it a lot easier to see what you’ve changed, and rather than directly editing a text you’re simply making suggested changes, which can either be accepted or rejected. This is also nice for the author, so they can see and learn from your edits.

Sophie Playle (my business partner) has written an excellent guide to Track Changes. It’s written for authors, but you should find it useful, too.

3. Choose Your Niche/Specialism

If you’ve been reading Location Rebel for a while, I’m sure you’ve learned the importance of “niching down.” It’s much easier to make people want to work with you when you specialize in a specific niche. When it comes to editing, there are several ways you can specialize.

Simply labelling yourself as a fiction editor is the obvious place to start. Fiction editing and non-fiction editing are very different, and if you were an author, wouldn’t you prefer to work with someone who’s experienced in and dedicated to the craft of fiction?

However, you can take it even further. You could specialize in a specific genre—Sophie, for example, specializes in editing sci-fi, fantasy, and speculative fiction—or by type of service you offer. Take Louise Harnby, who specializes solely in proofreading. The final way to specialize is by type of client, which could be publishing houses, self-publishing authors or authors who want to publish traditionally. (It’s easier to begin by working directly with authors, because they’re more likely to choose an editor they feel a connection with, as opposed to publishing houses who look for more experienced candidates.)

You can specialize in one or all three of these areas. Theoretically, the more you niche it down, the easier it should be to find clients, although this does have its limits—choose a tiny enough niche and there may not be enough work to sustain you.

4. Set Your Rates

Ahh, rates. Every freelancer’s favourite topic. Hahaha, just kidding. Everyone hates thinking about rates! Because how the hell do you decide how much to charge? WHAT’S YOUR WORTH? Or, more accurately, what’s your work’s worth, since that really has nothing to do with your worth as a human being. But I digress.

Setting rates as a freelance fiction editor isn’t all that different from setting rates in any other type of freelancing, though there is, unsurprisingly, more of a focus on word count.

One of the most common ways to set rates as a freelance editor is per 1000 words, though other options include per page (a page is classed as 250 words in the publishing industry), per hour, or per project (which can be calculated using your per-1000-words rate).

You can either present a fixed rate (“I charge $18 per 1000 words”) or a ranged rate (“I charge between $14 and $22 per 1000 words”). The ranged rate will allow you the flexibility to adjust your rate depending on the quality of the manuscript the client sends you.

5. Create Your Website

As a fiction editor, you’re going to need an online home where authors can find out more about you and the services you offer. So you’re going to need to set up a website, which will involve purchasing your domain name and hosting, installing WordPress and adding content to your site. Check out this post I wrote for Sean about how to set up a freelance writing website—the instructions for creating a freelance editing website are very similar, with just a few obvious tweaks to the content needed.

You’ll still want to include a home, about, services and contact page, though obviously you’ll need to, well, talk about freelance editing rather than writing. It’s up to you whether you decide to include your rates or not.

6. Decide Your Client Work Process

Before you nab your first client, you should have a vague idea of how you’re going to actually do this, right? Editing a manuscript for a fiction author should go a little like this:

1. Receive an enquiry
   Unfortunately, it’s tricky to actively hunt down clients as a freelance fiction editor (how do you know who’s writing a novel, and who’s ready for editing?), so you’ll need to wait for them to come for you. (Though there are ways to speed up this process—more on that below.)
2. Ask for a sample
   This is a crucial stage of the process, and something you’ll want to do before you send a quote—perhaps before you even decide whether you want to take the client on. I highly recommend conducting a sample edit of the author’s work (preferably taken from the middle of the book, rather than the polished beginning). This will allow you to judge how much to charge for the edit, based on the quality of the work, and will let the author see the standard of work you’ll provide. Whether you charge for the sample edit or not is up to you.
3. Schedule the project
   Once you’ve agreed to work with a client, you’ll want to clearly lay out the timeline for it: when the client needs to send the finished manuscript to you by, as well as when you will start work on it and when you’ll deliver the fully edited manuscript.
4. Sign a contract
   Whether you sign an official contract is up to you, too. You should do what makes you feel most comfortable, but I strongly advise that you at least have some terms and conditions in place or keep a record of email agreements (in the UK this is considered proof of a verbal contract). As long as you have evidence of what you’ve agreed, you should be fine. However, I’m not a legal expert, so be sure to check the law in your own country.
5. Get a deposit
   Many new freelancers feel uncomfortable about asking for money upfront, but it’s a completely normal part of the process. Securing the deposit gives you peace of mind and allows you to comfortably schedule projects in advance—and it’ll show your client that you’re serious. Around 25–50% is a good amount to get upfront. For more information, check out this article I wrote about how to write an invoice.
6. Do the work!
   That covers what you need to do before you begin working on a project, so now’s the time to complete the project as agreed. Make sure you deliver the edited manuscript by the deadline, of course. I recommend sending over a “clean” version of the manuscript (with all the edits implemented), as well as a document that shows all your tracked changes and comments, and one that has the edits implemented but still shows your comments on the work.
7. Invoice for the remainder
   Once you’ve sent the final edited manuscript over, issue your final invoice, requesting the remainder of the fee. It’s a good idea to be clear about the level of post-project communication the author can expect, too. You don’t want somebody querying you five months down the line about a specific change you made, so make it plain when they need to get their final questions to you by.

7. Put Yourself Where Clients Can Find You

As mentioned above, it’s annoyingly hard to hunt down clients cold-email style as you would with many other types of freelancing. Because just not that many people are authors who want to have their books edited, you know? And even if they were, how would you find them? It’s not like you can just Google that shit. Not like if you were, say, trying to find businesses to offer SEO consulting services to. Instead, you have to put yourself where people who are ready to have their manuscripts edited can find you. There are a few options here:

• Directories
  Louise Harnby has written up a fantastic list of editorial directories around the world.
• Advertising
  If you’re on a tight budget, paid advertising may not be your first port of call on the “finding clients” front, but it can be effective. Targeted Facebook and Twitter ads are a good place to start, as are ads placed in specialist publications (such as writing magazines), and flyers distributed at relevant events (such as literary festivals).
• Networking and social media
  Really, networking is simply being active in your communities. As a fiction editor, there are two main communities you can join: the editorial community and the writing community. Within those, there are smaller communities, too—fiction editors, genre editors, genre writers, self-publishers, small press publishers and so on. Keep in mind that effective networking is all about communicating with people, not talking at them.
• Worth of mouth and referrals
  This is hands down the most effective way to score new clients, but it’s also one of the trickiest to master, especially in the beginning when you haven’t actually worked with many (or any!) editing clients. Make sure everyone you know is aware of your new career as a fiction editor and go from there.
• Your website, SEO and Google
  Getting ranked well in Google is the dream, of course. In fact, I take back what I said above: this is the trickiest tactic to master. Starting a relevant blog on your website and updating it frequently is a good way to start getting noticed by Google, though.

What to Do Now

Being a freelance fiction editor can be one of the most rewarding careers, especially if you’re a creative soul who loves reading good stories and helping people to do their best work.

If the guidance above has piqued your interest but you want more information and an experienced hand to guide you, check out Start Fiction Editing, the course I co-created with talented fiction editor Sophie Playle.

Find out more about the course at StartFictionEditing.com—the next session begins on 1 February, and there’s a special early bird rate available until 10am PST Sunday 22 January.

Karen Marston runs Untamed Writing, where she’ll help you grab life by the balls, escape your mundane existence and finally start that freelance writing career you’ve always dreamed of.

The post How to Start a Freelance Fiction Editing Business appeared first on Location Rebel.

from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2jVu6TM

How to Start a Freelance Fiction Editing Business

Note from Sean: So many people fail to think outside the "freelance writing" box when they're on their quest to form their first bridge business online.

The reality is there are a LOT of different approaches you can take to do it. That's why I love this post from Location Rebel Academy member Karen Marston.

In it, she shows us not only how to start an editing business, but she niches down even further to freelance fiction editing – which there's a growing market for right now.

If you still haven't figured out exactly how to get started online, take a look at this post and see if it resonates.

Take it away, Karen!

—

When you picture your perfect day, does it involve curling up—or stretching out—with a good book at some point? And I don't just mean the latest business volume to help you get your business up and running. Settling down for a couple of hours with Evernote and your hulking great copy of Tools of Titans is all well and good, but don't you just love to dive into a good thriller or romance or sci-fi novel sometimes?

If you answered yes, starting a fiction editing business could be the path to location independence you seek. Especially if you're also a grammar nerd who takes a certain pride in your ability to catch and correct typos. It's a business that can easily be run from your laptop, particularly if you work with self-publishing authors rather than traditional publishing houses.

Becoming a freelance fiction editor is not as easy or simple as starting, say, an SEO article writing business, but—for most people—it's infinitely more rewarding. To get a better idea of whether this is the right path for you, keep reading to find out what you need to do to get started.

1. Decide Which Type of Editing to Do

Becoming a freelance fiction editor isn't as simple as saying, "Send me your book and I'll make it better!" No. There are different levels of editing, beginning with the big picture and moving on to the tiniest details. There are many different names for each type of editing, but the process is generally the same whatever you call each step. It looks something like this:

1. Macro editing
   Macro editing is the big, sweeping part of the process—you look at the manuscript as a whole and address how effectively the story has been told, helping the author fashion it into something people will want to read. This is intensive and definitely the most difficult type of editing to get right. You need to know your shit to be able to do this.
2. Sentence-level editing
   There are a couple of different types of sentence-level editing: line editing and copy-editing. It's easy to get them mixed up because they're pretty similar. Line editing comes first in the process, and its aim is to make paragraphs and sentences more artful in the way they flow, and more correct and consistent in the way they're presented. Essentially, your aim is to help improve the writing. Copy-editing, on the other hand, is about correcting the writing, fixing any grammatical errors without touching any of the creative elements of the prose.
3. Micro editing
   Otherwise known as proofreading. Technically, proofreading comes after the book has been typeset (put into book format), and is the final check to make sure no errors have slipped through the previous rounds of editing, so if you're working on something before that stage, what you're doing is probably copy-editing. There's a lot of fluidity around the terms though, especially in digital publishing. So long as you're clear about the precise service you're offering, you'll be fine.

Unless you have a strong knowledge of creative writing and how to tell a story effectively, it's best not to start by offering macro editing services; copy-editing and proofreading are good places to begin your freelance editing journey.

2. Learn How to Use Track Changes

Track Changes is the function in Microsoft Word that allows you to make changes to a work without immediately implementing them. You can change things and make suggestions and comments, all while still being able to view the work in its original form. Basically, it's the red pen. It looks like this:

Track Changes is an essential tool for an editor. It makes it a lot easier to see what you've changed, and rather than directly editing a text you're simply making suggested changes, which can either be accepted or rejected. This is also nice for the author, so they can see and learn from your edits.

Sophie Playle (my business partner) has written an excellent guide to Track Changes. It's written for authors, but you should find it useful, too.

3. Choose Your Niche/Specialism

If you've been reading Location Rebel for a while, I'm sure you've learned the importance of "niching down." It's much easier to make people want to work with you when you specialize in a specific niche. When it comes to editing, there are several ways you can specialize.

Simply labelling yourself as a fiction editor is the obvious place to start. Fiction editing and non-fiction editing are very different, and if you were an author, wouldn't you prefer to work with someone who's experienced in and dedicated to the craft of fiction?

However, you can take it even further. You could specialize in a specific genre—Sophie, for example, specializes in editing sci-fi, fantasy, and speculative fiction—or by type of service you offer. Take Louise Harnby, who specializes solely in proofreading. The final way to specialize is by type of client, which could be publishing houses, self-publishing authors or authors who want to publish traditionally. (It's easier to begin by working directly with authors, because they're more likely to choose an editor they feel a connection with, as opposed to publishing houses who look for more experienced candidates.)

You can specialize in one or all three of these areas. Theoretically, the more you niche it down, the easier it should be to find clients, although this does have its limits—choose a tiny enough niche and there may not be enough work to sustain you.

4. Set Your Rates

Ahh, rates. Every freelancer's favourite topic. Hahaha, just kidding. Everyone hates thinking about rates! Because how the hell do you decide how much to charge? WHAT'S YOUR WORTH? Or, more accurately, what's your work's worth, since that really has nothing to do with your worth as a human being. But I digress.

Setting rates as a freelance fiction editor isn't all that different from setting rates in any other type of freelancing, though there is, unsurprisingly, more of a focus on word count.

One of the most common ways to set rates as a freelance editor is per 1000 words, though other options include per page (a page is classed as 250 words in the publishing industry), per hour, or per project (which can be calculated using your per-1000-words rate).

You can either present a fixed rate ("I charge $18 per 1000 words") or a ranged rate ("I charge between $14 and $22 per 1000 words"). The ranged rate will allow you the flexibility to adjust your rate depending on the quality of the manuscript the client sends you.

5. Create Your Website

As a fiction editor, you're going to need an online home where authors can find out more about you and the services you offer. So you're going to need to set up a website, which will involve purchasing your domain name and hosting, installing WordPress and adding content to your site. Check out this post I wrote for Sean about how to set up a freelance writing website—the instructions for creating a freelance editing website are very similar, with just a few obvious tweaks to the content needed.

You'll still want to include a home, about, services and contact page, though obviously you'll need to, well, talk about freelance editing rather than writing. It's up to you whether you decide to include your rates or not.

6. Decide Your Client Work Process

Before you nab your first client, you should have a vague idea of how you're going to actually do this, right? Editing a manuscript for a fiction author should go a little like this:

1. Receive an enquiry
   Unfortunately, it's tricky to actively hunt down clients as a freelance fiction editor (how do you know who's writing a novel, and who's ready for editing?), so you'll need to wait for them to come for you. (Though there are ways to speed up this process—more on that below.)
2. Ask for a sample
   This is a crucial stage of the process, and something you'll want to do before you send a quote—perhaps before you even decide whether you want to take the client on. I highly recommend conducting a sample edit of the author's work (preferably taken from the middle of the book, rather than the polished beginning). This will allow you to judge how much to charge for the edit, based on the quality of the work, and will let the author see the standard of work you'll provide. Whether you charge for the sample edit or not is up to you.
3. Schedule the project
   Once you've agreed to work with a client, you'll want to clearly lay out the timeline for it: when the client needs to send the finished manuscript to you by, as well as when you will start work on it and when you'll deliver the fully edited manuscript.
4. Sign a contract
   Whether you sign an official contract is up to you, too. You should do what makes you feel most comfortable, but I strongly advise that you at least have some terms and conditions in place or keep a record of email agreements (in the UK this is considered proof of a verbal contract). As long as you have evidence of what you've agreed, you should be fine. However, I'm not a legal expert, so be sure to check the law in your own country.
5. Get a deposit
   Many new freelancers feel uncomfortable about asking for money upfront, but it's a completely normal part of the process. Securing the deposit gives you peace of mind and allows you to comfortably schedule projects in advance—and it'll show your client that you're serious. Around 25–50% is a good amount to get upfront. For more information, check out this article I wrote about how to write an invoice.
6. Do the work!
   That covers what you need to do before you begin working on a project, so now's the time to complete the project as agreed. Make sure you deliver the edited manuscript by the deadline, of course. I recommend sending over a "clean" version of the manuscript (with all the edits implemented), as well as a document that shows all your tracked changes and comments, and one that has the edits implemented but still shows your comments on the work.
7. Invoice for the remainder
   Once you've sent the final edited manuscript over, issue your final invoice, requesting the remainder of the fee. It's a good idea to be clear about the level of post-project communication the author can expect, too. You don't want somebody querying you five months down the line about a specific change you made, so make it plain when they need to get their final questions to you by.

7. Put Yourself Where Clients Can Find You

As mentioned above, it's annoyingly hard to hunt down clients cold-email style as you would with many other types of freelancing. Because just not that many people are authors who want to have their books edited, you know? And even if they were, how would you find them? It's not like you can just Google that shit. Not like if you were, say, trying to find businesses to offer SEO consulting services to. Instead, you have to put yourself where people who are ready to have their manuscripts edited can find you. There are a few options here:

• Directories
  Louise Harnby has written up a fantastic list of editorial directories around the world.
• Advertising
  If you're on a tight budget, paid advertising may not be your first port of call on the "finding clients" front, but it can be effective. Targeted Facebook and Twitter ads are a good place to start, as are ads placed in specialist publications (such as writing magazines), and flyers distributed at relevant events (such as literary festivals).
• Networking and social media
  Really, networking is simply being active in your communities. As a fiction editor, there are two main communities you can join: the editorial community and the writing community. Within those, there are smaller communities, too—fiction editors, genre editors, genre writers, self-publishers, small press publishers and so on. Keep in mind that effective networking is all about communicating with people, not talking at them.
• Worth of mouth and referrals
  This is hands down the most effective way to score new clients, but it's also one of the trickiest to master, especially in the beginning when you haven't actually worked with many (or any!) editing clients. Make sure everyone you know is aware of your new career as a fiction editor and go from there.
• Your website, SEO and Google
  Getting ranked well in Google is the dream, of course. In fact, I take back what I said above: this is the trickiest tactic to master. Starting a relevant blog on your website and updating it frequently is a good way to start getting noticed by Google, though.

What to Do Now

Being a freelance fiction editor can be one of the most rewarding careers, especially if you're a creative soul who loves reading good stories and helping people to do their best work.

If the guidance above has piqued your interest but you want more information and an experienced hand to guide you, check out Start Fiction Editing, the course I co-created with talented fiction editor Sophie Playle.

Find out more about the course at StartFictionEditing.com—the next session begins on 1 February, and there's a special early bird rate available until 10am PST Sunday 22 January.

Karen Marston runs Untamed Writing, where she'll help you grab life by the balls, escape your mundane existence and finally start that freelance writing career you've always dreamed of.

The post How to Start a Freelance Fiction Editing Business appeared first on Location Rebel.

from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2jVu6TM

10 Biggest Beginner GPS Mistakes

1. Not practicing using your GPS

A new GPS is confusing to use and it takes practice to become proficient at it. Read the manual and start using it near your home in familiar territory before you take it into the backcountry and try to navigate with it. Carrying around a GPS that you don’t know how to use is pointless, so practice, practice, practice, until you’ve mastered it.

2. Not resetting the trip data at the start of every hike

You need to develop a routine that you go through with your GPS at the start of every hike: Turn it on; Let it acquire satellites; Re-calibrate the compass; Reset the trip data; Clear the track log; Set a waypoint so you find the trailhead again (and your car.) Otherwise you won’t know where you hiked or how to get back to your start point.

3. Not installing 24K maps

The 100k base maps included with GPS receivers don’t have enough detail to be useful during a hike. Make sure you buy and install 24K Topo maps or obtain free ones from a website like GPSFileDepot.

4. Not hiking with a map and compass

A GPS is not a replacement for a map and compass. If you forget to turn your GPS off and the batteries drain or you lose your satellite connection, you still need to be able to find your way with a map and compass. A map also makes it easier to visualize where you’re headed and because it’s so much larger than the small-sized screen on your GPS.

5. Not having a trip plan

Make a plan before you start a hike. If it’s an area that you’re unfamiliar with or one that doesn’t have any hiking trails, plan a route by creating waypoints that you want to pass on your hike and enter them or transfer them to your GPS. Having a preplanned route will let you estimate how long it will take you to hike the route and let you set a turnaround time. You can also leave it with friend, so they can call search and rescue if you don’t make it back by a set time.

6. Not checking your position frequently

A GPS does absolutely no good if it lives inside your backpack and you never look at it. Carry your GPS in a pocket or attached to your shoulder strap where you can check it frequently. Locate your position on your map each time, so you always know where you are if your GPS stops working.

7. Not setting the map datum and declination properly

Whenever you plan a trip or start a hike, make sure to set your GPS map datum to match the datum shown in the legend of your map. A map’s datum is used to calculate the position of its latitude and longitude lines. Different maps use different datums and you want to make sure your GPS is set to the map that you’re using. Your GPS also has a compass and you need to set its north setting to magnetic, true north, or grid north so it matches the north you’re using with your compass.

8. Trusting that your GPS is 100% accurate

Your GPS position can be off by 10 feet or off by 500 feet. For example, your GPS might say you’re standing on a trail when it’s obvious that you’re not. While many GPS units are certified to be accurate to within 10 feet for 95% of the time, they can be way off the other 5%. This is why it’s important to carry a map and check your position on it frequently by making sure that the landscape features you’d expect to see around you are really there. GPS units also often overestimate the distance travelled and elevation gain, which is why the trip statistics reported by your GPS often don’t match your map or guidebook.

9. Not bringing spare batteries

GPS units can chew through a set batteries in a day. It’s best to bring spare batteries with you in case yours run out of juice during a hike. Lithium ion batteries last longer than alkaline batteries and are resistant to cold weather. Turning down screen brightness and turning off unused functions can also significantly prolong your battery life.

10. Not blindly following “as the crow flies” GPS directions

While a GPS will point you in the right direction to get from waypoint to waypoint, this might not be the most efficient or easy route to follow. Dense vegetation, gullies, and other land features may impede a direct route. Check your map to see what obstacles you’re likely to encounter and take the easiest route instead.

from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2j38swV

10 Biggest Beginner GPS Mistakes

1. Not practicing using your GPS

A new GPS is confusing to use and it takes practice to become proficient at it. Read the manual and start using it near your home in familiar territory before you take it into the backcountry and try to navigate with it. Carrying around a GPS that you don't know how to use is pointless, so practice, practice, practice, until you've mastered it.

2. Not resetting the trip data at the start of every hike

You need to develop a routine that you go through with your GPS at the start of every hike: Turn it on; Let it acquire satellites; Re-calibrate the compass; Reset the trip data; Clear the track log; Set a waypoint so you find the trailhead again (and your car.) Otherwise you won't know where you hiked or how to get back to your start point.

3. Not installing 24K maps

The 100k base maps included with GPS receivers don't have enough detail to be useful during a hike. Make sure you buy and install 24K Topo maps or obtain free ones from a website like GPSFileDepot.

4. Not hiking with a map and compass

A GPS is not a replacement for a map and compass. If you forget to turn your GPS off and the batteries drain or you lose your satellite connection, you still need to be able to find your way with a map and compass. A map also makes it easier to visualize where you're headed and because it's so much larger than the small-sized screen on your GPS.

5. Not having a trip plan

Make a plan before you start a hike. If it's an area that you're unfamiliar with or one that doesn't have any hiking trails, plan a route by creating waypoints that you want to pass on your hike and enter them or transfer them to your GPS. Having a preplanned route will let you estimate how long it will take you to hike the route and let you set a turnaround time. You can also leave it with friend, so they can call search and rescue if you don't make it back by a set time.

6. Not checking your position frequently

A GPS does absolutely no good if it lives inside your backpack and you never look at it. Carry your GPS in a pocket or attached to your shoulder strap where you can check it frequently. Locate your position on your map each time, so you always know where you are if your GPS stops working.

7. Not setting the map datum and declination properly

Whenever you plan a trip or start a hike, make sure to set your GPS map datum to match the datum shown in the legend of your map. A map's datum is used to calculate the position of its latitude and longitude lines. Different maps use different datums and you want to make sure your GPS is set to the map that you're using. Your GPS also has a compass and you need to set its north setting to magnetic, true north, or grid north so it matches the north you're using with your compass.

8. Trusting that your GPS is 100% accurate

Your GPS position can be off by 10 feet or off by 500 feet. For example, your GPS might say you're standing on a trail when it's obvious that you're not. While many GPS units are certified to be accurate to within 10 feet for 95% of the time, they can be way off the other 5%. This is why it's important to carry a map and check your position on it frequently by making sure that the landscape features you'd expect to see around you are really there. GPS units also often overestimate the distance travelled and elevation gain, which is why the trip statistics reported by your GPS often don't match your map or guidebook.

9. Not bringing spare batteries

GPS units can chew through a set batteries in a day. It's best to bring spare batteries with you in case yours run out of juice during a hike. Lithium ion batteries last longer than alkaline batteries and are resistant to cold weather. Turning down screen brightness and turning off unused functions can also significantly prolong your battery life.

10. Not blindly following "as the crow flies" GPS directions

While a GPS will point you in the right direction to get from waypoint to waypoint, this might not be the most efficient or easy route to follow. Dense vegetation, gullies, and other land features may impede a direct route. Check your map to see what obstacles you're likely to encounter and take the easiest route instead.

from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2j38swV

IndieView with Lesley Fletcher, author of Crystal Ball Persuasion

It is neither a romance nor chick lit but rather geared toward dreamers, drifters and those who love true adventure and travel mixed with some mysticism. 

Lesley Fletcher – 16 January 2017

The Back Flap

Since being given her mentor’s gift of a premonition from a very young age, Gypsy has had her sights on a life far away from the one she leads. Standing in her way are two men; one who has been waiting a lifetime for her love and one who depends on her gifts for a living wage.

Trusting the Universe, she throws herself into a new life when she finds the seeker who fits the premonition. She sets out with a new identity and a zest for adventure on her quest for the truth. Their journey together leads to questions about what the future will hold and how the past will impact it. There is only one thing is set in stone. Neither will ever return to their former life.

Accompanying her on the adventurous escape and leading the way is Jules, a woman whose life was recently thrown into merciless turmoil. Together they conquer goals, soul search and open their bruised and broken hearts as they travel to far off destinations. Their journey is filled with mystical charm, sisterhood and page-turning events as the story unfolds.

Along the way a question arises – Will building a fresh life based on crystal ball readings, intuition and a premonition, also change destiny?

About the book

What is the book about?

The core of the story is about two women, from entirely different backgrounds, who are thrown together at a time of turmoil in both lives and how they emerge from that turmoil. It is dressed in gypsy lore, poignant personal stories of loss and hardship, many moments of tension and travel to Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and England, where they experience eye opening discoveries.

When did you start writing the book?

I think I have been writing this book for at least seven years, at least in my mind. The phrase ‘everyone has a book in them’ ran rampant for many years prior to that.

How long did it take you to write it?

All said, it took three years.

Where did you get the idea from?

This idea had been floating around my head for a long while. I ended up researching more and more into Gypsy lifestyle(s) and the Gypsy soul. There is a tremendous interest in the subject and I was intrigued by that fact. I had written a poetry/art book by the title ‘5 Pillars of the Gypsy’ which was a reflection of my own life and so it ended up being a natural next step to write a full novel, incorporating much of my own experiences in travel and in witnessing astounding cross-cultural similarities as well as the importance of female friendships.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes, absolutely. There were two parts actually. One was finding a natural way for two women who were from completely different backgrounds to bond in a genuine way.

The other was a more practical writing dilemma. I have often read books where the middle of the book is sluggish and I was absolutely determined not to let that happen in Crystal Ball Persuasion. I researched for a couple of months, throwing scenarios back and forth on the page until I conquered that potential lull. I can happily report all the angst on my part was worth it!

What came easily?

The characters came to me freely because I made them real and relatable and each one had a part of me in them. I also wrote in short parts to be sure to have a ‘wow’ factor regularly throughout. In fact I labeled them as chapters (30+) to be certain and then through the editing process knit them together, whittling down to 16 final chapters.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

There is one male character who was based on someone I know quite well, in Istanbul. He ended up being a pivotal part of the plot. I think, if he read the book, he would be tickled.

Of course over periods of time we come across different people and as a writer, make a mental note of interesting characteristics and tendencies.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Jodi Pincoult comes to mind first because each book I have read of hers grabs me from the beginning. Also Louise Penny because she breaks a lot of the rules of writing and her books take place in Quebec which is where I was born and live now.

Do you have a target reader?

The book caters to women who have loved, lost and perhaps want to start again, or at least get to know the mindset of someone who leaves their life to start anew. It is neither a romance nor chick lit but rather geared toward dreamers, drifters and those who love true adventure and travel mixed with some mysticism.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I had to change my writing style because my old one wasn’t productive enough. I obtained a used laptop and set up at my dining room table where there is plenty of light and switched from a morning to afternoon time slot. Once that was done, I dedicated time for research, which was a huge part of the book, and writing time of about two hours a day (total).

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I did outline the whole book but rather loosely, leaving myself plenty of leeway for change. Because I did extensive character profiling, I found much of the plot surfaced on its own.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

Upon completion of a few chapters, I printed a hard copy to go over when I found myself at a loss for words. I find it much easier to recognise areas of need in print format. I guess I am old school when it comes to digital copy.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Absolutely. I have more of an artistic mind and would never trust my own eyes for the final product. My attention to detail in that respect is sadly lacking.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

All silence works best for me, but I did listen to music of the countries my characters visited in off-writing hours. I found it helped set the tone really well.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No. Life is too short and I am too impatient to wait.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I really think it is six of one and a half dozen of the other. As an author you still have to do much of the footwork (marketing) of your book, so I choose to go it alone.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Metà e metà. I worked with two different book cover designers after designing and altering the original jpeg. One did the font and one did the layout and design. It was really a team effort.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

Some of my plans went up in smoke so winging it at the time being. I have dabbled a bit but have not had concrete results as yet.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Listen and learn. The learning curve is huge at first and never ever stops. If you think even for one moment that because you write a book, family, friends and the general public will rush to buy it and give you a review within a week, you will be crushed. The true definition of Indie should be – you are on your own now!

Listen and believe other Indie authors, after doing your own research. Not every genre requires the same set of ‘rules’.

Learn what a platform is and how to use it.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Montreal and grew up in London Ontario. Since the grass is always greener somewhere else at a point in life, I moved back to the Montreal area and have had no regrets.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I think, going back over older interviews, my vision has always been the same. Life, love, laugh and embrace the whole world. I am curious by nature and very grounded as well as fascinated by humanity.

What are you working on now?

I am still at the mulling stage. I have two different projects in mind. One is a follow up to Crystal Ball Persuasion as two readers have asked me – what happened to so and so? (which is very flattering), and a completely different story which is sure to present a challenge.

End of Interview:

For more from Lesley you could start with her website. Then check out one or both of her blogs, the first one is aimed at her books while the second appears to include both books and her art. Last, you might follow her on Twitter or like her page on Facebook.

Get your copy of Crystal Ball Persuasion from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2iyhNM0

IndieView with Lesley Fletcher, author of Crystal Ball Persuasion

It is neither a romance nor chick lit but rather geared toward dreamers, drifters and those who love true adventure and travel mixed with some mysticism. 

Lesley Fletcher – 16 January 2017

The Back Flap

Since being given her mentor's gift of a premonition from a very young age, Gypsy has had her sights on a life far away from the one she leads. Standing in her way are two men; one who has been waiting a lifetime for her love and one who depends on her gifts for a living wage.

Trusting the Universe, she throws herself into a new life when she finds the seeker who fits the premonition. She sets out with a new identity and a zest for adventure on her quest for the truth. Their journey together leads to questions about what the future will hold and how the past will impact it. There is only one thing is set in stone. Neither will ever return to their former life.

Accompanying her on the adventurous escape and leading the way is Jules, a woman whose life was recently thrown into merciless turmoil. Together they conquer goals, soul search and open their bruised and broken hearts as they travel to far off destinations. Their journey is filled with mystical charm, sisterhood and page-turning events as the story unfolds.

Along the way a question arises – Will building a fresh life based on crystal ball readings, intuition and a premonition, also change destiny?

About the book

What is the book about?

The core of the story is about two women, from entirely different backgrounds, who are thrown together at a time of turmoil in both lives and how they emerge from that turmoil. It is dressed in gypsy lore, poignant personal stories of loss and hardship, many moments of tension and travel to Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and England, where they experience eye opening discoveries.

When did you start writing the book?

I think I have been writing this book for at least seven years, at least in my mind. The phrase 'everyone has a book in them' ran rampant for many years prior to that.

How long did it take you to write it?

All said, it took three years.

Where did you get the idea from?

This idea had been floating around my head for a long while. I ended up researching more and more into Gypsy lifestyle(s) and the Gypsy soul. There is a tremendous interest in the subject and I was intrigued by that fact. I had written a poetry/art book by the title '5 Pillars of the Gypsy' which was a reflection of my own life and so it ended up being a natural next step to write a full novel, incorporating much of my own experiences in travel and in witnessing astounding cross-cultural similarities as well as the importance of female friendships.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes, absolutely. There were two parts actually. One was finding a natural way for two women who were from completely different backgrounds to bond in a genuine way.

The other was a more practical writing dilemma. I have often read books where the middle of the book is sluggish and I was absolutely determined not to let that happen in Crystal Ball Persuasion. I researched for a couple of months, throwing scenarios back and forth on the page until I conquered that potential lull. I can happily report all the angst on my part was worth it!

What came easily?

The characters came to me freely because I made them real and relatable and each one had a part of me in them. I also wrote in short parts to be sure to have a 'wow' factor regularly throughout. In fact I labeled them as chapters (30+) to be certain and then through the editing process knit them together, whittling down to 16 final chapters.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

There is one male character who was based on someone I know quite well, in Istanbul. He ended up being a pivotal part of the plot. I think, if he read the book, he would be tickled.

Of course over periods of time we come across different people and as a writer, make a mental note of interesting characteristics and tendencies.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Jodi Pincoult comes to mind first because each book I have read of hers grabs me from the beginning. Also Louise Penny because she breaks a lot of the rules of writing and her books take place in Quebec which is where I was born and live now.

Do you have a target reader?

The book caters to women who have loved, lost and perhaps want to start again, or at least get to know the mindset of someone who leaves their life to start anew. It is neither a romance nor chick lit but rather geared toward dreamers, drifters and those who love true adventure and travel mixed with some mysticism.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I had to change my writing style because my old one wasn't productive enough. I obtained a used laptop and set up at my dining room table where there is plenty of light and switched from a morning to afternoon time slot. Once that was done, I dedicated time for research, which was a huge part of the book, and writing time of about two hours a day (total).

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I did outline the whole book but rather loosely, leaving myself plenty of leeway for change. Because I did extensive character profiling, I found much of the plot surfaced on its own.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?

Upon completion of a few chapters, I printed a hard copy to go over when I found myself at a loss for words. I find it much easier to recognise areas of need in print format. I guess I am old school when it comes to digital copy.

Did you hire a professional editor?

Absolutely. I have more of an artistic mind and would never trust my own eyes for the final product. My attention to detail in that respect is sadly lacking.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

All silence works best for me, but I did listen to music of the countries my characters visited in off-writing hours. I found it helped set the tone really well.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No. Life is too short and I am too impatient to wait.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I really think it is six of one and a half dozen of the other. As an author you still have to do much of the footwork (marketing) of your book, so I choose to go it alone.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Metà e metà. I worked with two different book cover designers after designing and altering the original jpeg. One did the font and one did the layout and design. It was really a team effort.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

Some of my plans went up in smoke so winging it at the time being. I have dabbled a bit but have not had concrete results as yet.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Listen and learn. The learning curve is huge at first and never ever stops. If you think even for one moment that because you write a book, family, friends and the general public will rush to buy it and give you a review within a week, you will be crushed. The true definition of Indie should be – you are on your own now!

Listen and believe other Indie authors, after doing your own research. Not every genre requires the same set of 'rules'.

Learn what a platform is and how to use it.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Montreal and grew up in London Ontario. Since the grass is always greener somewhere else at a point in life, I moved back to the Montreal area and have had no regrets.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I think, going back over older interviews, my vision has always been the same. Life, love, laugh and embrace the whole world. I am curious by nature and very grounded as well as fascinated by humanity.

What are you working on now?

I am still at the mulling stage. I have two different projects in mind. One is a follow up to Crystal Ball Persuasion as two readers have asked me – what happened to so and so? (which is very flattering), and a completely different story which is sure to present a challenge.

End of Interview:

For more from Lesley you could start with her website. Then check out one or both of her blogs, the first one is aimed at her books while the second appears to include both books and her art. Last, you might follow her on Twitter or like her page on Facebook.

Get your copy of Crystal Ball Persuasion from Amazon US or Amazon UK.

from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2iyhNM0

Climbing Jennings Peak in Winter